Avatar of Hauck’s approach is full body-tattooed Ah Seng, who has turned his life around since leaving prison and has always dreamt of having his own restaurant. He has now been hired to be the manager of Bistro 126, Mondrian’s staff restaurant at their hip Shophouse office space.
Or take Raymond Leong, 64, senior sales manager of an events and cruise company, laid off during the pandemic, who reinvented himself as a Grab driver, now hired as a quality and training manager, a job he always aspired to doing.
Unexpected talents with diverse backgrounds can be found everywhere. An elderly cleaner who has three diplomas in marketing repurposed as public area supervisor and director of inspiration. An executive assistant who had been enjoying a retirement baking sourdough bread but got bored, after a career in strategic brand planning for brands that are household names.
Social media and visual marketing tyros, fresh graduates, a former Olympian athlete, a luxury fashion expert and award-winning bartenders. These are among the passionate and talented characters given another chance to find their calling.
But how to find them? Hauck’s team can be seen handing out ‘We like your style’ cards to begin a conversation. “My motto is chase talent, don’t wait,” he says. “From tattoo conventions to alternative gigs, from art happenings to theatre and sport, it’s about casting the net wide and knowing true talent when you see it. This will be the essence of what we are bringing to the market at Mondrian Singapore Duxton.”
