KUALA LUMPUR: American multinational hospitality company Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc has appointed Maria Ariizumi as vice president, development, South East Asia.
Maria joins Hilton from Swire Hotels where she led efforts to set up Swire’s third party hotel development platform, with her responsibilities spanning hotel development, planning and projects across Asia Pacific, Europe and North America.
During her tenure, Swire Hotels saw a doubling of the group’s hotel portfolio.
She joined Hilton on March 4, 2024, based out of the Hilton corporate office in Singapore.
“South East Asia holds great potential for the travel and tourism sector, and we are incredibly upbeat about the healthy momentum in travel demand and hotel development.
“I am thrilled to welcome Maria to the Hilton family at this critical inflexion point and am confident that she will lead the team to new heights as we write our next growth chapter together,” Hilton senior vice president, development, Asia Pacific Clarence Tan said in a statement.
Maria’s hospitality career also spans stints with Galaxy Entertainment Group, Marriott International and Deloitte Tohmatsu Consulting in hotel development, feasibility and corporate finance roles.
A native of Japan, Maria will partner closely with Hilton’s existing owners and new partners to drive the company’s development strategy in Southeast Asia.
This newly created role testifies to the growing importance of this dynamic region, and Maria’s time-tested track record will support Hilton’s ambition to double its portfolio here in the next three years.
“It is an amazing opportunity to steer the expansion of an iconic brand like Hilton in the vibrant South East Asia region.
“Hilton has established a stellar foundation here and is well respected by owners and industry watchers for its market-leading performance.
“With the support of a best-in-class team, I look forward to leading and delivering on our growth ambitions in this market,” said Maria.
Hilton has 57 trading properties across seven distinct brands and a pipeline of 44 properties.
In recent months, Hilton celebrated highly anticipated hotel openings, such as Umana Bali, LXR Hotels & Resorts, La Festa Phu Quoc, and Hilton Saigon, each representing in-market brand debuts.
