This month’s Employee Spotlight recognises Midori, Operations Manager for HBL in Vietnam! Midori’s journey into the industry began while she was still at university, after taking a class on Theme Parks. That class sparked a genuine interest and led her to consider a career path she hadn’t previously imagined. When the opportunity to join HBL later came along, she took it without hesitation, turning that early curiosity into a practical and rewarding career.
Midori started as a Site Manager to help establish HBL’s first operation in Vietnam at Ba Na Hills. Starting a site from the ground up was a huge responsibility for her, especially since this was her first formal leadership role. Much of her focus was placed on building a strong team and setting clear operational and service standards from the beginning. She says, “I’ve always believed that having strong standards from the beginning helps everything stay on the right track in the long run.”
Her day-to-day responsibilities involved overseeing operations, supporting the team, addressing challenges as they arose, and ensuring smooth daily performance. A large part of her role also involved coaching team members, improving service quality, and maintaining team morale. While the workload was demanding at times, the experience has allowed her to develop both professionally and personally.
Like many leadership roles, Midori’s journey came with challenges. She was involved in nearly every aspect of operations, from setting procedures and standards to guiding the team and making daily decisions. She also faced the personal challenge of learning to manage pressure and trusting those who work with her. Another key area of growth for Midori was communication. She had to learn how to balance honesty with tact, particularly when working with partners. With support from her team and some self-reflection, she developed greater emotional awareness in her communication style. This shift helped strengthen relationships, build trust, and improve collaboration with partners at Ba Na Hills. “Looking back, these challenges shaped not only the way I work, but also the person I’ve become. They taught me that growth doesn’t mean losing yourself — it means learning how to become a better version of who you already are,” she says.
When reflecting on her accomplishments, Midori points first to her team. Under her leadership, the team developed strong hospitality and sales skills, with the ability to communicate in four languages: English, Chinese, Thai, and Korean. Their performance led to HBL being nominated as Best Partner at Ba Na Hills for Operations, Staff, and Sales. This recognition came after a period of consistently proving the team’s value and reliability within the park.
One particularly memorable moment for Midori was being invited to share her experience in recruitment and training with Sun World. This opportunity served as recognition not only of her own work, but also of the systems and standards her team had built.
Midori constantly looks forward to the future, stating that she wants to continue upgrading herself and her team to better serve and entertain customers. Her goal is not just to keep up with change, but to grow even more confident, adaptable, and ready for whatever comes next.
