IWTA interviews Joanne Golong-Gomez, commercial director of Conrad Manila
In a recent episode of the Inspiring Women in Travel Asia (IWTA) series, host Natcha Charoenwai sat down with Joanne Golong-Gomez, Commercial Director of Conrad Manila, to discuss leadership, resilience, and the evolving landscape of Asia's hospitality sector.
With over 20 years of cross-functional experience spanning sales, marketing, and operations, Golong-Gomez shared actionable insights on managing through crises and nurturing the next generation of industry talent.
Throughout her distinguished career, which includes serving as a General Manager at Ascott and orchestrating multiple hotel openings under the Hilton portfolio, Golong-Gomez has specialised in turning around unorganised or unstable organisational structures, and, by implementing robust, adaptable processes, she has consistently delivered strong financial results.
Even amidst the acute disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic, her strategic pivots generated a 20 to 30 percent revenue increase at Conrad Manila, optimizing service charges for staff while satisfying regional stakeholder benchmarks.
"The hotel industry cannot exist without people to serve other people," Golong-Gomez emphasized, reflecting on the post-pandemic challenges of re-recruiting, retraining, and upskilling teams filled with industry newcomers.
Bridging the Generational Divide via Two-Way Mentorship
A staunch advocate for continuous professional development, Golong-Gomez believes modern leadership requires a balance of humility and agility.
To bridge the gap between traditional hospitality frameworks and incoming Millennial and Gen Z professionals, she champions a "two-way street" approach to mentorship:
- Empowered Autonomy: Teaching operational basics while encouraging team members to innovate beyond standard procedures.
- Reverse Mentoring: Welcoming fresh insights from digital-native staff regarding emerging technologies and AI integration.
- Humility in Growth: Advising new graduates to remain humble, noting that academic knowledge must be paired with foundational, hands-on experience.
Reflecting on the challenges of balancing executive roles with motherhood, Golong-Gomez credited a robust family support system as vital to her career progression.
For women aiming to scale the hospitality ladder into regional or corporate roles, her final directive was clear: stay hungry and pivot outside your comfort zone.
Whether moving from sales and marketing into operations or exploring technical financial metrics like EBITDA and GOP, continuous curiosity remains the ultimate driver of personal and corporate growth.
If you know of any female leaders or up and coming superstars in the Travel and Hospitality industry you would like to hear their story, please visit our page and complete a nomination form!
