Gabriel Cánaves joined the company in 1969, as a key aid to the Chairman and Founder, Gabriel Escarrer.
During his long career in the company he has held the positions of Director of Industrial Relations, Director of Human Resources and Director of the Cuba Division, also assuming responsibility for company growth in Cuba, a country in which Meliá Hotels International now enjoys a significant presence.
In 2007 he was appointed Executive Vice President of Human Resources, a position he combines with that of Regional Vice President for Cuba, the country where Meliá Hotels International has most hotels after Spain. Over the last decade he has relaunched talent management as a strategic function in the company’s strong international expansion, and has also led a significant company reorganization based on efficiency criteria, leading an extensive process of cultural transformation that has allowed Meliá to come out of the worst financial crisis the travel industry has ever seen even stronger than before.
In 2016, after a redesign of the structure and functions of the Senior Executive Team, the Board of Directors named him Chief Human Resources Officer, covering Organization and Compensation, Global Human Resources (Corporate/Hotels), Industrial Relations, Health and Safety, and Personnel Administration. In addition to these functions, his responsibilities also include supervision of the implementation of Human Resources functions in the different regions
In addition to his extensive experience and deep knowledge of the industry, Gabriel Cánaves also has strong skills in negotiation, team management and leadership, and crisis management, which he has developed and consolidated over a successful 40-year career in the company.