Hilton has announced the appointment of Kim Iskandar as Vice President and Commercial Director for Middle East, Africa & Türkiye (MEA&T).
An experienced leader across hotel operations, brands, and commercials, Kim has been with Hilton for over 20 years. She held various General Manager and commercial roles at Hilton properties in Europe before taking on her first regional role as Director of Brand Performance Support. She most recently acted as Hilton’s Senior Brand Commercial Director EMEA, based in the UK, focused on driving the partnership between Hilton commercial teams and its franchise partners; and on delivering commercial performance and market share across EMEA.
“Kim brings a wealth of experience to this critical commercial leadership position in the region as we more than double our portfolio in the coming years,” said Jochem-Jan Sleiffer, President, Middle East, Africa & Türkiye, Hilton. “Having worked with Kim previously in Europe – her experience, energy and determination make her the perfect person to take our commercial strategy forward – leading a team focused on customer relationships and driving market leading performance at our hotels.”
In her new position, Kim will spearhead the commercial strategy for the MEA&T region, responsible for more than 170 hotels across 27 countries. Based in Dubai, she joins the regional leadership team, playing a prominent role with hotel owners, customers and senior stakeholders.
“I am delighted to join Hilton’s MEA&T region for this exciting next step in my career. This is a unique opportunity to lead a highly talented team of professionals to deliver the commercial strategy for this dynamic region, as we focus on delivering commercial successes and enhancing our customer relationships. I have family connections to the Middle East and am delighted to be based in this exciting and fast-evolving part of the world,” said Kim.
A passionate advocate for women in the workplace, Kim’s accomplishments and inspirational leadership have been recognized in the industry with her inclusion in the 2021 edition of ‘Women to Watch and Role Models for Inclusion in Hospitality, Travel & Leisure Index’ by WiHLT.
Kim holds a Master of Business Administration degree from HEC Paris.