Jesus Gisbert Carbonell was already a seasoned manager when at the beginning of 2020 he joined the Maya group in Bali, Indonesia.
But like all of us, nothing could have prepared him for the devastating repercussions of the COVID pandemic, especially on an island that is dependent on tourism. Under his leadership and that of the Arya family that own the hotels, a path was forged through the crisis that not only kept all of the local staff fully employed, but also set about fully renovating the hotel. Everything was updated from the suites and villas to the menus.
A Kids Club was developed at Maya Ubud, and the Tree Bar at Maya Sanur was fully revamped. Exciting expansion plans were laid in place which are coming to fruition now, including the adoption of a growing area where visitors will be able to see up close how the local foods and flora are grown.
The Maya group is 100 per cent Balinese owned, which only strengthened the commitment to the 500+ staff that they employ, and the hotels have emerged from the last few years stronger and more organised, and ready to deliver a great service to all their visitors.
Carbonell has had two decades of experience spanning eight countries, including Spain, Ireland, France, Mexico, Equatorial Guinea, Morocco, Peru, and Indonesia, Carbonell has honed his craft in both international hotel giants like Hilton, Eurostars, Intercontinental, and Spain’s largest touristic holding, Be Live, as well as independent properties.
He has spent years developing his skills in cluster hotel management, operational excellence, revenue generation, and team leadership. He explains that he tries to develop collaborative goal setting with his staff to “enhance the guest experience by staying attuned to trends, fostering a culture of excellence that will exceed expectations, optimising resources for efficiency, and prioritizing sustainability”.
Carbonell has drawn inspiration from a variety of sources, including his youth soccer coach and the managers he has worked with all over the world. He believes they have taught him the values of teamwork and collaboration, and he carries forward the ideas of supporting and empowering his managers, believing that their success contributes to the overall success of everyone and the organisation. He also really values feedback and staying connected to clients and the wider world through social media. Within the renovations the team has maintained a flexible design that can accommodate emerging technologies and amenities.
Carbonell commitment to his staff extends to making sure there is investment in their training and development, and he believes that prioritizing sustainability and wellness is not only good for the team and but helps preserve the beautiful island of Bali that he now calls home.
