#309: Think Global, Act Local: Insights from an International Hotelier | with Gonzalo Aguilar

What does it take to lead one of the world's fastest-growing global hotel groups while staying true to the heart of hospitality?In this episode of The Modern Hotelier, hosts David Millili and Steve Carran sit down with Gonzalo Aguilar, CEO of Europe & Americas at Minor Hotels, to discuss his remarkable journey from restaurant manager to global hospitality executive. Gonzalo shares how growing up across multiple continents, learning from his father—a lifelong hotelier—and leading hotels around the world shaped his leadership philosophy and passion for creating exceptional guest experiences.The conversation explores Minor Hotels' global expansion strategy, its shift toward an asset-light growth model, the launch of new hotel brands, and the company's vision for expanding across the United States and Canada. Gonzalo also shares valuable insights on balancing global brand standards with local market needs, building strong owner partnerships, and why the best hotel leaders are deeply connected to their communities.In this episode, you'll learn: Why Minor Hotels is embracing an asset-light growth strategy  The company's expansion plans for North America  How new hotel brands are helping meet evolving owner and traveler needs  The importance of adapting global hospitality strategies to local markets  Why community engagement remains the foundation of exceptional hotel leadershipWatch the FULL EPISODE on YouTube: https://youtu.be/7on3C3IsOOoLinks:Gonzalo on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gonzalo-aguilar-/Minor Hotels: https://www.minorhotels.com/enFor full show notes head to: https://themodernhotelier.com/episode/309Follow on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-..Join the conversation on today's episode on The Modern Hotelier LinkedIn pageConnect with Steve and David:Steve: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%F0%9F%8E...David: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-mil.