Hilton CEO Chris Nassetta on Leadership, Culture, and 18 Years of Growth

Chris Nassetta has led Hilton for 18 years, making him one of the longest-serving executives in the hospitality industry. His view of leadership is as much personal as it is corporate. Early in his conversation with Skift CEO Rafat Ali, he recounted how, after long business trips, he would send a quick text to family and friends — “how many?” — before cooking dinner for whoever showed up. Sometimes that meant 20 people, sometimes 40.

It’s a small ritual, but it illustrates a philosophy: hospitality begins with making room for others. For Nassetta, that principle shapes Hilton’s culture and informs how the company operates on a global scale.

Hilton’s size — more than 7,000 hotels worldwide — makes consistency a formidable challenge. Nassetta believes the solution lies in culture: embedding hospitality values in every property, brand, and team. That cultural consistency, he argued, is Hilton’s strongest competitive advantage.

Like much of the industry, Hilton has leaned into technology — digital check-in, mobile keys, and personalization via Hilton Honors data. But Nassetta was clear: technology should reduce friction, not replace the feeling of being welcomed. “Technology should make space for people, not take their place,” he said.

Hilton’s development pipeline remains strong, fueled by both leisure and business demand. Yet Nassetta emphasized the need for disciplined expansion — ensuring new properties strengthen the brand rather than dilute it.

Nassetta’s reflections go beyond Hilton’s strategy. His emphasis on culture, consistency, and generosity offer a model for hospitality leaders across the industry. Running a global company requires scale and systems, but as Nassetta’s family dinners suggest, the heart of hospitality is still about opening the door and asking, “how many?”