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Rocco Forte

Executive Chairman (Founder / CEO), Rocco Forte Hotels Limited

Search every verified Rocco Forte interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Sir Rocco Forte has been focused on expanding Rocco Forte Hotels, particularly in Italy and the Middle East. In late 2023, he entered a partnership with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), which acquired a 49% stake in the company. Forte has described PIF as a long-term partner aligned with his family's outlook, stating they do not interfere in day-to-day operations. He noted that the company is opening new hotels in Milan, Naples, and Sicily, and is exploring further expansion in Saudi Arabia, where he said the only "swear word" is "delay." Forte has also discussed succession planning, indicating his children are taking on specific roles within the business. Forte has been critical of the UK government's economic and regulatory policies. He has said the country has lost its "sense of enterprise" and that government intervention and labor laws are slowing business. He expressed disappointment with the current government, calling it a "socialist government" that "doesn't understand business." During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was outspoken against lockdowns, calling them an "expensive and potentially deadly overreaction" and questioning the effectiveness of vaccines if restrictions continued. He also criticized the UK's handling of Brexit, arguing that the government had not adequately addressed the resulting labor shortages in the hospitality industry.

Recent appearances

  • Ep. 2187 Rocco Forte at the Verdura Resort | On The Road With Stevie Kim

    December 15, 2025 · 📺 Italian Wine Travel with Stevie Kim

    Welcome to Episode 2187 of On The Road Edition with Stevie Kim. Today Stevie meets Rocco Forte at the luxury 5-star resort of Verdura in Sicily. In a wide-ranging conversation, Sir Rocco discusses his Italian origins, the definition of luxury, and coping with stress in the hospitality industry.  Sir Rocco also offers some helpful words of advice for those considering a career in the hospitality sector. More about today’s guest:  Sir Rocco Giovanni Forte is an English hotelier and the chairman of Rocco Forte Hotels. His group of 15 hotels in the UK, Italy, Belgium, Germany and R…

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  • "It's going to help the scivers, not businesses" | Sir Rocco Forte on the UK budget

    November 25, 2025 · 📺 Reed

    In this short of All About Business, James is joined by Sir Rocco Forte, titan of the luxury hospitality and hotel industry. James asks Sir Rocco for his thoughts on the upcoming UK budget and what it means for business, the economy and what strategy should be employed. Follow James Reed on LinkedIn:   / chairmanjames   Find out more about Sir Rocco Forte and Forte Hotels here: https://www.roccofortehotels.com/ All About Business is brought to you by Reed Global. Learn more at: https://www.reed.com/?utm_source=yout... This podcast was co-produced by Reed Global and Flamingo Media. If you’…

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  • 3 things to know when opening a luxury hospitality business | Sir Rocco Forte

    November 17, 2025 · 📺 Reed

    Being successful in hospitality is incredibly tough. But how do you keep a focus on quality and authenticity whilst expanding into multiple new locations? In this episode of All About Business, James is joined by Sir Rocco Forte, titan of the luxury hospitality and hotel industry. They explore his incredible journey as an entrepreneur within a family whose history in hospitality spans over a century. They also delve into how he has prioritised community impact in his work as well as maintaining a family-oriented approach to make something special that lasts. Timecodes: 02:23 Building Icon…

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  • Sir Rocco Forte Exclusive: Luxury Hotel Legend on Saudi Expansion & PIF Investment | The Riyal Deal

    November 11, 2025 · 📺 Al Arabiya English

    In this episode of The Riyal Deal Plus, hotelier Sir Rocco Forte sits down with Tom Burges Watson to discuss his company’s expansion into Saudi Arabia. The hotel brand seeks to tap into the Kingdom’s fast-growing tourism and hospitality sector, and the broader opportunities emerging under Vision 2030. Rocco Forte Hotels, along with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), is seeking an expansion in the region, with a focus on the Kingdom, as the country positions itself as a global tourism powerhouse.  In this wide-ranging conversation, Sir Rocco shares his perspective on family legacy,…

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  • Sir Rocco Forte’s Vision for Hospitality Excellence

    January 15, 2025 · 📺 ITHIC

    In this exclusive interview, Sir Rocco Forte, Chairman and Founder at Rocco Forte Hotels, joins Patrick Whyte to explore the transformative trends in the hospitality sector. They discuss strategies, challenges, and investment opportunities shaping the future of the industry. ITHIC (Italian Hospitality Investment Conference) is Italy’s leading event dedicated to investments in the hospitality sector, bringing together global leaders to share insights and foster innovation. For more information about ITHIC and upcoming events, visit our official website: https://www.ithic.it

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  • The definition of luxury with Rocco Forte at the 5-star Verdura Resort in Sicily

    December 03, 2024 · 📺 Italian Wine Travel with Stevie Kim

    Today in this edition of On The Road Special Edition, Stevie Kim is at the luxury 5-star resort of Verdura in Sicily with Sir Rocco Forte. Sir Rocco Giovanni Forte is an English hotelier and the chairman of Rocco Forte Hotels. The group of 15 hotels in the UK, Italy, Belgium, Germany and Russia includes the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh and Brown's Hotel in London, as well as the Verdura Resort in Sicily. In this wide-ranging conversation, Sir Rocco discusses his Italian origins, the definition of luxury, and coping with stress in the hospitality industry. Sir Rocco also offers some helpful…

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  • Jeremy Corbyn vs Sir Rocco Forte | LBC's Budget debate descends into unions row

    October 31, 2024 · 📺 LBC

    As a result of the Budget, employers must now contribute more to National Insurance. Will this have a knock-on effect on workers and stop them from receiving pay rises? That is - ostensibly - the question LBC's Cross Question panel have been tasked with debating. Jeremy Corbyn and Rocco Forte have other ideas, however... The former Labour leader and multi-millionaire hotelier go head-to-head over unions, having been on opposite sides of the fight from the 1970s to the present day. Iain Dale mediates a good-spirited debate, alongside panelists Conservative MP Damian Hinds and broadcaster Step…

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  • Sir Rocco & Lydia Forte I Rocco Forte Hotels - A family business and a way of life

    March 26, 2024 · 📺 SMACK Hospitality

    This is real, luxurious, family business! ⚜️✨ We had not only one but two guests on the show! Sir Rocco Forte, Chairman and Lydia Forte, Group Director of F&B at Rocco Forte Hotels, brought some great topics and giggles to this episode with Fritz Dickamp, recorded at the famous Brown's Hotel, a Rocco Forte Hotel in London on Sir Rocco’s birthday. 💂🏼‍♂️ The #RoccoForte vibe isn't just a concept, it's a way of life and you can hear this in every word. Decades of family dedication have created this brand. Each hotel tells a story, blending local heritage with personalized service that leaves gu…

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  • Sir Rocco Chairman and CEO of Rocco Forte Hotels , after the PIF acquired 49% of the group.

    December 17, 2023 · 📺 Rima Najjar

    Interview with Sir Rocco , Chairman and CEO of Rocco Forte Hotels , after the PIF acquired 49% of the group.

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  • Coutts are trying to make Nigel 'become a non-citizen. It's completely unacceptable! | Rocco Forte

    July 19, 2023 · 📺 GBNews

    'In this day and age, to be excluded from having a bank account, effectively you become a non-citizen. It's completely unacceptable!' Sir Rocco Forte criticises Coutts' behavior in closing Nigel Farage's bank account because of his views, calling it 'disgraceful'. Keep up to date with the latest news at https://www.gbnews.com Twitter:   / gbnews   Facebook:   / gbnewsonline   Download the GB News app! You can watch GB News on all of your favourite devices and keep up to date with the latest news, analysis, opinion and more. https://www.gbnews.com/watch/how-to-w...

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  • INTERVISTA A SIR ROCCO FORTE

    April 23, 2022 · 📺 ServireSciacca

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  • Talking pints with hotelier Sir Rocco Forte

    September 28, 2021 · 📺 GBNews

    Download the GB News App to watch live wherever you are, catch up with all our shows and get the latest news from the GBN ...

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Notable quotes

“The thing in Italy is that there's so many different destinations where you can achieve very high prices and you have to achieve high prices to be able to give luxury service. In England, you know, once outside London it's quite difficult to achieve high prices. The only major city, international city in the UK, Edinburgh is certainly not at the same level as London. Otherwise, you know, the other big cities, it's al”

“They reverse everything they've done so far. We're in a very similar period now where everybody thinks the UK is finished and this was the case in the '70s. Mrs. Thatcher came along and what she do she created an entrepreneurial spirit in the country.”

“We've lost the sort of sense of enterprise and encouragement of entrepreneurship. We've got more like the European Union where government intervention and new laws and regulation have slowed everything down. Labor laws make it very difficult for employers. In Britain, we've got a new labor bill coming through which will allow the unions to already rampant to run wild and take us completely back to the 70s.”

“PIF are a long-term partner. They look longterm in the future. We're a family business and I have that same outlook. They're not a fund that comes in and out, you know, and wants to turn a profit in the meantime. And so they're the ideal partner for us.”

“the thing in Italy is that there's so many different destinations where you can achieve very high prices and you have to achieve high prices to be able to give luxury Service in England you know once outside London it's quite difficult to achieve high prices it's the only major city international City in the UK Edinburgh is to a certain degree but not at the same level as as London otherwise you know the the other bi”

The summary and quote tags on this profile are produced with AI assistance from verified, first-person interview transcripts, then checked by our team to confirm the speaker's identity and the accuracy of every quote. See how we verify →