No Room For Error

As Hilton completes a century in the hotel industry, Alan Watts, its president for the Asia-Pacific region, says the brand made a strategic error in India but is determined to not waste the upcycle this time.

- Ashish Gupta

ALAN WATTS, Asia-Pacific president of Hilton, the iconic hotel brand which turns 100 this month, is bullish on India. New Zealand-born Watts joined Hilton in January 2018 after a 20-year stint with IHG, where he was chief operating officer for Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Singapore-based Watts is tasked with positioning Hilton’s portfolio of brands as best in class and improving its market share in the Asia-Pacific region. He tells Fortune India he cannot afford to miss the India growth story opportunity this time around. Edited excerpts from an interview:

When a batsman scores a century in cricket, it is time to celebrate. How is Hilton celebrating this historic landmark?