When I sat down with Ned Capeleris, General
Manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Vienna, I already had a feeling this
episode would be special. What I didn’t expect was how much it
would move and inspire me.
I asked Ned if he always knew hospitality was his calling. He
smiled and shared a story about flipping Big Macs at McDonald’s
as a teenager. Fast forward a few decades - he has led some of
the world’s most prestigious luxury hotels and now oversees one
of Europe’s most iconic: The Ritz-Carlton, Vienna.
As we spoke, he took me on a journey through his incredible
career. Ned has lived and worked in some of the most breathtaking
places on the planet - Sydney, California, Dubai, Abu Dhabi,
Doha, Manama, Herzliya, San Sebastián, Mallorca, Astana, Rabat,
Baku, Singapore, Sharm El Sheikh - and now Vienna.
When I asked him what “home” means after so many moves, he paused
for a moment and said, “Home is where the heart is. I feel like a
global citizen.”
We reflected on the most challenging chapter of his career, when
he led a fully kosher Ritz-Carlton in Herzliya. He shared why the
Ritz-Carlton brand keeps pulling him back, what it truly means to
lead in luxury, and how powerful the influence of mentors has
been throughout his journey. One sentence in particular stayed
with me: “The success of a GM starts with walking your hotel and
knowing your people by name.” And as Ned summed it up so simply
and powerfully: “The formula hasn’t changed.”
Of course, there were stories too - about Rafael Nadal, Sir
Richard Branson and even a camel milk cappuccino in Dubai. But
beyond the anecdotes what stood out most was Ned’s unwavering
belief in people.
This episode isn’t just a conversation about hotels. It’s about
timeless values - people, passion, and purpose.
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