41. Haitham Mattar
Company: IHG Hotels & Resorts
Designation: Managing Director—Middle East, Africa and South West Asia
Nationality: American
Global Headquarters: U.K.
Sector: Hotels and Hospitality
Mattar was appointed to his current position in 2021 to oversee the operations and performance of IHG’s more than 190 hotels and its pipeline of over 130 hotels. The company has a presence in Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E., Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, India, Bhutan, Pakistan, Qatar, and Oman, as well as some markets in Africa. In 2023, IHG signed the Kimpton Riyadh Hotel, which is being built in the heart of the King Abdullah Financial District. In 2020, Mattar was appointed as a special advisor to the secretary general of the UNWTO for sustainable tourism development. He is also an advisory board member of the Arabian Travel Market.