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The Price of Growth and Setting Things Up: Meet The Ascott Limited’s New GM
The newly appointed General Manager of two Makati properties by The Ascott Limited – Philippines, Cecille Teodoro, discusses balancing family and career.
If discovering new oceans require the courage of losing sight of the shore, Cecille Teodoro equates to being a valiant voyager. The experienced hotelier repeatedly barged out of her comfort zone throughout her life. She bent to pursue personal growth at every turn. In addition, she was never one to settle. She made the leap from a career in medicine as a biology graduate to entering marketing. Eventually, she found her place in the hospitality industry. Today, Cecille serves as the newly appointed General Manager of Ascott Makati and Somerset Millennium Makati.
“Be ready to sacrifice to develop yourself,” she always shares with others.
Rising through the ranks
After entering the hospitality industry by chance, Cecille now has 22 years of experience. She came off a stint in marketing when she applied and was accepted into an international chained-brand hotel in Makati. She grew in her role and rose through the ranks in locations she had worked. These include Metro Manila and Boracay. Eventually, she was sent abroad for further training.
In 2016, Cecille joined The Ascott Limited – Philippines as the Residence Manager of Somerset Alabang Manila before moving to Ascott Makati and Somerset Millennium Makati in April 2022 as the General Manager.
On top of everything, Cecille thrived in the company’s culture. So this allowed her to come into her own. She was entrusted with several tasks, including championing the pre-opening phases of Citadines Cebu City, Citadines Amigo Iloilo, and Somerset Central Salcedo Makati. She also led Housekeeping, the Ascott Host program, and the Corporate Social Responsibility arm.
“I love juggling projects, the dynamics of it, as it makes me feel alive,” Cecille says.
Key to her management of responsibilities is a roadmap that she follows intently. A stickler for details, she attends daily operations meetings to stay on top of all issues. Moreover, she jots down what’s needed to be done. Everything must be in place and on time.
Cecille Teodoro on running the house like a serviced apartment
Cecille understands the price of sacrifice in chasing excellence. That’s why she manages her time with surgical precision. In addition, she delegates tasks to promote maximum efficiency—including at home. She schedules her personal time, too. Shopping is done only during travels, which happens only once or twice a year. And this is exclusively for celebrating milestones. Moreover, weekends are for resting, catching up on Korean shows on Netflix, or listening to podcasts.
Meanwhile, as the head of the Teodoro household, Cecille runs her house the same way she runs serviced residences. Everyone has a task and operates independently. This way, her children can learn how to handle responsibilities like an adult, without her having to worry about them.
“You need to take care of your family first to be able to fulfill other roles,” she advises.
“Findings” for Improving the Home
Some of Cecille’s methods include their grocery list following professional Food and Beverage practices. Her children have also developed an eye for detail. In fact, they use the term “findings” to describe anything they want to improve at home. With everything she has accomplished, Cecille has learned to value what’s truly important⎯her family and health.
“Despite the demanding schedule, take breaks,” Cecille encourages. “Have a healthy lifestyle.”
A hardworking and dedicated leader amongst her peers, she is a true example of a woman who can succeed in her career and at home.
Stories of Hoteliers and Hotels or those from the F&B industry:
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