Hilton (NYSE:HLT) has named Jonathan (Jon) Witter as Chief Customer Officer. In this newly created role, he will oversee the Global Brands, Marketing, Loyalty & Partnerships, IT and Strategy teams.

Witter has extensive background in these functional areas, most recently serving as President of Retail and Direct Banking at Capital One Financial Corporation. He will report to Christopher J. Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton, and serve as a member of the executive committee.

"Jon has built an incredibly strong reputation throughout his career for constantly driving innovation, being a deeply strategic thinker and keeping the customer front and center at all times," said Nassetta. "He will be integral to ensuring that at every stage of our customers' journey, from the time they start planning a trip to when they arrive back home, we exceed their expectations at every turn."

"I am thrilled to be joining Hilton at this very exciting time in their history," said Witter. "Over nearly 100 years, Hilton has become one of the most iconic brands in the world, and it is greatly admired for delivering exceptional guest experiences and pioneering the industry's latest innovations. I look forward to working with the team to build even further on that extraordinary reputation."

Before Capital One, Witter served as President and Chief Operating Officer at Morgan Stanley Private Bank and Executive Vice President, Head of General Bank Distribution at Wachovia Corporation. Earlier in his career, he worked in consulting at McKinsey & Co. and Deloitte & Touche.

Witter received a Master's degree in Business Administration with distinction from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, and graduated magna cum laude from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor's degree in Economics.

ABOUT HILTON

Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company, with a portfolio of 14 world-class brands comprising more than 4,900 properties with over 800,000 rooms in 104 countries and territories. Hilton is dedicated to fulfilling its mission to be the world’s most hospitable company by delivering exceptional experiences – every hotel, every guest, every time. The company's portfolio includes Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Canopy by Hilton, Curio - A Collection by Hilton, DoubleTree by Hilton, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, Embassy Suites by Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton by Hilton, Tru by Hilton, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages an award-winning customer loyalty program, Hilton Honors. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose exactly how many Points to combine with money, an exclusive member discount that can’t be found anywhere else and free standard Wi-Fi.