Andrzej Szymczyk

Andrzej Szymczyk is Development Director for Poland & Eastern Europe at IHG®, one of the world’s leading hotel companies. He is responsible for leading and growing IHG’s portfolio through franchise and management agreements.

Andrzej has over 15 years of extensive international experience in the hospitality industry across various hotel departments, especially in large hotel groups as well as independent hotels covering a large variety of property types. He is well positioned to help owners optimise their asset and recommending the most appropriate brand and design solutions for their properties.

Matthew Tripolone

Matthew Tripolone is Managing Director - Australasia & Pacific at IHG®, one of the world’s leading hotel companies. He is responsible for the company’s strategic growth, performance and operations in the Australasia & Pacific region.

Matthew was previously based in Dubai as Vice President of Development for IHG’s Middle East & Africa region since 2018, where he built and led the team that signed 17,000 keys, delivering unparalleled growth and signings for the Group, including the first Kimpton in MEA, and the world’s largest Crowne Plaza and voco hotels in the world.

Prior to that, Matthew headed development for IHG in Australasia & Japan, where he was responsible for IHG’s growth and doubled the annual signings, including iconic properties including InterContinental Perth, Crowne Plaza Christchurch, Crowne Plaza Sydney Darling Harbour and InterContinental Hayman Island Resort, as well as the renewal of several strategic portfolios for the group.

He joined IHG in 2014 from Accor Hotels where he held the role of General Manager, Development – Pacific, since 2008. Prior to that Matthew has worked for a number of leading real estate and advisory companies specialising in development, planning and site acquisition.

Matthew holds a Bachelor of Arts and Masters in Urban & Regional Planning from the University of Sydney.

Yuri Tsujimoto

Yuri Tsujimoto est directeur du développement pour le Japon chez IHG^®, l'un des premiers groupes hôteliers au monde. Elle est responsable du développement et de la croissance du portefeuille de l'enseigne IHG au Japon. 

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 est le responsable du développement pour l'Asie du Sud-Ouest chez IHG Hotels & Resorts, l'une des principales sociétés hôtelières au monde. Il est chargé de l'expansion du portefeuille de la marque IHG à travers les régions.

Avec plus de 10 ans d’expérience dans l’immobilier, Gautam a occupé des postes remarquables chez Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), HVS, Hotelivate et Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) à New Delhi.

Ses domaines d'expertise comprennent la vente d'investissement hôtelier, le conseil stratégique, l'évaluation d'hôtels, la faisabilité du marché et la gestion des revenus.

Gautam est titulaire d'un diplôme en gestion hôtelière.

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 est Responsable du développement pour le Royaume-Uni et l'Irlande chez IHG®, l'une des plus grandes chaînes hôtelières au monde. Il est chargé de diriger et de surveiller toutes les opportunités de développement, notamment les opportunités de luxe, haut de gamme et grand public, par le biais de structures de ventes et franchises gérées dans l'un des marchés clés d'IHG.

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.

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).