A leading voice in regenerative luxury.
Héctor De Castro is recognized as one of the leading voices shaping the global transformation of luxury hospitality toward regenerative models. With more than 25 years of executive leadership across Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and the Caribbean, he has directed companies of over 200 employees, managed hotel F&B and FF&E projects up to USD 90 million, and held senior roles in corporations listed on the stock market — including Grupo ACS, one of the world’s largest multinational groups with annual revenues exceeding €40 billion.
As a former ski instructor and competitive skier, he has cultivated a mindset focused on high performance, precision and teamwork. His exposure from the late 1990s to brands such as Six Senses, Shangri-La, Alila and Banyan Tree in Southeast Asia sparked a profound shift in his understanding of luxury. This vision, combined with deep family values shaped by a fourth-generation business legacy, forms the foundation of his leadership philosophy: to redefine luxury as a force that generates benefits beyond profit.
A dual doctoral candidate in Regenerative Hotels and Neuromarketing, he bridges science, culture and business strategy. In 2022 he founded Regenera Luxury, today the world’s most advanced framework and certification for regenerative luxury hotels. The organisation has expanded rapidly — growing from 2 team members in 2022 to more than 20 in 2025, and achieving a presence in 18 countries. Its proprietary methodology, the Regenerative Management Program (RMP)™, stands as a unique model in the hotel industry, integrating KPIs from luxury quality, sustainability, wellness science, regeneration, neuromarketing, culture and socio-economic impact.
His influence is reflected in numerous international publications such as Forbes USA, Hotels Magazine and Food & Travel, as well as in his participation as a judge for leading global awards at ITB Berlin and FITUR Madrid. He actively collaborates pro bono with educational and social initiatives, contributing to the development of future leaders in tourism and regenerative luxury.
Héctor represents a new wave of leadership in luxury hospitality: profitable, but also strategic, human-centric and regenerative by design.
Academic Distinctions and Awards
- PhD Candidate in Regenerative Hotels
- PhD Candidate in Hotel Neuromarketing
- Global Executive MBA (IE Business School, Top 10 Financial Times)
- Certified GSTC Professional
- Diploma in Finance from Yale
- Degree in Business Administration
- Foreign Trade Technician · Marketing Technician
- Sworn Translator (Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
- Bachelor’s Degree in Economic and Legal Translation from West London University and the University of Granada