Julienne Smith

Bio:

Julienne Smith is Head of Americas Growth at Hyatt Hotels Corporation, where she leads the strategic expansion of Hyatt’s portfolio across North, Central, and South America. In this role, she oversees development initiatives for Hyatt’s Luxury, Lifestyle, Classics, and Essentials brands and works closely with hotel owners, investors, and development partners to accelerate the company’s long-term growth strategy across the region. Smith brings more than 20 years of hospitality industry experience, with expertise in hotel development, market strategy, owner relations, and brand expansion. She has led highperforming teams overseeing development pipelines across multiple countries and market segments. 

Previously, Smith served as Chief Development Officer for the Americas at IHG Hotels & Resorts, where she led a team of more than 70 professionals responsible for franchise sales, hotel management agreements, asset retention, market planning, and owner marketing. She
also played a key role in strengthening owner relationships and expanding new brands across the Americas. 

Earlier in her career, Smith spent 14 years with Hyatt Hotels Corporation, most recently as
Senior Vice President of Development and Owner Relations, where she helped grow Hyatt’s select-service portfolio and led development agreements across the U.S. and Canada.

She began her career with Marriott International in development planning and franchise sales, supporting hotel projects and market evaluations across North America.

Beyond her corporate leadership, Smith is active in the hospitality and real estate communities. She serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board for Boston University’s School of Hospitality, participates in the Urban Land Institute’s Hotel Development Council, and frequently speaks at major industry conferences. She also recently joined the board of Procure Impact.
Smith has held several nonprofit leadership roles, including Chair of the AHLA Foundation,
and board positions with SafeHouse Outreach and Kaleidoscope, Inc. She is also an active volunteer with Passion City Church. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Boston University, completed post-secondary studies in
Mainz, Germany, and is based in Atlanta, Georgia.