A Q&A With Melanie Cook, Director, Global Sales, MGM Resorts International

Melanie Cook is director, global sales at MGM Resorts International. She is a strategic leader with over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry. As a member of Women Leading Travel & Hospitality, we wanted our community to get to know Melanie better. Therefore, we asked her a series of questions about her work, goals, hiring philosophies and more.

1. What’s the best book you’ve read recently? 
   “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah, “The Rose Code” by Kate Quinn, and a few Elin Hilderbrand-Paradise series.
2. What do you love most about the hospitality industry? 
   This industry has provided me the opportunity to grow, mentor, travel and meet amazing people from all around the world. We’re a small but mighty community that come together to solve challenges and to succeed.
3. What is something the community may be surprised to learn about you?
   My grandparents owned a local pub and the town shop in a small town in the south of England — so no surprise I joined the hospitality industry.
4. What personal skill or attribute do you believe is most responsible for your success?
   My ability to network and get involved. And I may be a bit competitive. If I sign up, I’m in. I am a problem solver; I think things through to find solutions and try to look at challenges from all sides. I don’t think we need to re-invent the wheel but maybe adjust it to make it more efficient.
5. What woman inspires you right now and why? 
   I have several women mentors in the tourism industry that I’ve known for many years and am fortunate to now call friends. Women that are executive leaders, entrepreneurs, changemakers, mothers, partners that are engaged in their communities and giving back to help others succeed professionally and personally.
6. What is one industry trend you’re closely tracking and why?
   Sustainability in the hospitality industry. Some areas of the industry are better than others but collectively we all need to continue to improve. We’ve been engaging with our stakeholders to outline what we’ve been doing with our organization and it continues to evolve and expand.
7. What is one thing you look for when interviewing a job candidate? 
   What do they do in their free time away from work?
8. What’s something that you learned about yourself in the past year? 
   The strength and resilience I possess.
9. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? 
   You never know when your paths will cross again so be kind.
10. What values are most important to you as a leader?
    Empathy and listening to understand.
11. What’s the most important thing people should know about you? 
    I advocate for my customers and my industry.
12. Do you prefer to work in the office, at home, or hybrid? Why? 
    I’ve been working from home for the past 12 years. I travel a lot to see clients and colleagues so I am often out of my home office. It’s a great balance of a different version of hybrid.
13. Where is your favorite place you’ve traveled to? Why?
    I certainly love boating and the beaches of Maui, but I also love travelling in Europe. I had the opportunity to take a sabbatical last year and spent 10 days at a cooking school in Italy. It was an amazing experience.
14. What is the top item on your bucket list?
    Traveling to New Zealand.
15. What do you do to recharge? 
    Floating on my boat and reading.
16. What is your biggest accomplishment?
    My daughters.
17. What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders? 
    Network, volunteer, get involved in your chosen field — you never know who you will meet or what you will learn. And love what you do!
18. What gets you up in the morning?
    Coffee.
19. What do you like most about being a member of Women Leading Travel & Hospitality?
    Connecting with other women in this amazing industry.