Hyatt Names Stephen Ho Group President for Asia Pacific; David Udell to Advise

A leadership transition in Hyatt’s fastest-growing region hands the reins to a veteran operator as the incumbent moves to an advisory role.

Hyatt has named Stephen Ho as group president, Asia Pacific, in a leadership transition that also sees longtime regional chief David Udell move into a senior advisor role, according to the company’s announcement.

The Asia Pacific brief is one of the most consequential region jobs in global hospitality. The region combines the world’s fastest-growing outbound travel markets — India, Southeast Asia — with matureprofit engines in Japan, China and Australia, and a development pipeline where brand conversions and resort growth are accelerating.

Ho’s appointment signals continuity with depth rather than reinvention:

• Deep regional operating experience across hotel portfolios in the region
• Timing that coincides with Hyatt’s continued Asia expansion — from luxury signings in Greater China to resort destinations across Southeast Asia
• A orderly handover, with Udell — who led the region through two decades including the COVID rebuild — staying available as an advisor

Region context matters. India stands out as the standout market in recent earnings conversations across the industry, with Airbnb reporting explosive first-time booker growth there and hotel chains racing to sign development pipeline in secondary cities. Meanwhile, Japan’s inbound boom and Southeast Asia’s resort corridor keep Asia at the center of global demand growth.

For Hyatt’s partners and owners in the region, the transition signals investment in local leadership rather than consolidation toward Chicago oversight. Expect the regional team to keep its expansionary posture — with deep-Asia operators increasingly defining how global brands win in markets that no longer simply import Western playbooks.