DANELLE RUTH PALANG

Director of Marketing and Communications

Dusit Thani Hotel

Dubai

Marketing and Communications professional Danelle Ruth Palang manages what is otherwise the exhausting life of a 5-star hotelier with mild mannered equanimity as she sees the “grand design’ in her everyday life.

My Career

God’s favor. This is all His favor. It has been tried and tested in my career that no amount of hard work, level of education – can bring one person to truly succeed in life other than through His favor.

The challenges that turn into opportunities, the strength on days when there is no rest [or food] in sight; the people from all walks of life whom I meet along the way, a son and sister who keeps me grounded – these are all instrumental in keeping me on my toes, motivated and hungry.

Then of course there’s Dusit Thani who believed in my potential and entrusted me with so much more than I deserve.

What do Filipinos need to do to get ahead globally?

I was once asked during a job interview if I had anything else to add. I then asked the interviewer to align the line on the bottom of each of his hand as he puts his palms together. Universally, anyone who does this will discover that the other middle finger is longer than the other. I asked him to put the palm that has the shorter middle finger in front of his face and loudly command that hand to grow longer, 10 times. I asked him to put his hands back together. He was surprised to see that his middle finger actually grew longer.

That interviewer hired me. I have been working with him for seven years now – four years in Manila, two years and counting in Dubai.

I used that opportunity to give him a glimpse of what I can do, what any of us can do.

We were all created to be great. It is up to us to realize that greatness.

My dreams and aspirations

If I can just give a third of what my mom contributed in this world, I would feel accomplished. She was a CPA, financial controller, professor, student, charity worker, pastor, cancer patient, fighter, prayer warrior, daughter, sister, mother, best friend.

There is still so much work to do in this lifetime. We haven’t accomplished anything yet.

I wish to wake up one day in a world that is full of selflessness, each of us not merely thinking of ourselves.

Living life to the fullest everyday

My day is about beating deadlines.  No matter how early we plan ahead, some other thing pops up. No such thing as first in, first out. Every day is a constant tussle to be organized and work within schedule. It is imperative that we address all the requirements of our guests, partners and the members of our team with equal importance. They are all considered our clients in this department.

For me and most of the people in the industry, we are rarely able to separate work from personal life. It sounds horrible to some but it is a good thing most of the time. Being an hotelier is a lifestyle. I gain friends at work, dine and wine in the hotel’s award-winning restaurants, work with multi-awarded chefs and colleagues, and meet guests travelling from different parts of the world.

Dusit Thani is my home away from home. Working for and with them allows me to live this life to the fullest. And for that, I am eternally grateful.

My Mantra in Life

Why worry, when you can pray.

Meet UAE Power Pinay – Iman Suguitan