Guatemala, Guatemala
Some seeds take a lifetime to find the right soil. Mine was planted in Monte Carlo. It grew across four continents — through the mountains of Bhutan, the private islands of Cambodia, the colonial heritage of Indochina — until the day I watched my daughter reach her small hands toward a tree and ask: "Papa, will this always be here?" That question became a book. That book became a framework. That framework is Nature Quest. I am Jean-Paul Riby — French-born, fluent in six languages, and now rooted in the extraordinary biodiversity of Guatemala. After 35+ years leading 5-star hospitality operations globally — from COMO Uma Paro in Bhutan and Six Senses Vietnam to Song Saa Private Island, Cambodia, and Sun Hospitality Group — I channelled everything I had learned into the question that mattered most: How do we raise a generation that inherits a planet worth living on? Nature Quest Education Framework™ is my answer — a multilingual, institutional-grade sustainability education system built on five pillars: Nature Literacy, Climate Awareness, Cultural Connection, Responsible Living, and Action & Stewardship. Structured across three age-responsive learning pathways: 🌱 Explorer Seeds (5–7) · Awareness & curiosity 🧭 Explorer Pathfinders (8–10) · Understanding & responsibility 🌍 Explorer Leaders (11–13) · Agency & action Two creative expressions bring Nature Quest to life beyond the classroom: 📖 Little Hands – Big Planet — A children's book series in which my daughter is the protagonist, guiding young readers through the wonders of the natural world, biodiversity, and the small but powerful actions that shape our planet's future. Sustainability made joyful, tangible, and profoundly personal. 🇫🇷 French Unlocked — A structured French-language learning pathway woven into the Nature Quest framework, where language acquisition and ecological literacy evolve together. Because the best language teachers are forests, rivers, and the living sky. Nature Quest Education Framework™ is available to international schools, bilingual institutions, NGOs, foundations, and sustainable hospitality groups under pilot, institutional, and network licensing models. 📩 [email protected] 📖 Author · 🌍 Educator · 🏨 Sustainability Strategist · 🌿 CEO & Founder
French Unlocked — A French-language learning pathway integrated with neuroscience techniques, where literacy and language acquisition develop in parallel. You did not fail at French. The method failed you. Most language teaching asks you to memorise and repeat, then blames you when the words slip away. That is not how the adult brain retains a language. French Unlocked is built on what neuroscience actually shows about memory and acquisition, so the French you learn is functional, situational, and lasting. French Unlocked was founded by Jean-Paul Riby, a native French speaker fluent in six languages who spent over 35 years leading luxury hospitality across Asia and Europe, from Bhutan to Vietnam to Cambodia. He now teaches full time, helping serious adults reach working French in weeks rather than years. This is for you if you are a professional with a real deadline, a career-changer, someone relocating to a French-speaking country, or a learner who has tried everything and is tired of starting over. It is also for hospitality and corporate teams who need their people to be functional in French, taught by someone who has run a similar operation. Self-paced course. Live cohorts. One-to-one coaching. Corporate training. For team training, write to [email protected].
Eco Nature Quest Education Framework™ is a multilingual, institutional-grade sustainability education system designed for future-ready children. Built for schools, NGOs, foundations, and sustainable hospitality groups worldwide. Five Core Pillars: Nature Literacy · Climate Awareness · Cultural Connection · Responsible Living · Action & Stewardship Three Age-Structured Learning Pathways: ▸ Explorer Seeds (5–7) — Awareness & curiosity ▸ Explorer Pathfinders (8–10) — Understanding & responsibility ▸ Explorer Leaders (11–13) — Agency & action What institutions receive: curriculum framework & educator guide, lesson outlines, activities, assessment rubrics, student experience assets, Nature Quest identity tools, institutional certification, and onboarding support. Creative extensions of the framework: ▸ Little Hands – Big Planet — A children's book series in which my daughter is the protagonist, bringing the Explorer Seeds pathway to life through narrative. Sustainability made personal, joyful, and unforgettable. ▸ French Unlocked — A French-language learning pathway integrated within the Nature Quest system, where ecological literacy and language acquisition develop in parallel. One of the six languages I bring to this framework. Available under pilot, institutional, and network licensing models. Contact: [email protected] Next Step Nature Quest Education Framework™ is offered under a licensing model with pilot, institutional, and network-level options. Contact: [email protected]
Sustainability strategy and transformation for luxury hotels and resorts, with a focus on carbon emissions monitoring, sustainability audits, compliance for pre-opening properties, and stakeholder engagement. ▸ Advisor for "Reset Tourism Sustainably" (Asia-Pacific) — contributing strategies benefiting biodiversity, communities, and climate ▸ Panel speaker, RESET Travel 2023 — Sustainable Design & Construction in Hospitality ▸ Portfolio development: sustainable hotel and resort frameworks across Europe and Asia ▸ Investor relations: attracting investment through evidence-based sustainable business modelling ▸ Risk management: data-driven assessment and mitigation frameworks for sustainability compliance
Built and led Sun Hospitality Group from inception — a management company created to elevate the leisure asset portfolio of Sun Group, Vietnam's largest luxury resort developer. Portfolio under management: 12 properties, including InterContinental Sun Peninsula Danang, JW Marriott & Premier Residences Phu Quoc, Mercure French Village Ba Na Hills, Hotel de la Coupole MGallery Sapa, and Novotel Premier Danang. ▸ Delivered unprecedented annual portfolio returns exceeding $100M/year ▸ Introduced company-wide SOPs for culture development and communication ▸ Established HMA frameworks, brand portfolio strategy, and asset management structure ▸ Prioritised talent mentorship and the development of the next generation of Vietnamese hoteliers
A 25-year arc of leadership across the world's most demanding luxury hospitality environments: ▸ Country Director & Board Advisor — Epikurean Hotels & Lifestyle (Vietnam, 2016–2018) ▸ VP Global Hospitality Real Estate Finance — First Equity Finance (Hong Kong, 2016–2017) ▸ Associate Director Vietnam — ALL-THE-ANGLES (2014–2016) · Hotel acquisitions, JV, HMA ▸ Founder — Natural Luxury Collection (2014–2015) · Bespoke fragrance amenities for luxury hotels ▸ Executive Director — TMG / Thien Minh Group (Vietnam/Indochina, 2014) · 11-property portfolio ▸ Chief Operating Officer — Victoria Hotels & Resorts (2013–2014) · French colonial heritage properties across Vietnam, Laos & Cambodia ▸ General Manager — SONG SAA Private Island (Cambodia, 2010–2011) · Conceived and opened Cambodia's first private island luxury resort ▸ General Manager — COMO Uma Paro (Bhutan, 2008–2010) · Introduced Gross National Happiness as an operational and leadership philosophy ▸ General Manager — Six Senses Ninh Van Bay (Vietnam, 2006–2008) · 58 luxury villas ▸ General Manager & F&B Director — Sol Meliá (Indonesia & Italy, 1998–2006) · Melia Bali, Melia Rome, Melia Milan flagship Contributor, EQ & Leadership in Asia. President, Sihanoukville Chapter, Skal International Asia (2011–2012).