Hilton Names Disney Exec To Head Global Sales

Hilton Hotels Corp. this week announced former Walt Disney Co. executive Kenneth Svendsen would head its global sales and reservations efforts, including its group and corporate sales team.

Svendsen joined Hilton as senior vice president and global head of sales and reservations. Working directly under Hilton president of global brands and commercial services Paul Brown, Svendsen's responsibilities will include leading worldwide group, corporate and leisure sales as well as third-party distribution, voice reservations and customer care.

A Denmark native, Svendsen comes to Hilton following several travel-related roles at Disney, most recently as senior vice president of worldwide travel operations and consumer direct sales for Disney Destinations. He previously worked with vacation program development and sales for Disney's tour companies and served as vice president of worldwide travel operations and in-market sales for Disneyland Resort.

Besides Disney, Svendsen also served in executive sales positions at the U.K.-based Airtours Holidays, Sunquest and Suntrips Holidays and the Danish travel agency Tjaereborg. Brown in a statement said Svendsen's "vast global experience and past successes in our industry will serve to further energize our industry-leading sales and customer care platforms, helping deliver continued growth opportunities for our brands."