ELIE YOUNES

Elie Younes is the Executive Vice President & Global Chief Development Officer at Radisson Hotel Group, where he leads the company’s organic growth and M&A expansions across EMEA and APAC with an international team based across the world.

He is a member of Radisson Hotel Group’s Executive Committee and is based at the EMEA headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. 

Younes has re-engineered Radisson Hotel Group’s development strategy to focus on asset-right growth as well as relevant mature and new business concepts in a fast-changing environment. He has a clear vision when it comes to executing a compelling value proposition to investment stakeholders.

Under his leadership, Radisson Blu cemented its position as the largest upper-upscale brand in Europe for 13 consecutive years. He launched Radisson Blu in EMEA in 2018, and since 2020, it has remained the fastest growing brand in the upper-upscale segment in the region.

A Lebanese national and English citizen, Younes began his career in managerial roles in his home country, before joining HVS in London in 2001 where he progressed quickly to the position of Director and a Designate MD. He has also authored a number of publications on hotel performance assessments and investments.

In 2007, he joined Starwood in London as Senior Director of Acquisitions and Development. His next move took him to Hilton Hotels Worldwide as Vice President Development, based in Dubai, before joining Radisson Hotel Group (formerly Rezidor Hotel Group) in 2010, as Vice President of Business Development for the Middle East and Africa. In January 2013, he was promoted to Senior Vice President of Business Development EMEA, and then to Executive Vice President & Global Chief Development Officer.

Younes is fluent in English, French, and Arabic and loves exploring new cultures around the world. He is educated in Beirut, Paris, New York, and London, at universities including Notre Dame, IMHI/Essec, Insead, Cornell University, Johnson Graduate Business School, and City University.