HE IS THE MAN!
When we were preparing to open the first Shangri-La hotel in the Philippines, the EDSA Shangri-La Manila, one of the key positions I had to fill early enough was that of Training Manager. I had seven qualified and short-listed candidates ready for interview, plus an 8th candidate with zero qualifications for the job but who I was curious to see. After interviewing them all, I was in a real quandary. I actually truly liked the 8th candidate. But how do I explain such a dangerous proposition to our British general manager?
My GM was in the same quandary as I was because he simply said, ‘He is the man!’ However, when Shangri-La International Vice President for Human Resources Phil Stephenson reviewed our candidate’s CV, he told us, ‘You both must be crazy!’ So Phil flew to Manila to confirm his impressions. This position was critical, and the head office could not allow us to make a fatal mistake with this first Shangri-La opening.
This 8th candidate was Greg de Garriz. Greg was teaching Biology to high school students at Assumption College in Makati, his very first job at that time. After Phil interviewed Greg, he entered GM Nigel’s office where we both were anxiously waiting and wondering if he would allow us both to keep our jobs - Phil very clearly exclaimed, “Indeed, he is the man! Hire him!”
We initially hired Greg as a Training Officer to ensure we were doing the right thing. He quickly became the training manager, and we immediately promoted him.
Greg has moved up and about since Shangri-La, working with the pre-opening Heritage Hotel Manila (his first posting as Human Resources Director), Hyatt Regency Manila, Intercontinental Manila, Raintrtee Hospitality, Corporate Assistant Vice President of the Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts based in Thailand, and then to HR Director of the Intercontinental Hotels Group in the United Arab Emirates.
After 10 years overseas, Greg returned to the Philippines and continued his hospitality postings with Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria and Marco Polo Hotel, both in the Ortigas Center.
Greg is currently Head of People Development with the country’s largest hospitality group, Megaworld Hotels & Resorts (Richmond, Belmont, Savoy, Lucky China Town, Twin Lakes and Kingsford).
He is the immediate past president of the Association of Human Resources Managers in the Hospitality Industry (AHRM) in 2023 and 2024. Greg successfully maneuvered the resurrection of the association after that unfortunate bleak pandemic period of 2020-2022, which hit the hospitality industry quite seriously.
Kudos to Greg for making 3 of us proclaim, HE IS THE MAN!
