A former international soccer player who made a successful switch to football administration is now looking to expand into luxury with our Executive Master’s in Luxury Management and Guest Experience.

When you’ve played sport at the highest level for your country, as Trinidad & Tobago international Brent Rahim has, you understand what is required to deliver excellence.

Having then completed two Master’s degrees in sports management and gone on to work for the sport’s international governing body FIFA, Brent was introduced to the concept of luxury through the FIFA marketing department’s sponsorship arrangements.

“I first encountered the luxury industry when I worked at the FIFA World Cup 2018 on activations with some of the body’s sponsors at the time, such as Hublot and Louis Vuitton,” he says. “From that moment, I really understood the important synergy between sport and luxury. I now run my own consultancy business and am keen to understand how I can combine the two, which is why I started looking at luxury business programs in the first place.”

Looking for luxury

Having set his sights on learning more about luxury, it was not long before Brent settled on his ideal path.

“I wanted to get a more profound understanding of the luxury and hospitality industry and I was looking for the best institution in the world to offer me the knowledge and practical experience,” he says. “That’s why I applied to do the Luxury Management and Guest Experience Master’s at Glion.

“Both the institution and the program really stood out. I’m especially looking forward to the luxury trends module, as it is critical to understanding where the industry is heading, how we need to adapt to the realities of the future and how they align with the core values of my business and customers.

“Alongside that, the business research project will be particularly useful as I believe it will give me the opportunity to delve deeper into the luxury sector and gain a concrete understanding of how I can provide a more holistic service through my consultancy to create more synergies within the sport and luxury industries.”

What ultimately swayed his decision was the distance learning nature of the Executive Master’s program, which means Brent can continue to run his business BR Sport & Luxury Consultancy while studying.

“The flexibility of the programme is ideal for me as my working life can be hectic and unpredictable at times,” he says. “Distance learning allows me the freedom to fit in study time within my busy schedule and, if I miss a live session, I can always go back and listen to the recording.”

Visiting time

The drawback of remote study is that students can feel isolated, while the solitary nature of distance learning can prevent the kind of discussions among classmates that elevate the experience. That’s why our Executive Master’s programs at Glion include residential weeks on campus that give students the opportunity to meet their colleagues and faculty and attend workshops and field visits in person.

“I thought my residential week experience was excellent,” says Brent. “It’s vital you get the opportunity to meet your fellow participants because you can really connect with them on a personal level. Their diverse international backgrounds and work experience is one of the strengths of the program – you have high-level discussions with colleagues who bring their own personal management perspectives from their luxury sectors.”

As well as meeting classmates, the week gives students the opportunity to visit luxury hotels and attend workshops with industry experts, something Brent really appreciated.

“Getting to visit the Royal Savoy Hotel and Spa and discuss directly with the General Manager about their strategy and plans for the future was priceless,” he says. “We also visited Le Mirador Hotel and Spa, which was a stand-out for me. As a former athlete who struggled with muscle contusions, it was fascinating to see a luxury hotel provide health center services.

“We also had a great workshop on diversity and inclusion in the luxury sector, which presented empirical evidence showing organizations with a diverse workforce are more profitable due to the creative thinking their various backgrounds bring to the table.”

So what are Brent’s impressions of the Luxury Management and Guest Experience program at Glion? So far, they are overwhelmingly positive.

“If you are looking for the best Executive Master’s programme in luxury and hospitality with top lecturers who have a mix of theoretical and practical management experience in the industry,” he says. “And if you have a busy work and personal life schedule you need to fit study around, then this is the perfect programme for you.”