Hilton London Metropole has announced the appointment of Burak Aktekin as its Director of Finance, Onur Avkan as Director of Front Office and Aaron Phillips as Conference & Events Operations Director. Each director brings with them extensive experience within the hospitality sector and a proven record of success. 

Aaron Phillips, Conference & Events Operations Director
Joining Hilton London Metropole as Conference & Events Operations Director, Aaron Phillips has 23 years' experience working in hospitality and events. Having graduated from Ohio University with a degree in Telecommunications, Aaron began his hospitality career specialising in audio-visual at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown. In 2005, Aaron became the Senior Banquet Manager at Chicago Renaissance Downtown, before becoming Conference & Banqueting Department Head at Chicago Marriot O'Hare in 2008. 

Having headed the conference & banqueting operations at several leading hotels in US cities, Aaron moved to the UK in 2014, joining the Royal Horseguards Hotel as Meetings and Events Operations Manager. Married with a young daughter, in his spare time Aaron enjoys spending time with his family, cooking and watching films. 

On his new appointment, Aaron Phillips said, “I am excited to be joining the professional team at Hilton London Metropole. I can't wait to bring my experience to this exciting new challenge at the UK's largest conference and meetings hotel.”

Onur Avkan, Director of Front of House Operations
With a diploma in Tourism Administration from Istanbul University and a BA in Business Administration and Management from Anatolian University, Onur Avkan has more than 20 years' experience within the hospitality sector. Having overseen the pre-opening and ongoing operations for Hilton Istanbul Bomonti Hotel & Conference Centre, Onur has taken the leadership of various departments. In 2016, Onur moved to the UK to become the Front of House Manager for Hilton London Gatwick, overseeing a team of 70 across the Front Desk, Executive Lounge, Switchboard and Concierge departments. In his spare time, Onur enjoys travelling and playing the guitar. 

On his new appointment, Onur Avkan said “Having worked for Hilton for five  years, I know the high standards of service the brand offers guests and am very pleased to bring my experience and knowledge to the role as we work towards further success for this important property.”

Burak Aktekin, Director of Finance
With a degree in Tourism Management from Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, Burak Aktekin has 14 years' experience within the tourism sector and eight within financial management roles for large hotels. In 2013, he joined Hilton as Assistant Director of Finance at Hilton Istanbul Bomonti Hotel & Conference Cente, before becoming the youngest Director of Finance for the hotel, one of Hilton's largest properties, in 2015. During his time at the hotel, Burak led the pre-opening financial operations, hiring and training all staff, managing a team of 15 finance personnel and playing an integral part in the hotel being awarded 'Overall Best Performance in EMEA Region' for Hilton. Burak joins Hilton London Metropole from Hilton Doha, where he was Director of Finance and responsible for creating a financial Shared Service Centre, for Hilton's three exisiting hotels and eight upcoming hotels in Qatar. Outside of work, Burak has a keen interest in photography, basketball and table-tennis.
On joining Hilton London Metropole, Burak Aktekin said, “I'm honoured to be joining the team at Hilton's largest hotel in Europe, and I look forward to using my experience to help drive the hotel's continued success and performance.”

For further information on Hilton London Metropole, please visit: londonmet.hilton.com

###

About Hilton London Metropole
Just 10 minutes from Oxford Street and Hyde Park, and 2 minutes from the London Underground, Hilton London Metropole is situated in the heart of London. With over 1,000 stylish guest rooms, a range of exciting dining options, over 4,300 m of meeting and event space and the LivingWell Health Club with a 12.5m heated pool, the hotel is the perfect choice for business or pleasure. Visit londonmet.hilton.com for more information and connect with Hilton London Metropole on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. 

About Hilton Hotels & Resorts
For nearly a century, Hilton Hotels & Resorts has been proudly welcoming the world's travelers. With more than 570 hotels across six continents, Hilton Hotels & Resorts provides the foundation for memorable travel experiences and values every guest who walks through its doors. As the flagship brand of Hilton, Hilton Hotels & Resorts continues to set the standard for hospitality, providing new product innovations and services to meet guests' evolving needs. Hilton Hotels & Resorts is a part of the award-winning Hilton Honors program. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose nearly any combination of Points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount that can't be found anywhere else, free standard Wi-Fi and digital amenities like digital check-in with room selection and Digital Key (select locations), available exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton Honors app. Begin your journey at www.hilton.com and learn more about the brand by visiting news.hilton.com or following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.