On this Walker Webcast, Willy sat down with Chris Nassetta, President & CEO of Hilton, to discuss his experience running one of the world’s most iconic hospitality companies.
They explored Chris’ entry into the hospitality business, how to lead through complexity, strategies for building resilience, the tough decision to relocate the Hilton headquarters, the integration of AI in the industry, why Airbnb is helping rather than harming the business, Hilton’s distinct branding model, and much more.
Key Points In The Webcast:
00:00 Introduction
04:31 Staying disciplined with a busy schedule
10:02 Chris’ lifelong purpose
10:52 Keeping optimism alive
11:36 Chris’ habit of longer storytelling
12:26 Friendship with Arne Sorenson
14:07 Surviving the Great Financial Crisis
21:03 The importance of cultural resiliency
25:07 The expense of moving the Hilton HQ
31:07 Why evolving company culture is powerful
36:04 How was the process of rebuilding the team?
38:51 Using AI in the hotel industry
44:51 Hilton’s current tech stack
47:04 Will AI take hospitality jobs?
47:27 Is Airbnb a competitor to Hilton?
54:26 How Hilton expands to different hospitality levels
57:06 An opportunity in the cruise business
01:00:07 Will Chris still work at 80?
01:01:01 Willy’s anecdote of working with Phil Carr
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