Gautam Tyagi

Gautam Tyagi is the Development Manager for South West Asia at IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world's leading hotel companies. He is responsible for expanding IHG's brand portfolio throughout the region.

With over 10 years of real estate experience, Gautam has held notable positions at Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), HVS, Hotelivate, and the Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) in New Delhi.

His areas of expertise include hotel investment sales, strategic advisory, hotel valuations, market feasibility, and revenue management.

Gautam holds an honours degree in Hospitality Management.

Robert van der Graaf

Robert van der Graaf is Development Director for Northern Europe for IHG®, one of the world’s leading hotel companies. He is responsible for the expansion of IHG’s portfolio with a focus on Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Robert actively fosters relationships with existing growth stakeholders, creates new partnerships and asset-right deal structures.

Before joining IHG, Robert spent four years with the Radisson Hotel Group, as Senior Director of Business Development for Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, where he signed lease, management and franchise agreements and secured the entry of two new hotel brands in the region.

Prior to that, Robert worked for eleven years at Worldhotels – a global group of independently operated upscale hotels, where he added over 40 hotels to the portfolio. He also has a profound understanding of hotel commercial operations and distribution and went through the group’s three major transitions, including a rebranding, a merger and two private equity cycles.

A Dutch native, Robert speaks four languages and holds a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management from The Hotelschool The Hague.

Hylko Versteeg

Hylko Versteeg is the Head of Development for Southern Europe at IHG®, one of the world’s leading hotel companies. He is responsible for leading the growth of IHG’s brand portfolio across Southern Europe through franchise and management agreements. Working collaboratively with development partners, Hylko and his team consistently deliver strong returns for owners. With over a decade of development experience with IHG and having signed over 100 deals across multiple brands, Hylko is well positioned to help owners optimise their asset, recommending the most appropriate brand and design solutions for their properties.

Prior to joining IHG in 2006, Hylko worked at Hyatt Hotels & Resorts and in several Hotel & Tourism consulting roles across Spain and Latin America for an international consulting company and the CAF (Corporacion Andina de Fomento – the Andean Community Development Bank).

Hylko holds a bachelor degree in European Hospitality Management & Hotel Administration from The Hague Hotel School.

Anto Vrdoljak

Anto supports the franchise sales and development strategy for IHG’s mainstream brands throughout Canada. Prior to joining the development team, Anto helped IHG hotels in the Canadian market grow their sales and revenues as Regional Sales Director. With over 25 years of hotel and hospitality experience, Anto has held roles within operations, sales, and food and beverage in hotels throughout Canada. Additionally, he has taught at the School of Hospitality, Recreation & Tourism at Humber College in Toronto. Anto attended Sheridan College, where he majored in Business Administration–Marketing. A Toronto loyalist, Anto lives just outside the city and loves the local sports scene, especially the Raptors, Maple Leafs, and UFC.

Matt Walton

Matt Walton is Senior Development Director for UK & Ireland at IHG®, one of the world’s leading hotel companies. He is responsible for leading and overseeing all development opportunities encompassing luxury, upscale and mainstream opportunities through managed and franchised deal structures in one of IHG’s key global markets.

Matt brings a wealth of experience in hotel development and investment. Prior to joining IHG in 2018, he was with Metro Bank where he founded and headed the Hospitality & Leisure team focused on providing debt solutions for hotel development, acquisition opportunities amongst other sub sectors within the hospitality sector.

Prior to that, Matt worked in hotel finance at institutions such as Royal Bank of Scotland and Barclays.

Takahiro Yamamoto

Takahiro Yamamoto is Development Director for Japan at IHG®, one of the world’s leading hotel companies. He is responsible for the development and growth of IHG’s portfolio of brands across Japan. During Takahiro’s time with IHG, he was instrumental in the signing of the Appi Kogen Ski Resort deal, the first IHG multi-brand deal in Japan which will see the InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn brands debut in a single site with over 1000 keys, marking the largest deal that IHG has signed in Japan since the IHG ANA joint venture in 2006.

Prior to joining IHG in 2018, Takahiro built his career for over 20 years in the hospitality industry, with experience in roles including operations and development for hotels in the U.S. and Japan, hotel consultation for financial advisory firms and acquisition of hotel assets for an inbound family office investor.

Takahiro holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in hotel administration from University of Nevada Las Vegas in the U.S.

Emma Yap

Emma Yap is the Senior Development Manager for Southeast Asia & Korea at IHG^®, one of the world’s leading hotel companies. She is responsible for the expansion and strategic growth of IHG’s portfolio in Malaysia.

Emma brings over 10 years of experience in hospitality. Prior to IHG, she was with Capella Hotel Group, Horwath HTL and Accor, holding various roles including Consulting, Sales & Marketing, Revenue Management, Feasibility Studies, and Development.

With a well-rounded hospitality background, Emma is an alumnus of École hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL). She continues to grow her real estate expertise through coursework at Singapore Management University (SMU).

Mark Zach

Mark is responsible for overseeing IHG's Mainstream Development across the Western Region. Before becoming Regional Vice President, Mark spearheaded the development of new construction and conversion opportunities across the Great Plains region and metropolitan Kansas City. Prior to joining IHG, Mark was Director of Franchise Sales for Choice Hotels International. Mark has a BS in Business Administration and began his career as a Certified Public Accountant with KPMG Peat Marwick. When life calls for rest and relaxation, Mark spends time at the lake with his family and their golden retriever, Annie.

Michael Zouroudis

Michael works closely with hotel owners to expand the footprint of IHG’s Essentials & Suites Brands across the Southeastern US region, including Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Prior to joining IHG, Michael was Regional Vice President of development in the southeast for Choice Hotels. He was an award-winning performer, including Developer of the Year, over multiple years during his time with Choice. He and his wife Jennifer have an 8-month old daughter Kathryn. In their spare time, they enjoy traveling and camping as a family.