The Plaza's First Female General Manager... Executive Director Choi Nan-ju, Former Entry-Level Employee

Since the Opening of Hanwha Hotels & Resorts in 1979
Firsts Parade of 'First' Titles... Female Executives and General Managers
Attending Wharton School MBA Program
During Chinese Restaurant Renewal... 'Passionate Man' Who Obtained Cooking License

Choi Nan-ju, the new General Manager of The Plaza. Photo by Hanwha Hotels & Resorts

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] Hanwha Hotels & Resorts, celebrating its 41st anniversary this year, has appointed Choi Nan-joo, Executive Director (age 41), a former rank-and-file employee, as the General Manager of the hotel 'The Plaza.' Following her appointment as the first female executive, she now carries the heavy responsibility of the General Manager role.

Hanwha Hotels & Resorts announced on the 7th that it has appointed Executive Director Choi Nan-joo as the new General Manager of the luxury hotel The Plaza. Through this appointment, Hanwha Hotels & Resorts aims to initiate change and innovation to provide 'service beyond expectations and unforgettable experiences,' the service motto of The Plaza.

The new General Manager Choi Nan-joo holds a bachelor's degree in English Language and Literature from Yonsei University and completed the MBA program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She entered the hotel industry in 2002 by joining Hanwha Development Seoul Plaza Hotel (now Hanwha Hotels & Resorts The Plaza).

After joining, General Manager Choi experienced a new employee management course for about seven months, working on-site in all departments of the hotel. Through this course, she recognized that the foundation of a luxury hotel starts with cultivating professional staff. During her time in the HR team, she designed job-specific training courses to systematize the development of professional employees.

In 2010, she participated in the industry’s first full-scale renewal project of The Plaza Hotel, which lasted about six months, handling overall practical tasks such as planning the hotel brand concept, interior design, and operational strategies. To understand the job expertise of the Chinese restaurant undergoing renewal, she even obtained a Chinese cuisine chef certification herself. Since then, she has mainly worked on various projects such as business strategy and business development. Thanks to these efforts, she became the first female executive since Hanwha Hotels & Resorts opened in 1979. Her motto is also, 'There are difficult tasks, but nothing impossible.'

New General Manager Choi Nan-joo stated, "The Plaza Hotel, located in the heart of Seoul for the past 44 years, sharing Seoul’s history and present, will be further developed with differentiated services and facilities to firmly establish its position as a landmark hotel of history and tradition."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.