Rudi Jagersbacher, Hilton Worldwide's Middle East and Africa president is the only person ever to win the top spot for three consecutive years since the Power 50 list was introduced.
Jagersbacher told Hotelier Middle East: "I am incredibly honoured to have been awarded the number one position in the Hotelier Middle East Power 50 for the third consecutive year. This is fantastic recognition for Hilton and my entire team across the Middle East, Turkey and Africa.
"After more than four decades in the industry, the past 12 months have been amongst the most exciting yet – as we continue to drive the growth of our portfolio, enhance our guest experience and put Hilton at the forefront of the region’s hospitality industry."
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During the last 12 months in particular, Jagersbacher has continued to help define Hilton’s support of market needs, with a significant focus on driving forward the mid-scale offering in response to the evolving demands of travellers. With 50 operating properties in the region, there are another 63 in the pipeline, one third of which are in the three- and four-star segment.
Hilton's mid-market pipeline in the Middle East has more than doubled in size during the 12-month period from Q1 2014 to Q1 2015.
Other categories are not being ignored. In October 2014, Canopy by Hilton was launched, and Jagersbacher said the company is in active discussion with investors to "introduce the brand to the region with potential destinations including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Beirut and Bahrain".
Significant progress has also been made in the last 12 months with hotel openings.
“My vision is to continuously look to expand into new locations, and we have repeatedly demonstrated in the last year that, should the right prospect present itself, we will always commit the full support of Hilton Worldwide alongside our investor partners,” added Jagersbacher.
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