Craig Francis Interview with Hotelier Indonesia Magazine

Hotelier Indonesia Magazine

September 2013

www.hotelier-indonesia.com

Having spent a significant number of years in sport and technology, it’s a pleasure to have an opportunity to interview someone whose experience in both golf and business far exceeds mine.   

Through the years, Craig Francis has been a successful amateur golfer on the

international circuit as well as an owner and director of several multinational businesses.   One of his newer ventures ties the two together, as Founder and Director of Quasar Group International. 

Recently incorporated in Singapore, the firm has been developing golf, spa and leisure management systems by tying together his colorful experiences in sport and business.  The direction Quasar has taken surely has gained interest and momentum.  In this interview, I’m gaining a bit of background in golf and business to see how it all comes together.

[HI]  You have quite an extensive background in golf.   Going back to your school days, what are some of your sporting achievements?

[CF]  I had the privilege of being coached by one of the top golf professionals of the day, Bob Toski.  The regular exposure to golf at such a high level, as well as the advanced tips he provided allowed me to become an accomplished amateur golfer.  My handicap at age 15 was 0, with my lowest USGA handicap reaching +2.

As a student at Le Rosey, the Swiss International boarding school, I was Champion of Swiss independent schools in various sports including the 100 meters, long jump, discus and others.  Golf and sports have had a long history in our family.

Craig Francis
Leading the European Open

[HI]  After school, you frequently played in amateur tournaments around the world.   What are some of the highlights?

[CF]  In 1971 I was the top amateur golfer in both the Swiss Open and the Agfa Open.  In the following years I won the Luxembourg International Amateur Championship (3 times), Swiss International Amateur Championship (3 times), and the Italian International Amateur Championship .   In 1982 I won the Swiss Omiron tournament which also included professionals.

[HI]  With these top finishes, there must have been some course records along the way?

[CF]  In competitions, I set amateur course records that include:  

   66  Sunningdale Golf Club (UK)
   65  Golf Club Crans-sur-Sierre (Switzerland) 
   65  Münchener Golf Club (Germany)
   69  Coral Harbour (Bahamas)
   63  Lyford Cay Club (Bahamas)
   71  Hollingwell Golf Club (UK)

My lowest score outside of tournament play is 61 at the Lyford Cay Club in the Bahamas.

[HI]  You mention sports and your family.  Your father was rather accomplished as well.  What is some of his sport background?

[CF]  My father, Francis Francis played golf for England and won many international amateur events.  One of many golfing achievements, he had finished 1 shot ahead of the infamous Bobby Jones in the 1936 Masters. As an amateur, he twice led or was tied for the lead of the British open after two rounds.  On one occasion he and a fellow amateur played an exhibition match against Ben Hogan and Sam Sneed at their peak and lost in a very close contest: 2 & 1.

His other sporting achievements included: Fencing for England and was the Army Champion. Running the 440 and 880 for England and was also the Army champion. He was considered one of the country’s top athletes.

[HI]  In your years of golf, you have played with quite a quite a few famous golfers.

[CF]  A few I played with include Nick Price, Sam Sneed, Ian Baker-Finch, Seve Ballesteros, Sam Torrance, Al Geiberger and many more.  I also had the good fortune of knowing Sam Sneed, Gene Sarazen, Ken Venturi, Dow Finsterwall and others as good friends of the family.  Our conversations and shared experiences provided a wonderful fount of golf knowledge.  There were also a considerable number of infamous sports figures and Hollywood personalities who played into the mix, on and off the golf course.

[HI]  Bringing this back to business, what experience had you accumulated prior to starting Quasar?

[CF]  Upon completing school at Le Rosey I was involved with our family’s global investments.   In the 1970s – 1980s I ran a successful shipping company in the Caribbean, which we named Caribbean Shipping.   I was also partner in IGI Golf Investments and Cosmos International.

With IGI Golf Investments, we were involved in golf club management, golf course design and international golf travel.   In our club endeavors at IGI, we saw a need to bring in a technology solution capable of addressing the diverse management needs of golf managers around the world.  That is where Cosmos came in, and we were assisting golfers in areas far-apart as Kenya to Japan to Guam, etc.

[HI]  Stepping back to your family’s investments, their success in business seems to match well with their success in sports.  What business background did you grow up with?

[CF]  Though my father comes from the Bostwick family (Standard Oil) through his mother, he honorably fulfilled his duty to country as a pilot during World War II after graduating from the famous Sandhurst Military Academy.

He founded and financed the Martin-Baker Aircraft Company, which is very well known for developing new aircraft.  Martin-Baker also developed the Aircraft Ejection Seat which he tested himself. He also owned and chaired on the board of many international companies.

On a lighter note, my grandfathers were amongst other things, businessmen, authors and fishermen.  The fisherman was known to take trout into New Zealand.

[HI]  It appears your newest venture with Quasar Group brings together your considerable history in golf, clubs and international business.

[CF]  In recent years, we have had a significant number of industry contacts looking for something new terms of club & villa management.   These requests have ranged from a need for enhanced membership systems tied to social media, to multinational management groups needing a similar system in diverse countries, to multi-lingual systems that must appear to be created in each club’s home country.

Many of these incoming system requests originate in China and East Asia.  They’ve seen the strength of western systems developed through many years of golf and club experience.  But at the same time, they’ve seen the same systems that have failed to adapt to their local needs.  

These Asia-based clubs have experienced western systems translated into local languages, only to see it partially successful.   They attribute this to:  a) a system being older technology not capable of full translation due to record incompatibility, b) a system structure that doesn’t provide for multiple languages, and/or c) a firm unwilling to make the investment in enhancing code or adding features to meet the local needs of a club.

[HI]  Aside from these requests from Asia, what else has come into consideration?

[CF]   We have had a significant level of contact from both end users and partners throughout Asia Pacific and into Europe, Africa and the Middle East.   We have seen the difficulties many western golf, club and leisure software developers have when entering Asia.   Because of this, Quasar has based its development in Asia.  Here we have resources experienced in developing multi-lingual, multi-national systems.

We also see that the world’s strongest growth markets for hospitality, golf & leisure are in China and throughout Asia.   Following China are strong markets in Vietnam, India, Indonesia and Myanmar.  We feel we are making the proper moves in development and distribution.

Hotelier Indonesia would like to thank Craig Francis for his time, and for his insight into the hospitality, golf club and leisure technology markets.

For further information: info@quasargroupinternational.com