The business side of Haile Gebrselassie

In October last year, Ethiopian athletics great Haile Gebrselassie opened the five-star Haile Grand Resort in Addis Ababa — the eighth branch of his chain of hotels.

Haile had a glittering career on the track, in road races and marathon which spanned over 20 years.

He set 27 world records, two Olympic gold medals in the 10,000 metres race, four consecutive World Athletics Championships 10,000m titles, he set 61 national records, just to mention some of his achievements.

In his heyday, one of the most enduring memories was his victory over bitter rival, Kenyan athletics legend Paul Tergat, in the 10,000m during the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Haile beat Tergat by only 0.09 seconds.

After hanging up his spikes, Haile is now a reputable businessman and has made a name in the hospitality industry in Ethiopia under the brand name “Haile Hotels and Resorts”.

In an exclusive interview with Nation Sport in Addis Ababa, Haile said that his latest property — the Haile Grand Resort — which is at the heart of the city is one of his major investments.

Haile ushered me into his eighth floor office located at Haile and Alem Building in the Central Business District situated at Haile and Alem Building, and I was served hot coffee as we settled down for the interview.

He told me that it is a tradition in Ethiopia to welcome guests with a cup of coffee. And I experienced this during my stay in that country.

Haile said that it took him five years to complete the Haile Grand Resort in Addis Ababa, and he has employed 3,000 people.

“This is our first facility in the city, and we are competing with other big hotels. That means we have to be smart and customer-friendly.

“We want to set high standards. I’m glad that we finally opened the doors to customers. When I retired from athletics, I thought that I was done with competition , on the contrary, I walked straight into another competition in the hospitality industry,” he said amid bursts of laughter.

His other hotels are Hawassa Hotel and Resort which was opened in 2010, Haile Resort, Shashemene (2013), Haile Resort Ziway (2014) and Yaya Village High Altitude Training Centre (2016).

In 2017 Haile opened Haile Resort, Arba Minch followed by Haile Resort, Gondar in 2019 and Haile Resort, Adama was established in 2020.

His other businesses Haile Hotel and Resorts Sodo, Haile Hotel and Resorts, Debre Birhan and Haile Resort, Konso are under construction.

All of Haile’s staff in the eight branches are trained at Haile Hotel Management College for four months before they start working.

Haile, who ventured into business after retiring from athletics, said that efficient customer service in the hospitality industry is key.

“Haile Grand Resort (Addis Ababa) is one of the best hotels in the region. I love competition. When I was an active athlete, there was tight competition, so I am used to it. But you have to be smart and you must satisfy your clients otherwise you will lose them,” said Haile.

Haile who advised athletes to invest their earnings wisely, said that the resort cost him 50 million dollars (approximately Sh6,190,000,000).

Haile said that he would be shifting his office and that of the Great Ethiopian Run (which he founded) to a building adjacent to the hotel.

“We want to move out of the Haile and Alem building and we shall be operating in the building next to the hotel (which he owns) so that we can have our offices under one roof,” he said.

“We have grown steadily, and our dream is to also expand our network. We are first thinking of Eastern Africa region. Our good neighbours, Kenyans, are welcoming,” said Haile, who hosted some African ambassadors for dinner at the new hotel where they discussed investment plans.

Haile said that he did not win very many races but managed well the resources he made during his active running career.

The establishment’s General Manager Emishaw Teshome took me on a tour of the Haile Grand Resort which has 160 tastefully furnished rooms; including one presidential suite, boardrooms, meeting rooms, two big ball rooms, four bars and four restaurants, among other facilities.

The hotel also has a cultural restaurant which is busy on Tuesdays, Thursdays and during the weekends.

At the back of the main hotel building, is the Grand Wellness Centre which has a heated swimming pool, spa and massage rooms, a salon and barber shop, a gymnasium, an aerobics room, group bike room, a yoga room, space for outdoor games on the rooftop space.

There is an area for table tennis, pool table and squash.

Teshome, who started off as a bellboy in charge of clients’ luggage, has risen through the ranks to his current position. He previously worked at Hawassa Hotel and Resort.

The GM was around when the other hotels were opened and he has worked in various positions including in the front office, a bellboy, he has been a housekeeping supervisor, housekeeping manager and later he became a manager at Sheshemane Haile Hotel between 2013-2015.

“I have grown with the company and I’m glad after I graduated with a degree in Tourism Management at Gondar University in Addis Ababa, I joined the Haile Hotels and Resorts. I saw the hotels being built,” said Teshome.

He said that the hotels have created a “Haile culture”. Teshome said that they have studied their boss’s work ethics when he was an active athlete and now as a business magnate.

He said that they have adapted Haile’s management style which has produced a successful business.

“During the Covid-19 pandemic period, we had time to know our boss well. He is a humble man. We strive to apply his character at work. He is not bossy, every employee has freedom to do his or her work professionally,” he said.

Apart from the hotels, Haile is the sole distributor of Hyundai Motors, he owns Alem Cinema, Alem Fitness Centre, Haile Natural Honey and has also invested in real estate.

Haile built Ayelech Degefu Memorial School, Assela School and Bahir Dar School in honour of his late mother. The Haile Museum is still under construction.