Hyatt Hotels Corp. of Chicago appointed Amar Lalvani the company’s first chief creative officer, in addition to his role as president and creative director of Hyatt’s Lifestyle Group. Lalvani continues to serve on Hyatt’s senior leadership team and reports to Mark Hoplamazian, Hyatt’s chairman, president, and CEO. In his expanded role, Lalvani works across Hyatt’s global portfolio to sharpen what each brand stands for and how it comes to life through design, experience, and culture. He works with leaders, developers, and creative teams across the company, and with hotel owners, to connect brand thinking more directly to the experiences guests see, feel, and remember.
“Amar has a rare ability to uncover what is distinctive, understand what matters to people, and turn those insights into experiences and brands that resonate,” says Hoplamazian in a prepared statement. “As we continue to evolve Hyatt into a more brand-focused company, bringing that perspective across the enterprise is a natural next step. Great brands are built through thousands of choices, from the buildings we create to the experiences our colleagues deliver every day. Amar will help us make decisions with greater clarity and conviction, while keeping creativity close to the teams bringing each brand to life. Distinctive brands create value—they give guests a stronger reason to choose Hyatt and owners a stronger reason to invest with us. [Distinctive brands] help create the conditions for higher-quality growth.”
Lalvani joined Hyatt in 2024 following the acquisition of Standard International, when he was named to lead Hyatt’s newly established Lifestyle Group. He brought with him the team behind The Standard and Bunkhouse Hotels, which became the foundation of the Lifestyle Group, headquartered in New York City.
Over more than 25 years in hospitality, Lalvani has built and scaled distinctive hotel brands and experiences. Earlier in his career, he led global development for W Hotels, based in New York City. He later acquired The Standard brand and formed Standard International, where he helped evolve The Standard from a small collection of hotels into a global brand, expanded the company through Bunkhouse Hotels, and created concepts including The StandardX and The Manner.
“I have been moved by Hyatt’s purpose: ‘We care for people so they can be their best’,” says Lalvani, referring to one of the company’s core principles since its founding in 1957. “The opportunity now is to make that care more distinct, relevant, and memorable through each of our brands. The exciting part is that Hyatt has extraordinary hotels, brands, and people. Our job is now to bring greater clarity and conviction to what makes each one special, and then make that real in every detail of the experience. I’m grateful for the trust placed in me and excited to get to work.”
