About > biography
Matías de Cristóbal holds a degree in Business Administration and has extensive experience across various sectors, including banking, consulting, retail, the film industry, and, ultimately, luxury hospitality.
Born in Buenos Aires, he has studied and worked in the United States and Chile, providing him with an international perspective in his career.
He was a founding partner of the Tierra Adentro project, a chain of stores in Argentina and Spain dedicated to the preservation and promotion of crafts and cultural expressions from the indigenous peoples of South America.
Matías also participated in the development of the W Hotel in Santiago, Chile, where he served as a member of the company’s board until 2015.
In 2006, he founded Awasi lodges and directed the development of its properties in San Pedro de Atacama and Torres del Paine in Chile, as well as Puerto Iguazú in Argentina.
He was Awasi’s General Director for nearly two decades and oversaw the successful sale of the company to a new group of investors in 2023.
He remains an advisor to Awasi and also provides strategic guidance for hospitality projects in Costa Rica, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Japan.
Since 2017, he has served as a member of the Executive Committee, Treasurer, and Board Member of Relais & Châteaux, a prestigious Paris-based association of hotels and restaurants that unites over 580 properties worldwide.
With a broad range of interests, Matías is passionate about swimming, reading, jazz (he plays the saxophone), photography, and indigenous art.