Hilton appoints Guy Hutchinson as President for Middle East & Africa

Global hospitality brand strengthens MEA leadership

Hilton has announced the appointment of Guy Hutchinson as President for the Middle East & Africa (MEA) region. The leadership transition will take effect in early 2024 and marks Hutchinson’s return to Hilton after several years leading one of the Middle East’s prominent hotel groups.

He will be based at Hilton’s regional office in Dubai and will report to Simon Vincent, Executive Vice President and President, Europe, Middle East & Africa at Hilton.

Continuing a strong regional legacy

Hutchinson’s appointment follows the passing of Jochem-Jan Sleiffer in April 2023. Sleiffer dedicated more than three decades to Hilton and played an important role in building the company’s culture and driving strong commercial performance across the European and MEA markets.

Hilton’s leadership noted that the new appointment aims to maintain this momentum while guiding the brand through its next phase of regional growth.

Extensive international hospitality experience

Hutchinson brings decades of leadership experience across the global hospitality industry. Before rejoining Hilton, he served as Chief Executive Officer and previously Chief Operating Officer at Rotana Hotels & Resorts.

During his tenure at Rotana, he helped strengthen the brand’s regional footprint and operational strategy across multiple markets in the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Turkey.

Earlier in his career, Hutchinson spent 16 years with Hilton in senior leadership roles. His experience with the company included operational responsibilities across several international markets including Europe, Japan, China, Australia, India, and the Middle East.

Hilton’s rapid growth in Middle East & Africa

Hilton continues to expand its presence across the MEA region as tourism and hospitality investment accelerate. The company currently has around 285 hotels either operating or under development across the Middle East and Africa, spanning 11 hotel brands.

Recent additions to Hilton’s regional portfolio include:

• Hilton Skanes Monastir Beach Resort

• Hilton Kinshasa

The company has also signed new hotel agreements in markets such as Ghana, Nigeria, Tunisia, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.

Workforce and company culture

Hilton employs more than 29,000 team members across the Middle East and Africa region. The hospitality group is also widely recognised for its employee-focused culture and has consistently ranked among the region’s top organisations in Great Place to Work rankings.

Under Hutchinson’s leadership, Hilton aims to further strengthen its regional operations, support new hotel openings, and deliver consistent guest experiences across its growing portfolio.