As the first woman to serve as the president and managing director of Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas, Audrey Oswell said despite the leadership obstacles she has faced, they never got in the way of her achievements.
While there have been times when things like unequal pay, people judging her for her religion and personal life choices have set her back, Oswell has remained focused on her goals and not let others’ shortfalls or intolerance deter her.
“It’s unfortunate that women are frequently judged more harshly than their male counterparts. Add race or sexual orientation to the mix, and imagine what people are confronted with,” she told HOTELS in March.
Interestingly, Oswell’s entry into the hospitality industry began with a summer job at the Caesars Atlantic City. What was supposed to have been a months-long stint lasted for 21 years.
“The decision to take that job, which was only supposed to last a few months, impacted the entire trajectory of my career,” she recounted. “I worked at Caesars for 21 years, holding various positions in finance and marketing before eventually becoming the property’s president and chief operating officer. It was the longest summer job I could have imagined.”
As the biggest private employer in her current role in The Bahamas, the pandemic landed a severe blow, forcing Oswell to downsize her team. However, with rebounding occupancy and travel sentiment, occupancy has been improving at Atlantis.
“Atlantis is undergoing several major renovations right now, and what is coming next is very exciting,” Oswell said. “We are introducing a new hotel set to debut in 2024. It’s called ‘Somewhere Else’ and is the former Beach hotel at Atlantis. We’re developing the hotel in partnership with David Grutman of Groot Hospitality.”
Here is more from HOTELS interview with Oswell, including commentary about rebounding occupancy levels at Atlantis, measures to drive revenue and some difficult decisions that had to be implemented during the pandemic.
HOTELS: Since taking charge in 2017, you are Atlantis Paradise Island’s first female president and managing director. What challenges do you face as a woman leader?
Audrey Oswell: I don’t know of any leadership position that doesn’t include multiple challenges on a day-to-day basis. While these obstacles can certainly be complicated by gender, race, religion or life choices, I have never allowed those factors to get in the way of what I was trying to accomplish.
There were certainly times in my career when there was inequity in compensation or I had concerns about people knowing my religion. I always did my best to remain focused on goals and not allow others’ shortfalls or intolerance deter me from success.
I believe that women in leadership positions face greater challenges personally as they are often judged as choosing career over family, which is unfair. The fact that I don’t have children leads many to jump to the conclusion that I chose career over family, which couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s unfortunate that women are frequently judged more harshly than their male counterparts. Add race or sexual orientation to the mix, and imagine what people are confronted with.
H: What advice would you give to aspiring women leaders?
AO: I would give all aspiring leaders the same advice: work hard and work smart. Surround yourself with good people who have a variety of different experiences – both professionally and in life – and be open to their input. Being supported by people whom you trust to be honest with you and taking their input to heart are among the best ways to grow.
I also encourage aspiring leaders to always “do the right thing.” At the end of the day, you want to feel good about the decisions you make in your career. It seems simple, but it has been a mantra of sorts throughout my career and has positively impacted my personal and professional decision-making in more ways than I can count. The most important thing you can do is establish a routine that enables you to find work-life balance.
H: What defining moment or decision did you make along the way to help you reach this point in your career?
AO: I graduated college with a degree in education, and before the school year started, I took a summer job at Caesars Atlantic City. The decision to take that job, which was only supposed to last a few months, impacted the entire trajectory of my career.
I worked at Caesars for 21 years, holding various positions in finance and marketing before eventually becoming the property’s president and chief operating officer. It was the longest summer job I could have imagined, but it was truly serendipitous to have ended up at such an incredible place to work in such a formative time in my life.
H: You have had a long journey in the hospitality and gaming industry. Who has been your mentor and what is the best piece of professional advice you have ever received?
AO: While I have never had a formal mentor whom I identified with, there have been countless people from whom I have learned throughout my career. I began working in the industry when there were very few women in senior management, and I was lucky to have supervisors who encouraged me to be my best at all times and advocated for my growth – from my first job at Caesars to my current role at Atlantis. I’m fortunate to have started my career where I did and with people who were respectable, looked out for me, and many of whom I am still in touch with decades later. My mantra of doing the right thing was learned early on in my career from the leaders at Caesars.
H: How has the pandemic affected you personally and your work?
AO: The last two years were two of the hardest in my career. From closure of the resort to the loss of life in The Bahamas and around the world, it has been a tough road. I am a resilient person, sometimes too resilient, in that I move on before others have caught up, which is what keeps me motivated. Bringing joy back to our guests and Atlantis team members gives me great happiness.
H: Where are you finding happiness today?
AO: I try not to worry about things. I learned early in my career that stress does not change anything, but it does drain your energy quicker than anything else. My personal form of meditation is exercise. I put on my headphones and tune out the world, and I find that the break from reality truly centers me. For me, family is my happy place.
H: What keeps you motivated?
AO: One my favorite things to do is take a walk around Atlantis’ property and talk to guests and team members. Speaking to the people who make Atlantis great is so uplifting and always serves as a great reminder of why I do what I do.
H: If you were standing in front of your hotelier contemporaries, what would your message be today?
AO: Keep your focus on the future. Change is occurring much quicker than in the past and trends don’t have the shelf life they used to. Being nimble will become increasingly critical. Take the time to remember where you came from and those who helped you along your journey. Remember to say thank you.
H: What broader consumer trends interests you that you are applying to Atlantis?
AO: Staying home, experiencing the world ‘from afar,’ or through Zoom meetings and screens, makes an escape to a relaxing, rejuvenating resort with friends and loved ones more appealing than ever. We’re already seeing that the travel and leisure industries are beneficiaries of this pent-up demand.
H: Which historical figure would you like to host?
AO: Barack and Michelle Obama. I am so inspired by their journeys.
H: Occupancy at Atlantis made a strong recovery in mid-2021. When do you anticipate Atlantis’ business going back to pre-COVID levels, and what will be the biggest challenge getting there?
AO: Occupancy is strongly improving as the pandemic declines globally, and we expect that trend to continue. Our team members deserve special recognition for their resilience, adaptability and commitment to fulfill the Atlantis promise to provide a welcoming and safe destination to our guests during an incredibly dynamic, challenging period.
As people become more comfortable with travel, they will be highly selective in the destinations they choose. In addition to exceptional hospitality and leisure offerings, safety will be a priority. I’m confident we’re in an excellent position today to meet or exceed those expectations.
H: What innovative measures and re-imaging opportunities have you introduced to drive revenue at a time like this? And what’s coming next?
AO: Recognizing that our guests want new and different offerings — from heightened COVID-19 safety considerations to a desire for more bespoke activities on the property — we’ve taken several key steps to further position Atlantis as the exceptional, world-class hospitality experience they’re looking for in a fast-changing travel environment.
Atlantis is undergoing several major renovations right now, and what is coming next is very exciting. We are introducing a new hotel set to debut in 2024. It’s called ‘Somewhere Else’ and is the former Beach hotel at Atlantis. We’re developing the hotel in partnership with David Grutman of Groot Hospitality. Guests will experience top-tier dining venues, lushly landscaped grounds, access to our gorgeous white sand beaches, multiple pools and recreation areas, luxury amenities and live entertainment.
H: You had to downsize your workforce last year as a cost-cutting measure. Have you been calling back employees now that business is gradually improving and do you plan to return to pre-COVID levels?
AO: We made the very difficult decision to adjust the size of our team to help drive forward a retooled business strategy and operations that are better aligned with today’s fast-changing global hospitality environment. Today, we are better positioned and equipped to capitalize on positive travel trends and navigate challenging travel periods throughout the global pandemic and beyond.
As the largest private employer in The Bahamas, we maintain a deep commitment and responsibility to support our team members, many of whom have worked with us during their entire careers in numerous roles and capacities. We’re focused on providing them with the flexibility, training and resources they need to do a great job. This year, for example, we will be introducing more learning and development training programs, and relaunching various employee initiatives to celebrate their pride and success in everything they do.
H: How successful have vaccinations been to drive recovery and revenue?
AO: All team members are required to have received the COVID-19 vaccine or participate in weekly testing. Our pandemic response has gone well beyond vaccinations. Partnering with the Cleveland Clinic, we’ve enhanced hotel cleaning practices, social interactions and workplace protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The ‘Atlantis Clean & Safe Promise’ has helped instill confidence among our guests, team members and the broader community that their health and safety is our top priority.
We’re also super-focused on addressing our guest’s travel concerns, keeping them up-to-speed and answering their questions regarding travel to The Bahamas. That effort includes providing daily, on-site testing appointments to ease their return travel.