CHICAGO–Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) today announced that Hyatt has selected Julia Vander Ploeg as senior vice president, global head of digital. Vander Ploeg will report to Mark Vondrasek, global chief commercial officer.
“Julia is a dynamic and reputable leader in the digital space and will play a critical part in helping re-imagine Hyatt’s digital capabilities and increase the frequency and depth of engagement with our guests,” Vondrasek said. “Her proven track record of creating high-quality digital experiences across all touchpoints, particularly mobile, makes her an ideal fit for the role and will advance our ability to build meaningful, direct guest relationships.”
As senior vice president and global head of digital, Vander Ploeg will be responsible for setting digital strategy and enhancing Hyatt’s digital capabilities, managing revenue from digital channels and ensuring Hyatt continues to advance the guest experience by providing seamless digital interactions throughout the Hyatt ecosystem.
“I am thrilled to be joining the team at such an important time in Hyatt’s digital evolution,” said Vander Ploeg. “I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues across the organization to create and deliver digital experiences throughout the travel journey that enhance relationships with our guests. By accelerating digital platforms and channels, we will grow the value of Hyatt brands.”
Most recently, Vander Ploeg served as vice president of digital and business transformation for Volvo where she was responsible for establishing a transformative digital strategy for Volvo Cars. Prior to that, she helped McDonald's implement its first strategic, internal digital function and has also previously held leadership roles at Ticketmaster, United Airlines and the Chicago Tribune. Vander Ploeg earned her bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and holds a master’s degree in business administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
