HILTON APPOINTS ZUBIN SAXENA AS INDIA COUNTRY HEAD
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is pleased to announce the appointment of Zubin Saxena as senior vice president and country head, India. |
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HILTON APPOINTS ZUBIN SAXENA AS INDIA COUNTRY HEAD
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is pleased to announce the appointment of Zubin Saxena as senior vice president and country head, India. |
Category: Asia Pacific - India - Careers
- Appointments
This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2023-11-24
Zubin joins Hilton from Radisson Hotel Group, where he worked for over 8 years, most recently as the managing director and area senior vice president, South Asia.
He will be taking charge in January 2024 and sitting out of the Hilton corporate office in Gurgaon.
Saxena’s 24-year career in hospitality has included a 4-year stint at IHG as director of development for South Asia, and senior advisory roles with Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels in India and HVS in New York. Saxena has an MBA from Adam Smith School of Business, Glasgow – and is a practiced hand at leading, inspiring, and developing teams.
In 2019, he was enlisted in the prestigious ‘Economic Times 40 Under Forty list of Business Leaders’ in India and has also been the recipient of various awards over the years, including the ‘Inspirational Hospitality Leader of the Year’ by the Indian Hospitality Council.
Saxena will oversee Hilton’s 25 trading hotels in India and lead the company’s expansion in South Asia with 20 properties in the development pipeline. He takes over the position from Navjit Ahluwalia, who leaves Hilton after 6 years.
During his tenure, Ahluwalia led the company’s growth in India, overseeing the opening of Hilton Goa Resort, Hilton Bengaluru Embassy Manyata Business Park, a dual brand Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn, as well as a convention center, and most recently DoubleTree by Hilton Varanasi.
Ahluwalia also launched Hilton’s new corporate office in Gurgaon, steered the company’s India business through the pandemic and saw Hilton named as the #1 company to work for in India by Great Place to Work.
“Given the enormous opportunity that India represents and the strong momentum we are seeing, we are excited to welcome Zubin to the Hilton family, whose energy, expertise, and leadership will be pivotal, as we supercharge our growth on the Indian subcontinent. We also thank Navjit for his many years of dedication in building our presence and culture in India,” said Alan Watts, president, Asia Pacific, Hilton.
“I look forward to hitting the ground running at Hilton in January, getting to know the team and working for this iconic brand in this fast-developing region, which holds so much promise for the company. Hilton is at a very pivotal moment in India, with its portfolio of market leading brands and ambitious growth plans. I am excited by the size and scope of the role and look forward to leading and delivering on our ambitious goals in this incredibly dynamic market,” Zubin Saxena said.
In the coming years, Hilton’s plan is to triple its estate to have 75 trading and pipeline hotels in India.
This will see the company grow the presence of its existing core Hilton brand – along with Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hampton by Hilton, DoubleTree by Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn, as well as continue to debut new brands, such as Waldorf Astoria Jaipur, which is slated to open in 2027.
About Hilton
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 22 world-class brands comprising nearly 7,400 properties and more than 1.1 million rooms, in 124 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed more than 3 billion guests in its more than 100-year history, earned a top spot on Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For list and been recognized as a global leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for six consecutive years. Hilton has introduced several industry-leading technology enhancements to improve the guest experience, including Digital Key Share, automated complimentary room upgrades and the ability to book confirmed connecting rooms. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the more than 173 million members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can't buy. With the free Hilton Honors app, guests can book their stay, select their room, check in, unlock their door with a Digital Key and check out, all from their smartphone.
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