Congratulations to Travis Watanabe on being named HVCB’s first Chief Brand and Narrative Officer. Not quite as cool as those mid-2000s titles like Brand Ninja, but definitely a departure and clearly an attempt to go beyond the traditional CMO role, with a focus on how Hawaiʻi’s story is told.
Travis grew up in Hawaiʻi, and since we knew you would ask, he is a Kamehameha Schools (Kapālama campus) grad. He also brings serious brand experience from Red Bull, where he worked on marketing, partnerships, storytelling, and audience engagement across some of the world’s most recognizable sports and cultural platforms.
The hire itself reminded me of a key lesson I learned after years of hiring hotel leaders in Hawaiʻi: some of the best hires are local returnees. When I lived in China, there was a term for this: hǎiguī (海归), which means “overseas returnee.” It is a play on hǎiguī (海龟), meaning “sea turtle,” someone who crossed the ocean and came back. It’s an especially fitting metaphor here in Hawaiʻi, where the honu is a respected symbol of home, endurance, and returning to familiar shores.
In my experience, that profile often brings the best of both worlds. Great local leaders are frequently happy in their current roles and difficult to recruit. Hires from the continent can be excellent, but many spend a few years learning Hawaiʻi’s unique culture and business environment before deciding they miss home. Local returnees arrive with fresh ideas and outside experience, but they also understand the relationships, nuances, and sense of place that make doing business here different.
And he is not the only leadership move that fits the theme. Vicki Nakata was recently named CEO of Roberts Hawaii as longtime leader Roy Pfund retires. Nakata may not have grown up here full-time, but Hawaiʻi has always been part of her story, including summers on Oʻahu with family and her tenure at Hawaiian Airlines, where many of us first got to know her and appreciate her sharp thinking, steady leadership, and industry instincts. We’ll gladly count her among the hǎiguī (海归).
Read More: Travis Appointment, Vicki Appointment
