Michael Leidinger

Bio:

Michael Leidinger serves as the Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer. In this role, he leads Hilton’s global technology strategy overseeing enterprise technology platforms,infrastructure, cybersecurity, and digital innovation that support the company’s worldwide operations.

Michael is responsible for driving large-scale technology transformation initiatives across Hilton’s portfolio, including cloud infrastructure, systems modernization, and technology resilience. He works closely with Hilton’s executive leadership and Board committees on technology strategy, cybersecurity, and strategic technology investments.

Prior to joining Hilton, Michael held senior technology leadership roles at AOL and PSINet following earlier service as a nuclear engineer in the United States Navy’s submarine force, bringing deep technical and operational expertise to his leadership approach.

Michael holds a Bachelor of Science from the United States Naval Academy and a Master of Science in Engineering from The Catholic University of America.

As Hilton’s Chief Information Officer, Michael has led several pivotal technology initiatives that continue to have lasting impacts at Hilton, including: 

Enabling Digital Guest Experiences at Global Scale: Michael has advanced Hilton’s end‑to‑end digital guest journey, including mobile booking, digital check‑in and check‑out, room selection, and digital key, helping create a more seamless and frictionless travel experience across Hilton’s global portfolio.

Modernization of Core Reservation & Property Systems: Michael led a comprehensive transformation of Hilton’s core technology, launching a cloud-native reservations platform that now scales to ~1.5 billion daily transactions—over 400 times the legacy system—while also delivering the next-generation Property Engagement Platform (PEP), a cloud-based, API-driven property management system now live in 6,500+ hotels that streamlines operations, enables real-time connectivity, and accelerates innovation across the stay experience. He also led the transition to One Hero Web, a cloud‑based platform‑as‑a‑service supporting significant growth on Hilton.com. 

Architect of Hilton’s Cloud Transformation: Since joining Hilton, Michael has led a multi‑year modernization of the company’s core technology architecture, shifting Hilton away from legacy, on‑premises systems to a cloud‑based, API‑driven platform. Under his leadership, approximately 90% of Hilton’s compute now runs in the cloud, enabling faster innovation, greater resilience, and global scalability. 

Advancing Enterprise‑Scale AI Adoption: Michael has laid the foundation for responsible, enterprise‑scale AI at Hilton, leveraging cloud infrastructure, advanced analytics, and modern data architecture to support AI‑driven personalization, operational resilience, and innovation. Most recently, he led the launch of the Hilton AI Planner, a generative AI‑powered digital concierge available on Hilton.com.