Leading Hotels of the World adds to leadership team

The Leading Hotels of the World has appointed three new leaders to its management team, effective immediately: Chris Walker was appointed to the newly created role of SVP and chief commercial officer, Phil Koserowski was promoted to the role of SVP and chief marketing officer and Lauren Alba was promoted to the newly created role of VP global marketing and communications. Walker, Koserowski and Alba will all be based out of Leading Hotels’ New York City headquarters.

Over the past two years, President and CEO Shannon Knapp has focused on repositioning LHW to better align with the evolving needs of the company’s 400+ hotels. “Chris, Phil and Lauren have been critical to Leading Hotels’ success over the last several years,” Knapp said. “I am confident they are the right leaders to identify and respond to the dynamic changes in this post-COVID business environment to successfully meet the shifting needs of our hotel members and travelers. Their new roles further position Leading Hotels to successfully achieve our mission to empower independent hoteliers and travelers to stay independent, as we have done for decades.”

Chris Walker 

Walker has more than two decades of hospitality, sales and marketing experience. He previously served as Leading Hotels’ SVP, global sales, and prior as SVP of sales - Americas. In his expanded role as chief commercial officer, he will be responsible for leading both the global sales and the hotel membership organizations. Walker will continue his strategic management of Leading Hotels’ worldwide sales team of more than 100 employees. Additionally, he will lead the hotel member portfolio and development strategy, partnering closely with Deniz Omurgonulsen, VP of membership, who will now report to him. Together they will focus on expanding Leading Hotels’ presence in key growth markets as well as elevating the hotel member value proposition. Walker will report directly to Knapp.

Phil Koserowski

Koserowski brings nearly 25 years of experience in marketing to his new appointment as SVP and chief marketing officer. He was appointed VP digital product development and marketing for the organization in 2011 and upon Knapp’s appointment to CEO from chief marketing officer in 2019 he assumed leadership of the global marketing team. Koserowski’s new business and product development remit will expand in his new role. As chief marketing officer he will lead the customer strategy, loyalty program, digital product development, B2C and B2B marketing, customer experience, and new business development and partnerships. Koserowski will report directly to Knapp.

Lauren Alba

Alba has spent 15 years developing customer-centric marketing campaigns and communication strategies for global businesses. She started at Leading Hotels in 2014, first as the director of global public relations and Media Partnerships, and then as senior director of marketing communications. Within her newly created position of VP global marketing and communications, Alba will lead global B2C marketing communications as well as B2B and hotel member marketing and communications. Additionally, she will continue to oversee the Company’s brand management, creative services, public relations, and social media efforts. Alba will report to Koserowski.