Officials of Castell Project Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating the careers of women professionals in the hospitality industry have named Gilda Perez-Alvarado, global CEO, JLL Hotels & Hospitality, as the recipient of its second annual Castell Award honoring a woman leader in the hospitality investment arena.
The award was presented to Perez-Alvarado at the 2021 Lodging Conference held in Phoenix, where she received a piece by artist Brad McCollum personally designed to evoke her heritage, her role as a trailblazer and her leadership as a champion of women in hospitality real estate.
In her role with JLL, Perez-Alvarado is responsible for investment sales, debt and equity placement, strategic advisory and asset management across three global regions: Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific. She also serves on the global advisory board of Qiddiya, a PIF-funded giga project in Saudi Arabia, serves on the board of directors of Sonder, is an active member of IREFAC and a member of Cornell School of Hotel Administration Dean’s Advisory Board.
She is also a two-time recipient of the Jack A. Shaffer Financial Advisor of the year at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS). She remains the only woman to date to receive this award. As a mother, Perez-Alvarado exemplifies the truth that leadership and motherhood strengthen each other.
“With women comprising 70% of the tourism and hospitality labor force worldwide, it is imperative that we set up an industry and a workplace that works for women,” Perez-Alvarado said. “We have to invest in their education and ensure equal rights. It is not only the right thing to do, it is the smart thing to do.”
“It is a pleasure to showcase the fabulous powerful women like Gilda now leading the hospitality industry—particularly in real estate and finance,” said Peggy Berg, president, Castell Project. “In a field notoriously resistant to change, Gilda’s success shows that companies which develop diverse talent win in the marketplace.”
