UAE’s Global Hotel Alliance boosts leadership team

UAE-based Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest consortium of independent hotel brands, has promoted two long-serving executives as it continues its global expansion. 

 

Located in Dubai, Steve Ayalo is now Vice President of IT Governance, Risk & Compliance, while Matthew Lloyd becomes Vice President Marketing Technology & CRM. 

 

Both appointments spotlight their pivotal contributions to GHA’s technology and loyalty programmes.

 

These promotions build on a trio of female leadership appointments in July and come as GHA added more than 30 hotels in the first half of 2025. 

 

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Ayalo, with the group since 2015, has shaped the group’s cybersecurity and compliance landscape, spearheading the creation of GHA’s cyber operations centre, threat intelligence services and IT governance for emerging technologies like AI.

 

In his new role, he will lead ISO certification, drive IT strategy and strengthen risk management across business units.

 

Matthew Lloyd, now Vice President Marketing Technology & CRM, has driven digital innovation and expanded GHA’s CRM and loyalty initiatives for seven years, following previous roles at Hilton and Southwest Airlines. 

 

His new remit includes mentoring talent, fostering cross-department collaboration and extending GHA’s leadership in MarTech integration.

 

Recent senior appointments also include Katharina Dein as Chief Commercial Officer, Jelena Kezika as Vice President Strategy and Andrea Krenn as Senior Vice President Communications.