Insider Spotlight
The big picture
The appointment of Francis Gotianun as chief executive officer signals a strategic shift toward tighter brand integration and sharper execution across Crimson Hotels & Resorts, Quest Hotels & Resorts, Grafik Hotel Collection, and the group’s expanding dining and leisure portfolio.
Gotianun said the consolidation under a single masterbrand is central to accelerating that transformation.
“The decision of uniting our hospitality businesses under one umbrella brand, Filinvest Hospitality, is so that we can ensure that we have greater focus and greater momentum moving forward,” Gotianun said during the media luncheon on Feb. 26, 2026.
Why it matters
The Philippine hospitality sector is becoming more competitive as both local and international players expand in key business and leisure hubs. For Filinvest Hospitality, differentiation hinges on delivering a seamless, high-quality experience across every guest touchpoint.
“We spend a lot of time on execution on all the guest touchpoints along the whole brand. I think this is what helps us to be successful: creating life-making moments,” said James Montenegro, president and chief operating officer of Filinvest Hospitality.
“I try to understand the engagement between the customer and what we’re offering, so that we can recalibrate the whole guest map,” said Montenegro.
That philosophy extends beyond room inventory. The group’s portfolio includes award-winning restaurants, golf and wellness facilities, and outdoor lifestyle destinations—all positioned as integrated components of a unified hospitality journey.
Complementing its hospitality and dining portfolio are Filinvest Hospitality’s active and lifestyle brands.
These include Mimosa Plus Golf Course, a premier championship course in Clark; Aum Spa, offering wellness and restorative experiences across the two Crimson properties; and the Timberland Mountain Bike Park, a purpose-built outdoor adventure destination in San Mateo,Rizal.
Between the lines
Executives say the roadmap focuses on three pillars: brand clarity, operational excellence, and talent development. The goal is to create a brand that resonates with guests while also attracting top-tier hospitality professionals.
“We set a vision that we want to become a Filipino hospitality company with a brand that people aspire to, we want to be the place where people want to work, we want to be the place where people want to stay,” Gotianun added.
Overseeing hotel and restaurant operations is newly appointed first vice president Ria Sarrosa, ensuring that each property and dining destination delivers a seamless and memorable experience.
“Execution is quite critical. That we turn our brand promises into translatable, trainable, scalable service behaviors. These service behaviors, based and anchored by our brand promises, are embedded in our very DNA, which is our service culture. The service culture is then easily replicated and translated and given as service delivery to our guests, translating to superior and excellent guest experiences,” she said.
What’s next
Over the next five years, Filinvest Hospitality plans to refine service standards, strengthen cross-brand synergies, and deepen its destination-driven offerings, positioning itself not just as a hotel operator but as a curator of holistic Filipino hospitality experiences.
“In the next five years, our goal is to continue to strive to become better at delivering our products, delivering our service, and delighting our guests,” Gotianun said. —Vanessa Hidalgo | Corrie S. Narisma
