Name: Jai L.
Position: General Manager
Hotel: Four Points by Sheraton Auckland, New Zealand
Dream destination: A road trip across all the states in the United States in a caravan seeing famous landmarks and experiencing the food in each state.
Drink or treat of choice: Pinot Noir and a block of Cadbury milk chocolate
Some people say, ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way.’ But then there are people like Jai, who find not just one way, but many paths to match the many wills, wants, and dreams they carry. For Jai, the biggest of those dreams was becoming a hotel general manager. And he made it happen.
Today, Jai is the General Manager of the Four Points by Sheraton Auckland in New Zealand, a success he attributes to having the right mentorship and Marriott’s culture of fostering internal mobility.
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“My career has developed with the support of amazing Marriott mentors,” Jai says. “This career goal achievement was realized in 2023 because of the focus Marriott International has on developing talent.”
But achieving his career dream didn’t mean stopping or slowing down for Jai. To him, helping the LGBTQIA+ community thrive is more than a passion and personal mission — it is another full-time job.
While Jai was building his Marriott career, he was simultaneously working with Out for Australia, a not-for-profit that focuses on strengthening the sense of community among LGBTQIA+ professionals and students, and he also served as Board Director for Gay & Lesbian Tourism Australia. When the opportunity to join the local ONE Marriott ARG as a Chair became available, Jai’s colleagues were over the moon to know he had accepted. Since he joined, the group has already built an event calendar and are working within the framework of accreditation with the Australian Workplace Equality Index.
Keep reading to learn more about Jai’s journey to becoming a general manager while making supporting the LGBTQIA+ Community a top priority — and, if that wasn’t enough, going back to school to get his law degree!
How did you become a hotel GM?
I started with Marriott International as Director of Operations for the conversion of Marriott Surfers Paradise to JW Marriott Gold Coast. Since then, I moved to the Hotel Manager role in Auckland, New Zealand, to convert a competitor hotel into a JW Marriott and then I became General Manager at the Four Points by Sheraton Auckland.
Describe a moment you felt supported at Marriott.
In pursuing my career goal of becoming a General Manager. Several leaders across the organization supported me [in becoming a GM] by exposing me to new situations that I didn’t have previous experience in, giving me new challenges, [letting me] make mistakes and learn more.
From a personal perspective, I had to undertake surgery which required a recovery period, and the support and genuine care I got from my colleagues was extraordinary. They even sent me a recovery wellness package that was delivered to my home personally by the Director of HR!
Describe a moment you felt like a part of a community at Marriott.
I have felt like that being part of a conversion of a hotel or brand. Marriott supports wholeheartedly through rallying and sending in support from other operating hotels across the globe. For the conversion of JW Marriott Auckland, we had 25 Associates fly in from all corners of Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, which helped get the hotel converted in record time and created such a great sense of community.
Also, being a part of the ONE Associate Resource Group, focused on equality and inclusion of LGBTQIA+ associates, has further demonstrated to me that Marriott International supports and wants all associates to belong and become the best version of themselves!
What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?
Seeing a colleague of mine win Operations Manager of the Year at the Marriott Select Brand awards for 2023 — he got to meet David Marriott and Tony Capuano on a trip to Marriott Headquarters in Bethesda!
What’s your best advice for new Marriott associates?
- Look for opportunities to take on new responsibilities or be a part of something you haven’t done before – this will help you develop in your current role and towards your future career dreams.
- Always remember we are in the people industry and so before any decision or action, ask yourself if people will benefit and if not, adjust your next steps.
- Building and maintaining relationships is your best currency: it is not taxed by governments and will pay dividends far greater than any other investment you make.
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