Name: H. Stuart Foster
Title: Vice president, marketing, luxury and lifestyle brands
Company: Hilton Worldwide; McLean, Va.
Number of employees: More than 300,000 Team Members globally work across our corporate offices as well as our owned, managed and franchised properties.
Recent project: The repositioning of Conrad as a brand and introducing the concept of smart luxury. This includes the launch of the Stay Inspired and 1/3/5 campaign.
First job: Sales associate at a True Value Hardware store in Cleveland, Ohio
Little- known fact about you: I love to play the piano.

Your Business

Essential business philosophy: Growing value is important. If you take care of the brand, the brand will take care of you.

Best way to keep a competitive edge: Look outside your industry and beyond your vertical for inspiration.

Yardstick of success: When you have a motivated team that will fight for you, work hard and make sacrifices.

H. Stuart Foster as a Traveler

What is the most important item you take when traveling? A cashmere scarf

How do you spend your time on board? I use my time on board for decompression. I enjoy having a meal while watching a movie and then sleeping. When I choose to work during a flight, I appreciate United’s Global Wi-Fi offered on international flights.

What is your favorite restaurant in the world? Any restaurant facing the sea

What is your favorite destination in the world? Tokyo

About Hilton Worldwide

Can you tell us more about Conrad 1/3/5 and the Stay Inspired campaign? The 1/3/5 campaign is a collection of itineraries, created for Conrad guests, which offers experiences inspired by the location of the hotel. The itineraries are created based on an amount of time: one, three or five hours; and six categories: Food, Shopping, Arts + Culture, Family, Wellness + Beauty and Active + Adventure. Conrad would like guests to stay inspired when they travel. We believe it’s not about where you stay but how you stay.

How do Hilton’s luxury brands differentiate themselves from other upscale hotel brands? We differentiate ourselves through the experience platforms by Conrad and Waldorf Astoria. While other upscale hotel brands tend to concentrate on hotel product, our primary focus is guest experience. For Conrad, this is the 1/3/5 Hour and Stay Inspired campaign. For Waldorf Astoria, we offer a collection of aspirational experiences, which include driving, food and golf. From racing a Lamborghini in Dubai to tasting a specially curated menu in La Quinta, the Waldorf Astoria’s experiences are inspired by the passion points of our guests.

What unique services and amenities do Conrad and Waldorf Astoria offer business travelers? The Conrad Concierge is an integrated app allowing you to access all of the luxury services in each of our hotels, all from the palm of your hand. The app services include pre-arrival check-in, room service, wake-up calls and dining reservations. At Waldorf Astoria, we assign every transient guest a personal concierge. The personal concierge acts as a primary contact to guarantee every request is met before, during and after our guests’ stays.