Yuri Tsujimoto

Yuri Tsujimoto is Senior Development Manager for Japan at IHG^®, one of the world’s leading hotel companies. She is responsible for the development and growth of IHG’s portfolio of brands across Japan. 

Yuri has more than a decade of experience in hotel industry. Before joining IHG in 2022, she was Development Manager at Hilton, where she supported the signing of major portfolios in Japan. Prior to that she held roles in e-commerce strategy at Hilton and at Ishin Hotels Group, where she started her hospitality career as a management trainee.

Yuri holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from California State University Los Angeles in the U.S.

Nilsun Tumer

Nilsun Tümer is Development Manager for Turkey at IHG®, one of the world’s leading hotel companies. She is responsible for developing IHG´s brands across Turkey through franchise and management agreements and working collaboratively with development partners to deliver strong returns for owners.

Nilsun has over 20 years’ rich hospitality experience in different countries and has held roles as a developer, consultant, banker and lecturer. Prior to joining IHG, she held various senior positions in Citibank, Industrial Development Bank of Turkey (TSKB), Divan Hotels, PKF hotelexperts and Hotel&More.

Nilsun earned her PhD degree in EU Economics from Marmara University, Istanbul. She also has a BSc degree in Economics from Middle East Technical University, Ankara, and completed postgraduate finance programs at University of California at Berkley and University of Southampton.

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.

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).