From waitress to CEO, leading people-first transformation

“I began my career as a waitress. Today, I’m the CEO of B&B HOTELS in Brazil. Along the way, I’ve drawn on a wide variety of enriching experiences – from public speaking to cycling – and poured my energy and entrepreneurial mindset into every new challenge. I believe we all need the space to grow and be ourselves, which resonates strongly with the Group’s values.

When I joined B&B HOTELS three years ago, I saw a huge opportunity to bring fresh energy to the Brazilian market. We started with the essentials : comfort, value and service. Then we built up our brand identity, inspired by the Group’s minimalist aesthetic, but always with one priority – our people.

Whether on Instagram or in our hotels, we made sure our teams were visible and valued. Because for us, people come first. That’s why we focus so much on training, creating a caring workplace, and giving everyone the chance to evolve – within their hotel and across the Group.

And it’s working. We’ve successfully turned things around. All seven of our hotels – from Rio and São Paulo to Uberlândia – are now profitable. B&B HOTELS has raised the bar in Brazil, inspiring our competitors and setting new industry standards.

Looking ahead, we’re preparing for new openings, especially in Rio. And as we grow, we’re staying true to the fundamentals that made our success possible: putting people first. That also means using AI in a smart, strategic way to handle routine tasks and free up our teams to focus on what matters most: delivering personalised, meaningful guest experiences.”