Hilton Worldwide & International Youth Foundation Launch Global Youth Initiative

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President & CEO Christopher J. Nassetta Joins IYF Board of Directors

Hilton Worldwide and the International Youth Foundation announced a $3 million, three-year partnership today that will expand opportunities for youth around the world. Additionally, Hilton Worldwide’s President and CEO, Christopher J. Nassetta, is joining the IYF board.

Designed to connect Hilton Worldwide’s global expansion strategy with its corporate responsibility goals, the partnership with IYF builds upon Hilton Worldwide’s commitment to Travel with Purpose, launched in 2011 to create opportunities for today’s young people by providing them with first-hand access to education, training and career paths within the hospitality industry.

“The hospitality industry is a great place for young people to learn new skills and build a lasting career,” said Mr. Nassetta. “There are countless stories of hospitality leaders like myself who first got a taste of the industry at a young age. During college, I worked in the engineering department of a hotel where I received on-the-job training in property operations. My experience, and the wonderful people I met along the way, inspired me to pursue a career in hospitality, and through our partnership with IYF we hope to pass this inspiration to future generations who will support the long-term success of our company and the industry.”

As an IYF board member, Mr. Nassetta will contribute to efforts that address the economic challenges associated with the staggering growth in the youth population and rising jobless rates around the globe. In many countries, youth unemployment is two-to-three times that of the rate for adults, resulting in an estimated 100 million young people in need of work worldwide.

“The International Youth Foundation is thrilled to partner with Hilton Worldwide to help expand life and work opportunities for youth across the globe—transforming the ‘youth bulge’ into a ‘youth bonus,’” said Bill Reese, IYF’s President and CEO. “We are particularly pleased that a global leader in the travel and tourism industry, the world’s largest provider of jobs, is tapping the expertise and dedication of its vast workforce to reach out to local youth and help them realize their fullest potential as engaged and productive citizens.”

Hilton Worldwide will leverage its expansive network of properties—more than 3,800 hotels across 88 countries—to further strengthen IYF’s reach. Working with IYF, Hilton Worldwide will develop numerous programs that tap youth into the “ladder of success” model that has already transformed the future for countless Hilton Worldwide team members and industry leaders alike. Together, the partners will draw on their deep involvement in communities around the world to provide opportunities for future employment and life skills training to youth in developing regions.

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christopher j nassetta board of directors hospitality