As a result of strong growth in the Americas region, Chicago-based Hyatt Hotels Corp. today announced senior leadership appointments in the Americas region and subregional structure designed to further support Hyatt’s continued focus on growth, operational excellence, and performance optimization within its largest region. With this new organizational structure, Hyatt’s Americas region is now comprised of two subregions: U.S. and Canada, and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The two regions are led by two newly appointed subregional presidents: Susan Santiago for the U.S. and Canada region and Gabriel Felip for the LAC region. Both report to Pete Sears, group president, Americas, effective January 2024.
In her new role as president, U.S. and Canada, Santiago is responsible for the growth and performance optimization of Hyatt Hotels Corp.’s owned and managed portfolio. She is in her 32nd year with Hyatt Hotels Corp. and has held numerous positions leading operational performance, most recently as senior vice president of Hyatt’s Lifestyle Division and Miraval brand.
As president, Latin America and Caribbean, Felip leads operational performance for all managed and owned Hyatt hotels in the region across all brands, including Hyatt Hotel Corp.’s Inclusive Collection. Felip is an industry veteran with more than 30 years of hospitality and tourism experience and previously served as Hyatt’s group president of inclusive collection global operations.
“Our new Americas structure enables us to further support our hotel teams and owners in more customized, regionalized ways—and this is designed to help us continue driving strong results through intentional and sustainable growth for the region,” says Sears. “With these changes, we continue our momentum in positioning Hyatt as the preferred hospitality brand, delivering meaningful and memorable experiences for guests and driving results for our owners.”
Included in the Americas’ new subregional structure are three newly created roles within the operations, commercial services, and finance functions, respectively: Yvette Martinez-Edwards has been promoted to senior vice president, field operations, luxury and Miraval, reporting to Santiago; Shyla Gardner rejoins Hyatt as vice president, commercial services, Latin America and the Caribbean, reporting to Asad Ahmed, senior vice president, commercial services, Americas; and Juan Pablo Puerta now serves as senior vice president, finance, Latin America and the Caribbean, reporting to Liz Bauer, senior vice president, finance, Americas.
With a dedicated focus on driving operational excellence within Hyatt’s luxury brands, Martinez-Edwards oversees Hyatt’s managed luxury and Miraval hotel portfolio for the Americas region. Most recently, Martinez-Edwards served as vice president of field operations where she led a group of full-service Timeless Collection properties in the East region. She also previously led Hyatt’s sales strategy in Latin America and the Caribbean, and for the Miraval brand.
Gardner leads a cross-functional LAC Commercial Services team that provides a specialized commercial strategy for the LAC market and further develops strong brand stories that embrace Hyatt’s culture and key differentiators for Hyatt’s full LAC portfolio, including the Inclusive Collection. Prior to this role, Gardner acted as vice president of sales and marketing for Playa Resorts and previously served as an area director of sales and marketing in Mexico for Hyatt.
To further support Hyatt’s intentional long-term growth strategy, Puerta is responsible for leading the finance function and driving property performance optimization throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Puerta also continues to lead the function for Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection in the region. Prior to this role, Puerta served as the chief financial officer of Apple Leisure Group.
