CHICAGO—Hyatt Hotels Corporation has selected David Udell to serve as group president-ASPAC effective July 1, 2014.
Udell will be based in Hyatt’s regional office in Hong Kong and report to Mark Hoplamazian, president/CEO.
In his new role, Udell will oversee all of Hyatt’s activities in the region, which includes 12 countries, more than 26,000 colleagues, and a portfolio that currently consists of 61 managed, franchised and owned properties. He will lead the ASPAC development team, which is charged with increasing the company’s brand presence in key ASPAC markets. Udell will also be responsible for the successful operation of all of Hyatt’s hotels in the region.
Udell most recently served as SVP, operations in Hyatt’s Global Operations Center. Previously, he led Hyatt’s operations in the ASPAC region from its Hong Kong office for 11 years. Udell also held other leadership roles in the region, including general manager of Grand Hyatt Hong Kong and opening general manager at Park Hyatt Tokyo, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary this summer. Udell’s career at Hyatt started in 1982 when he joined Grand Hyatt Singapore as a member of the Corporate Training Program.
Udell will take over the leadership role from Larry Tchou, a 44-year Hyatt veteran who served as head of ASPAC operations for more than 32 years. Tchou will assume a newly formed position of senior advisor – greater China and will also be based in Hong Kong. In this role, Tchou will assist with the regional leadership transition and provide advice and guidance to the company regarding its efforts in the region, with a special focus on development activities and Hyatt’s activities in China.
In recent years, Tchou was bestowed a Lifetime Achievement Award by the China Hotel Investment Summit Advisory Board (2006), conferred an Honorary Fellowship by the Vocational Training Council (2008) and named Honorary Fellow of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (2011).