Elite Traveler Spring 2020

elite traveler SPRING 2020 75

Torsten Müller-Ötvös

sky for the Starlight Headliner. From its CEO, that includes a stark realization. “I will never be in [the customer’s] league financially, never ever. But that’s not the point. The point is can you talk eye level with them? Can you talk business in a proper way? Can you talk politics? Do they accept you as a global citizen? Can you talk to them about China or what’s going on in the Middle East? These kinds of things are highly interesting for our clients. If you are not savvy with these topics you feel that immediately, and you are not accepted.” Müller-Ötvös circumnavigates the globe, prioritizing face-to-face interactions with customers year after year. He enjoys raising a glass of champagne when the occasion calls for it and is a self-professed “big fan” of 1970s disco music. Throughout his decade at Rolls-Royce, he’s refined his sense of style, his diet, his leadership style. “Don’t lie to yourself. Looking into the mirror, I look at myself — I am an honest man in whatever I do, and I am honest with my people.” Born to a pair of car-loving parents, Müller-Ötvös grew up in Munich in the shadow of the main BMW plant. Starting in kindergarten, he found himself keeping track of which cars belong to which brands. Upon graduation at age 18, his “mum and dad” gifted the enthusiast a red Mini 850. “It taught me intensively what it meant to repair your own car.” He began university in Munich, but graduated with an MBA at the University of Augsburg in Economics. His first job was in the marketing department at BMW. It was all but fate that he landed within a familiar marque, Mini. “From the very beginning I understood that I had to have a clear direction in life. I’ve carried that with me to all my jobs. It’s an honor to work for Rolls-Royce. I’ve got a kind of pride on one side, but also a certain burden on the other. I know that I’m responsible for keeping this famous brand alive. It’s my job to ensure it lives on for many, many years.”

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