Big interview What’s next for
With a rich history in the hotel industry and nearing 30 years at Marriott International, Gonzalo Aguilar is a big believer in the hospitality industry. As the group’s chief
operating officer for Europe, he has held a diverse roster of roles over the years that have shaped his career in the industry. Phoebe Galbraith speaks to Aguilar to hear his hopes for the future as he breaks down Marriott’s aims and developments for the year ahead.
Marriott? “I
was born into the industry,” says Gonzalo Aguilar, COO at Marriott International. Having grown up in the business – his father was a hotelier for many years before he joined as a late teen in food and beverage – Aguilar boasts a diverse experience in the industry, including almost 30 years at Marriott. “I’ve worked in Latin America, through the ranks of food and beverage, then transitioned over into sales and marketing, then into a general manager role in JW Marriott in Miami,” he explains.
“I grew up internationally around the world, travelling with my family. I had to the desire to get back to that and [so] I went back to Latin America, through to Costa Rica as [a] general manager, a county manager role in Brazil and then I moved over to Europe in 2010.” Working in Europe, Aguilar held several impressive roles within the Marriott hotel group, including managing the integration of AC Hotels into the group’s portfolio before transitioning into area vice- president for eastern Europe and then working as area vice-president for southern Europe in 2017 until 2020. It’s from this point onwards that Aguilar found himself as chief operating officer for Europe, covering all the group’s managed properties across the continent. “That’s the beauty of the hospitality industry,” says Aguilar. “The opportunities that Marriot has given me to grow my experiences in different parts of the world and build my skill set.” Marriott, Aguilar goes on to say, is very committed to driving development and providing opportunities for individuals to build their skills and focus on leadership and communication. And not just the technical side of business either, but also for their own sense of well-being.
14 Hotel Management International /
www.hmi-online.com
Marriott International
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57
