in life, it is important to spend a
little time learning the ropes and
absorbing the culture. Empathy
plays an important part in this and
listening to others is essential.
However, these challenges
are more than outweighed by
the people you meet and the
experiences you share.
Has your leadership style been
influenced by working with people
from various cultures?
Of course. Continued exposure
to different people, cultures and
environments is very important
to running hotels successfully.
It makes you learn to adapt and
adjust how you operate in the
12 ILHA
most efficient manner. But most
importantly, working with people
from all types of backgrounds and
cultures has inspired me to ensure
our staff is given the greatest
possible freedom to express
themselves. Above all, I want
Hyatt to offer guests authentic
experiences and this means
celebrating the diverse range of
cultures within our hotels. Working
with people from various cultures
has convinced me to trust our staff
and give them the power to make
decisions and engage with our
guests as individuals. Not only does
this improve the development of
our incredibly talented employees,
it also keeps us ahead of our
competitors by offering a more
unique experience.
I believe being a chef was one
of your early ambitions. Do you
still find the time to cook? What
is your favorite meal? Have your
travels inspired you?
Absolutely! I continue to cook
and love to explore new flavor
combinations and foods. I wouldn’t
say I have a particular favorite
meal, but I always get a lot of
pleasure from comfort foods and
good hearty fare. Dishes prepared
with the best ingredients and
produce is what I enjoying cooking
the most.