The Unlikely Path of Ted Teng: From Failed Engineer to Leading Hotels CEO and Champion of Women in Hospitality

How did a “failed engineering student” become one of the most influential executives in hospitality? Ted Teng kept saying yes to roles that scared him, trusted the people around him, and never stopped learning. Born in Hong Kong, immigrating to the United States at thirteen, Ted transferred into Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration almost by accident and eventually went on to run Sheraton, Westin, Starwood Asia Pacific, Wyndham International, and The Leading Hotels of the World.

What makes Ted our Male Ally of the Month is not just his résumé. It is the way he champions others. He hired Shannon Knapp long before she became CEO of Leading Hotels, coaching her to fill his spot when he retired. He worked alongside trailblazers like Deniz Omurgonulsen Altuğ, who personally signed seventy five percent of the Leading portfolio and was recently inducted into the Cornell Hotelie Hall of Fame. And today, through Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration alumni association, Cornell Hotel Society, and the Hotelie Hall of Fame, he is shining a light on the people who built the industry he loves.

We talked to Ted about his unconventional start, the women who shaped him, why allyship matters, and why the best jobs are the ones you are not entirely prepared for.

Meet our Mr. November, Ted Teng…

You were born in Hong Kong, moved to the United States at 13, and originally thought you wanted to be a civil engineer. How did you actually end up in hospitality?

I came to Cornell intending to be a civil engineer. That ambition came from reading, not from role models. As an immigrant, I didn’t have a network of professionals around me, and engineering sounded like a solid path. After two years, it became clear I was a failed engineer.

I didn’t want to leave Cornell. I looked around to see what else I could study and saw that the hotel school had a strong business curriculum. Even if I didn’t stay in hotels, I knew a business education would be useful. My goal was simple: I wanted a professional job.

Hospitality wasn’t a grand passion — it was a pragmatic choice that became a career. Once I transferred, I did all the classic jobs: front office, night audit, breakfast cook, banquet cook, waiter, bartender, houseman. Those early line jobs showed me how hotels actually work.

What did those early finance roles at Sheraton teach you?

Sheraton started me in the controller track, which was perfect because you see the whole business through the numbers. I began as a management trainee at the old New York Sheraton (now Park Central). I was supposed to be in the program for eighteen months. Eight months in, they sent me to Santa Monica as an assistant controller. Then Boston as assistant controller of a fourteen-hundred-room convention hotel. Then controller of an eight-hundred-room airport property in Los Angeles.

This was when management contracts were taking off, so I saw almost every structure — owned, managed, leased, joint venture. I like to say when a general manager moves, six other people get promoted. I benefited from that growth. Those years taught me how hotels make and lose money, how owners think, and how important it is to understand both the contract and the operation.

You moved from finance to operations and development in Asia, then on to Westin, Starwood, Wyndham, and finally The Leading Hotels of the World. How did you think about taking roles that stretched you?

The truth is I wasn’t ready for most of the jobs I’ve had. If you’re fully ready, you’ve probably done it, and there isn’t much growth left in it.

After thirteen years in financial management at Sheraton, I had the chance to move into operations and development in North Asia. I had never been a general manager, and suddenly general managers were reporting to me. What made it work was a blend of what I knew and what I didn’t. I knew contracts, owners, and financials. I spoke the language and understood the culture in Asia. I didn’t know every detail of daily hotel operations, but I knew what general managers should be doing. Sheraton had seen my track record and was willing to take a chance.

Later, when the headhunter called about Leading Hotels, I was clearly not the obvious candidate. I didn’t come from the European luxury world. I joked that I didn’t own a Brioni suit and couldn’t order wines in their restaurants. I also had no experience with independent hotels or the European market. What I did bring was a deep understanding of the Americas and Asia Pacific, how chain brands work, and strong business acumen. Some things you bring to the table…other things you go to the table to learn. I knew if Leading Hotels wanted me, the company was truly interested in growth and change, and the opportunity to develop the strategy for that interested me. 

Women are often told not to apply unless they meet every requirement. What do you say to the woman who feels “not ready”?

It is normal not to feel ready. If you only move into roles where you can already do everything, you won’t grow. When you look at an opportunity, ask two questions: can I contribute something from day one? And will this job be interesting enough that I want to stay, learn, and become better?

You learn a lot about a company from how they hire. Some organizations just want to plug in a technician. Others want to develop people. If you want growth, look for the second kind. Ask how they see the role evolving, what support they give, and what success looks like in three to five years. Their answers — or their inability to answer — tell you a lot.

You’ve worked closely with many women. Who shaped how you lead today?

Throughout my career, the women I worked with were strong, capable, and essential to the success of every team. Early on at Sheraton Boston there was Ruth Counts, the executive housekeeper, and Maria Rocco, the front office manager. At the New York Sheraton, Abby Morehouse played a similar role. They were the people who quietly kept the engine running and made the operation work.

There was also a brief but pivotal period with Brenda Barnes, who stepped in as interim CEO of Starwood while I was running Asia Pacific. She was already well known because she left a top job at Pepsi to spend more time with her children, a decision that challenged norms in the 1990s. Working with her, I saw someone who led confidently and authentically. She did not try to imitate the dominant leadership style of the time. I remember a conversation about whether you need a breakdown before a breakthrough. She pushed me to examine what that really means and refine how I think about change. I wish I had worked with her longer.

At Leading Hotels, Shannon Knapp is another formative example. I hired her from American Express because I needed a true marketer, not just a salesperson. From the beginning, I knew she would eventually be a candidate to succeed me. We complemented each other well. She taught me how to think like a marketer, and I helped her internalize a hotelier’s mindset. Neither of us could have anticipated that she would have to navigate a global pandemic, but she did so with clarity and composure. I am proud to have played a role in her journey.

Ted with Deniz Omurgonulsen Altuğ

And of course there is Deniz Omurgonulsen Altuğ. Leading Hotels is almost a century old, and of the four to five hundred hotels in the collection today, she personally signed about seventy-five percent of them over the course of two decades. That level of impact is extraordinary. Her work shaped the modern identity of the brand more than most people realize.

You mentioned the pressure underrepresented groups feel to “fit the mold.” How has that shown up for women, and is it changing?

In the earlier part of my career, most senior roles were held by men. When you’re underrepresented, you often feel you must behave like whoever holds power. I felt it myself as an Asian American man in mostly white American corporate environments. Many women felt it too.

That’s changing. Not fully, but we’re seeing more women lead in their own style, and succeed because of it. Organizations get better when people don’t all think and act the same way.

You’re a father of one daughter and two sons. Has being a dad influenced the advice you give young women in hospitality?

My advice is the same for women and men: do work you can be good at and enjoy. People say “follow your dreams,” but if your dream doesn’t sustain you or you’re not good at it, you’ll hit a wall. The better mindset is to build a virtuous cycle between skill and enjoyment.

I tell people not to limit themselves to what they are currently good at. What you’re good at today is the result of your past. It isn’t a full picture of what you can become good at in the future.

I also tell people not to limit themselves to what they are currently good at. What you’re good at today is the result of your past. It isn’t a full picture of what you can become good at in the future. If you think you “aren’t good with numbers,” it’s usually because you haven’t invested time. Business doesn’t require genius, it requires competence and a growth mindset.

You’re known as a thoughtful speaker, but you’ve said you were terrible at it early on. How did you get better?

I invested heavily. I used to tell myself one hour of prep for every minute of speaking. Training, coaching, repetition — all of it helped. Two principles mattered most. First, only speak about subjects you truly understand. Second, remember the audience doesn’t know what you planned to say. I once told Shannon this when she was nervous about a speech: If you forget something, they won’t know. They only know what you actually communicate. That shift relaxed her and made her more effective.

You’re very active in the Cornell Hotel Society alumni community. What does that involvement mean to you?

Ted at the Hotelie Hall of Fame Induction

Now that I’m retired, the Hotelie community is my anchor and joy. We all have a duty to contribute to the communities we belong to. I’m especially proud of the Cornell Hotelie Hall of Fame. When I finally agreed to become an officer, I felt strongly that we needed a formal way to honor the people who built the school’s reputation. We launched it in 2022. We’ve inducted fifty-five people so far. What I didn’t anticipate was the atmosphere… it’s not corporate at all, but families, friends, mentors, mentees. That sense of community has been one of the most rewarding outcomes.

You shared a powerful idea about being an “active includer.” How do you define allyship today?

You can’t rewrite history, but you can decide how to behave now. My career advanced because allies opened doors for me. None of them looked like me, they were white, mostly Christian men. They didn’t have to, but they advocated for me anyway.

That’s why I believe allyship matters. Women can and do drive change on their own. But it’s powerful when men step up as allies. For me, being a male ally means using whatever influence I have to recognize talent, challenge limiting beliefs, and intentionally include women in opportunities and decisions. It’s not about being a hero. It’s about noticing who’s in the room, who isn’t, and what you can do about it.

Quickfire with Ted

Morning routine: what’s one self-care habit you never skip? It has changed over the years.  It used to be running in the morning.  Now at the end of my shower, I stand under the water for a few minutes.  It grounds me.

A leadership lesson you learned the hard way: Honesty is the best policy and for some people, it needs to be packaged.

Your go-to hotel lobby drink or snack — and your signature room service order: Single malt Scotch on large rocks.  When I order room service, I am looking for low risk food.  Club sandwich.

A quality you instantly spot in rising talent: Curiosity and humility.

Your best travel hack — the one you swear by: Adjust to destination time zone before starting to travel, deprivation of food and sleep prepares my body better.

Books, podcasts, or shows you’re into right now: Last 100 page on Ray Dalio’s The Changing World Order.  Looking forward to reading Drew Nieporent’s I am Not Trying to Be Difficult.