'I learnt to not be afraid and apply for positions even if I felt I needed more experience,' says Pecoraro. — Photos: Hilton Hotels & Resorts
According to the UN Tourism (formerly United Nations World Tourism Organisation or UNWTO), 54% of the tourism workforce is composed of women. However, most are employed in lower-skilled and lower-paid positions. Those in family tourism businesses further serve in an informal capacity, with most of their work done without pay.
Focusing on the hospitality sector, managerial positions have traditionally been held by males, but in recent years there has been a surge of females taking on the role of general managers in leading hotels.
Linda Pecoraro, Smital Shah-Boultwood and Kristine Chan – currently serving as general managers at Hilton hotel properties in Malaysia – are three female leaders who exemplify the tenacity and perseverance one needs to break the glass ceiling in the hospitality industry.
“During my younger days, women were often stereotyped as being destined to work in the front office, housekeeping or sales departments,” Pecoraro, general manager of Hilton Kuala Lumpur, tells us in an email interview.
“I had to break that perception by believing in myself and knowing that women are not limited to specific roles in the industry. I learnt to not be afraid and apply for positions even if I felt I needed more experience.”
Pecoraro started off as a rooms division trainee in her hometown of Brisbane, Queensland in Australia, and continued growing through the ranks as she went on to work in various cities such as London, Singapore and Dubai. In 2012, her journey with Hilton started – serving as director of operations at Hilton Petaling Jaya in Selangor.
This was followed by a position as hotel manager at Doubletree by Hilton Cairns in Queensland for about one-and-a-half years, before returning to Malaysia for the same position at Hilton Kuala Lumpur. She held the position for some time before moving on to Conrad Manila in the Philippines, where she stayed for two years.
In 2022, Pecoraro was back again in Malaysia, this time as general manager of Hilton Kuala Lumpur. She concurrently serves as area general manager for Hilton Malaysia Central North East.
Meanwhile, for Shah-Boultwood, general manager of Hilton Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, her current role is also her second posting at a Malaysia-based Hilton hotel. Her two-decade-long career in Hilton included leading DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur and Hilton Garden Inn Kuala Lumpur’s commercial function as well as serving as director of operations at DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur.
Shah-Boultwood is a part of Hilton’s Women Team Member Resource Group initiative for South-East Asia.
“I was inspired to pursue a career in hospitality having been born in Kenya, which has a significant tourism sector,” she shares.
“I was fortunate to be able to gain international exposure during my education in hotel management in Switzerland and then kickstart my global hospitality career in Europe and the United States upon completing my studies.”
Being a wife and a mother, something that is often deemed as a deterrent in advancing a woman’s career, Shah-Boultwood understands the struggles of women in the workforce. “The key to balancing motherhood and a career is to have a clear view of your goals, what support structures are available to you, and be willing to ask for help when you need it.”
With her husband currently living in KL and she herself in KK, their unique family structure presents an extra challenge. But she overcomes this by surrounding herself with “a good team at work and a solid support structure at home”.
Chan, general manager of DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Penang, also empathises with fellow mothers on this aspect. “Having children should not preclude women from career advancement. The hotel has recognised the need for work-life balance and has provided team members with the necessary support, such as more workplace flexibility.”
“Promoting high-profile women who have balanced families and leadership responsibilities also encourages other women as they will have role models to look up to,” she continues.
Chan recalls how when she first entered motherhood, she faced difficulty in giving full attention to her career. “Naturally, I had some worries about being left behind, but knowing that diversity and inclusion are core to Hilton’s culture, it reassured me that I would still have plenty of opportunities for career advancement.”
She continued to upgrade herself professionally by taking up projects to enhance her skills and knowledge, including serving as acting hotel manager at Hilton PJ during the pandemic.
Starting off as an accounts payable supervisor at the brand’s Kuching property three decades ago, she was promoted to senior supervisor a year later and a mid-management role the year after.
She began serving as hotel manager in KL in 2021, working together with the general managers – one of them being Pecoraro – to lead the hotel’s day-to-day operations.
'Having children should not preclude women from career advancement,' says Chan.
“Transitioning from hospitality finance to hotel management certainly took some time to adjust,” she admits. “In finance, I focused on analysing numbers, budgets, reporting and strategic planning from an analytical perspective. Being a hotel manager, on the other hand, meant that I was involved in the hotel operations, leading people and delivering great guest experiences.”
However, her experience with hotel operations, volunteering for cross-functional projects and the leadership opportunities within the brand prepared her for her current role.
“The mentorship I received from my senior managers throughout my career has also been tremendously valuable,” she states.
One of them is no doubt Pecoraro, who has helped implement various initiatives aimed at supporting career development and cultivating potential leaders. “Ultimately, women have to believe in themselves and grow in confidence as they rise through the ranks and take on more leadership positions. Having passion for the work they do is also equally important,” says Pecoraro.
As for Shah-Boultwood, she is a part of Hilton’s Women Team Member Resource Group (WTMRG) initiative for South-East Asia, which recently invited a group of local women entrepreneurs on International Women’s Day to showcase and increase awareness about their products.
“We will continue to bolster more opportunities to support the growth of people in our communities,” she adds.
Chan, meanwhile, shares that her hotel is also working on similar efforts. “We are currently organising career talks with women team members (which will focus) on how myself and the company can support them in their career growth.”
She additionally offers her pearl of wisdom: “For young women entering the hospitality industry, maintain a positive attitude and work ethic, even in challenging times. Hospitality thrives on passion and dedication.”
