Candice D’Cruz is the Vice President of Luxury Brands at Hilton, Asia Pacific. With more than 20 years of experience in brand marketing and hospitality management, Candice leads Hilton’s luxury brand portfolio in the region, spearheading brand initiatives to further solidify Hilton’s esteemed luxury positioning.
Overseeing more than 60 trading and pipeline properties in Asia Pacific across the company’s three luxury brands: Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, LXR Hotels & Resorts and Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Candice is responsible for delivering on Hilton’s robust luxury growth momentum in the region, driving strategic brand development, and elevating service quality, brand value and performance.
Most recently, Candice served as Vice President of Luxury Brand Management & Marketing for Europe, Middle East, and Africa for Marriott International, overseeing luxury brand management, innovative brand marketing and strategic growth for its eight luxury brands across the region. Prior to that, she held key positions at Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and Emaar, overseeing various aspects of branding, marketing and communications in diverse markets.
An astute hotelier with a keen understanding of the exclusivity, quality and prestige that draw discerning travelers, Candice has built a strong reputation in driving brand distinctiveness and elevated guest experiences. Honed over two decades of international experience in the hospitality and luxury space, she excels in the localization of global strategies for luxury hotel openings and unique brand activations. Her success in this vast and multifaceted sector has been reflected through many prestigious awards, most notably being named #1 in "The Power of 25", Hotelier Middle East’s 2019 list of 25 influential women in hospitality and ranked among the top 50 storytellers of the region by Forbes Middle East.
A passionate advocate for developing female leaders and cultivating young talent, Candice empowers her teams to reach their full potential. Originally from India, she has built her career in the UAE and now resides in Singapore with her husband and two children, whom she often looks to for inspiration on how to further attract and engage an up-and-coming generation of travelers.