Name: Ruby W.
Position: Vice President of Asset Management, Greater China
Location: Beijing
Dream destination: [see below]
Drink or treat of choice: Champagne! In victory one deserves it, in defeat one needs it. Champagne has always been my drink of choice because it’s a reminder to appreciate the fine things in life and strive for excellence in things. My catch phrase is a meal without champagne is called breakfast!
For insight into Ruby’s tenacity and courage, look no further than her dream travel destination. When asked to name a spot on their own travel bucket list, most associates respond with a relaxing beachfront locale, or a city famed for its travel-worthy cuisine. But Ruby? No way.
“Revisit Kona, Hawaii as an Ironman player!” says Ruby, referencing the famous triathlon race consisting of a swim, bike ride and long-distance run. “It is my ultimate dream to take on the challenge of the Ironman in Kona and immerse myself in the natural beauty and exhilarating energy of the island. To compete in one of the most renowned endurance events in the world in Kona will not only be a personal achievement, but also be a journey of self-discovery.”
It’s clear that Ruby has applied that same inspiring determination to her impressive 20-year hospitality career, which included leadership roles like General Manager (several times over) and her current position of Vice President of Asset Management for Greater China. Her remit includes leading and structuring major transactions, like hotel sales and contract renewals, for the company as well as maintaining and enhancing the stability and value of Marriott International’s primary assets.
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When asked what advice she would give to other women looking to become leaders within Marriott, Ruby charges women to be courageous and find confidence: “Believe in yourselves and in your abilities.”
“It’s no longer the time that men get promoted by potential while women are promoted based on past accomplishments. Embrace opportunities for growth and development, and never be afraid to take on new challenges,” she advises. “However, as women it’s also important for us to learn how to let go and not feel guilty. There’s no way we can be a super career woman, super wife and super mom at the same time. Therefore, we need to prioritize self-care and seek out work-life balance, then we’ll feel comfortable and confident at the intersection of motivations and strengths.”
Read more of Ruby’s inspiring words of wisdom and learn about her own journey to leadership, in her own words, below.
How did you get your start, and how has your career changed since coming to Marriott?
After internships in media and a real estate company, I started my hospitality career in 2003 as hotel design coordinator in Saigon, Vietnam. In the past 20 years in the hospitality industry, I was lucky enough to work with various renowned luxury brands and progressed with different roles from constructer, owner to hotel operator. These different positions granted me experience, business acumen, and insights into the full asset management process.
I joined the Marriott family firstly as the General Manager of Westin Beijing Financial Street, where we completed the overall renovation of the property to revitalize the hotel and enhance its competitive edge in the market. I felt Marriott escorted me to a new chapter of life! During my GM tenor at JW Marriott Hotel Beijing Central, our team achieved the top ranking among the region’s 47 other JW brand hotels in 2022 against the pandemic’s impact. The GM role enhanced my ability to drive business results, foster positive work environment, and deliver exceptional guest experiences. All these have led to my current position. I enjoy the new role very much because it motivated my passion for business and cultivated my ability to navigate through challenges. Throughout my career journey with Marriott, I should say Marriott takes me where I don’t necessarily want to go but ought to be.
Describe a moment you felt supported at Marriott.
I’m so grateful to be a part of a strong team at Marriott, receiving support all the time, especially at my above-property role. I remember the first asset transfer I handled took me more than six months of tough negotiating. That experience was a defining moment for me to be confident enough to take on even more challenging projects and lead with a sense of assurance that I had the backing of a supportive and capable team. The level of collaboration I received from all the teams involved was truly amazing. Together, we could achieve anything.
Proudest moment of your career so far?
My proudest moments are all the moments witnessing my team members grow and develop to what they wish to be. Seeing them achieve their goals and succeed in their roles brings me an immense sense of pride. It’s incredibly rewarding to know that I have played a part in shaping them in their journey towards personal and professional growth. I have quite a few management trainees who are already Michelin star restaurant partners or run their own F&B business, and some mentees become hotel General Managers for well-known hotel groups and brands. These moments reaffirm my belief in the role of leaders is not to get other people to follow you but to empower other people to lead.
What advice would you give to other women who are interested in becoming General Managers or leaders within Marriott?
Warren Buffett once stated that one of the reasons for his big success was that he competes with only half of the population. I believe he didn’t expect to see such a promising mix of male and female of senior leaders in this age! We are lucky that we stand on the shoulders of the women before, and we are recognized of unique strength on empathy and leadership style to foster trusting relationships on mutual respect.
So, my advice to other women interested in becoming General Managers and leaders within Marriott is to believe in yourselves and your abilities, it’s no longer the time that men get promoted by potential while women are promoted based on past accomplishments. Embrace opportunities for growth and development, and never be afraid to take on new challenges! However, as women it’s also important for us to learn how to let go and not feel guilty about. There’s no way we can be super career woman, super wife and super mom at the same time, therefore we need to prioritize self-care and to seek out work-life balance, then we’ll feel comfortable and confident at the intersection of motivations and strengths.
When you’re interviewing talent, what characteristics do you look for most?
In the hospitality industry, we select people rather than just hire people. I prefer selecting the heart and then training the brain. Personally, I always adore interesting souls, warm hearts who can naturally enjoy the work as they really want and know how to be a team player and take care of the guests. Those talents with emotional skills can be easily helped to improve technically and very unlikely to fake the passion to make people happy. It’s important for me to see a genuine passion for hospitality and a willingness to go above and beyond.
What kind of leader do you strive to be?
I spent a long time discerning my purpose of leadership. When I was GM, the question I asked myself most frequently was “what motivates me to lead the organization?” Eventually I followed my compass and found myself seeing leadership as serving, not self-serving. A true leader has influence not based on the position but on the voice. At the end of the day, leadership will leave something lasting, whether it is how we treat people or how we deal with problems.
Who inspired you to become a leader at Marriott?
My mentor Sammy Ng, who’s an over 30-years Marriott veteran retiring as AVP East Area Greater China in two weeks from now. He has always been a great leader and role model for me. His dedication, ability to lead with understanding and accountability have inspired me to strive for leadership within Marriott. I usually address him “master Shifu” in Chinese, the title which people may have heard about from the Kong Fu Panda series. As strict as in the movie, Master Shifu always makes me feel like my efforts are not enough, so I work hard to make him proud. I know he is proud of me. I can never learn enough from Sammy, but I am happy for the opportunity to grow and follow in his footsteps within Marriott.
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