Julienne Smith Named to Lead Hyatt’s Americas Brand Expansion

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has appointed Julienne Smith as Head of Americas Growth, responsible for leading the company’s brand portfolio expansion across North America, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has named Julienne Smith as Head of Americas Growth. In this role, Smith will oversee the expansion of Hyatt’s brand portfolio in North America, Latin America, and the Caribbean, advancing growth across the company’s Luxury, Lifestyle, Classics, and Essentials brands and strengthening relationships with owners and developers in the region.

Leadership of Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection will continue under Javier Águila, President, Inclusive Collection.

Smith most recently served as Chief Development Officer for the Americas at IHG Hotels & Resorts, where she led development strategy and execution across a broad portfolio of brands. She previously spent nearly 14 years with Hyatt, most recently as Senior Vice President of Development and Owner Relations, where she contributed to the expansion of Hyatt’s select service portfolio and built relationships with owners in the United States and Canada.

Smith is active in the hospitality and real estate communities and serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board for Boston University’s School of Hospitality.

Smith’s role complements the recent creation of Hyatt’s Global Growth Strategy & Operations team, led by Dan Hansen, which is designed to enhance alignment and execution across Hyatt’s global development organization.

Hyatt reported a record 2025 development pipeline, with the highest number of U.S. signings in five years, a 30% year-over-year increase in 2026, and 50% of deals in new markets for the company. Of Hyatt’s announced pipeline in the U.S., more than 80% are new builds.