Timing and flexibility have factored heavily in the career path of Juan Corvinos, Hilton’s 29-year-old vice president of development, Latin American and the Caribbean. He gambled, jumping from an HR management internship with the company in Malaysia to take on another internship, this time in development, in Spain during the nation’s economic crisis. The company liked what it saw, moved Corvinos into a development position in London, then to headquarters in McLean, Virginia, where he eventually took on a development role for Latin America. He doubled Hilton’s development deals there before taking on his current role in 2017.
Corvinos is one of 20 rising stars (all 40 and under) HOTELS interviewed for our May feature. All shared their insights about their lives in the business and thoughts about some of today’s challenges and opportunities. In a Wall Street Journal-sponsored series, read Corvinos’ responses to our questions and click here to link to the full list of interviews with HOTELS 20 Next-Gen hospitality leaders.
Contributed by Megan Rowe
HOTELS: What’s the state of career opportunities in the hotel industry?
Juan Corvinos: I think the golden age of travel is now. It’s been growing so rapidly — almost 10% of the world population works in a travel capacity today. Hotels are the only place where you can actually grow from bellboy to head of brands.
H: Do you see evidence that glass ceilings and old boys’ networks are falling? And how are younger hotel professionals networking now?
JC: At Hilton I see leadership by women is growing and evolving. Most of my mentors are women. In leadership positions across the globe, we have extremely capable, strong women dealing with all aspects of the industry. As for networking, I think the newer generation is less ashamed about asking for advice. We can approach most anyone; we are less afraid to ask leaders for their opinion; we are more upfront without having the need for a ritual.
H: Do you see evidence that companies are shifting their cultures to meet hotel staff and corporate needs?
JC: Greater diversity in the workplace is happening, but I think diversity means different things to different people. In Europe, diversity is a non-issue, because Europe is a melting pot of cultures. The only place where you hear about diversity is in the U.S. Hilton won a Fortune award last year for one being of the most diverse companies in the U.S. We realized that as a company that operates in 106 countries, we need diversity of thought, appearance and everything else to make the company successful. What has worked in U.S. before will not work in India, or in Japan.
H: What are people getting into the hotel business, and what does the industry need to do to become more attractive?
JC: People who graduate want to work for one of the big four accounting firms or get jobs in finance instead of hotel management because those jobs pay more. They don’t focus on what will make them happy. I was in law school, but I was doing it for the wrong reasons. It wasn’t my calling — hospitality was. I am in a field that makes me happy. I don’t think the hospitality industry has advertised itself as a career driven by a happy and fulfilling life. We have the privilege of travel, we belong to a set of individuals who are usually more worldly and well-traveled, and we try to make people happy every day. We are in it for the long run.
H: What do you care about the most when it comes to hotels and careers?
JC: Who I work for is more important than anything else. I want someone who inspires me, can teach me something and is a fair and caring individual. That’s more important than money.
H: What about the business keeps you up at night?
JC: Global warming and the impact we have on the planet. I work in the Caribbean and Latin America, where you see the effects of hurricanes.
H: What’s behind your success and growth?
JC: I honestly have been able to do it by working hard — but also by building a coalition behind me that supports hard work as well. I don’t think there is a recipe other than to be willing to take that risk and move, work hard and devote yourself to what you’re doing. I tell people who want to be promoted: You’re ready when you’ve already done the duties for some time that were above your rank and job description, not before. For many in my generation, it takes a huge degree of patience — we always think we deserve more. I was always told hard work is how you get ahead.
H: What’s your advice to next-gen hoteliers and people entering the industry now?
JC: Have patience and a willingness to take a chance and get out of your comfort zone. If there’s an opportunity in Bangkok, and you’re in London, take it. Go someplace you really don’t want to go.
H: What are some things that you try to do every day, and why you do them?
JC: I read every day — one or two books a week. I honestly like some of the new TV shows, so I indulge. And I listen to music. Those things, and yoga, keep me sane.
H: Who inspires you?
JC: Elon Musk is a crazy genius who doesn’t accept “no” for an answer; Jeff Bezos at Amazon. I think they are the modern-day industrial revolutionaries. I look up to my grandmother, who has been working at an NGO for 65 years in India and Africa.
H: What’s one prediction you’re willing to make about development in the coming year?
JC: I think people are more cautious about what they invest in and build, and we’re entering a period when developers and owners are going to ask many more questions about what we’re doing. Good fundamentals will allow us to get past this era of disruption. I think Airbnb will have its niche, but it won’t have as much impact as everyone thinks. We offer fundamentally different services — ours is hospitality, theirs is lodging.