Hyatt Appoints Julienne Smith as Head of Americas Growth
Hyatt has tapped a longtime development leader to oversee brand expansion across the Americas.
Photo: Courtesy of Hyatt
Hyatt has named Julienne Smith as its head of Americas growth, tasking her with overseeing brand expansion across North America, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
In the newly created role, Smith will lead growth across Hyatt’s Luxury, Lifestyle, Classics, and Essentials portfolios, with a focus on expanding the company’s presence in both established and emerging markets. She will also work closely with owners and developers across the region. Oversight of the Inclusive Collection will remain with Javier Águila, who will continue to lead that segment separately.
Smith joins from IHG Hotels & Resorts, where she most recently served as chief development officer for the Americas, looking after development strategy and execution. Earlier in her career, she spent nearly 14 years with Hyatt, including as senior vice president of development and owner relations. In that role, she focused on expanding Hyatt’s select-service presence and strengthening relationships with ownership groups across the U.S. and Canada.
The company reported its highest number of U.S. signings in five years in 2025, with deal volume up 30% year-over-year heading into 2026. Roughly half of those signings were in markets where Hyatt did not previously have a presence, and more than 80% of projects in the U.S. pipeline are new-build developments.
RELATED: Alila Makes Latin America Debut with Mayakoba Opening
Smith’s role aligns with Hyatt’s broader global growth structure, including the recently established global growth strategy and operations team led by Dan Hansen. That group is intended to streamline development efforts across regions, with Smith’s remit focused specifically on execution and expansion across the Americas.
Beyond her corporate roles, Smith remains active in the hospitality and real estate sectors and currently serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board for Boston University’s School of Hospitality.
