Gilda Perez-Alvarado is a globally recognized leader in hospitality and real estate, with a career spanning over two decades advising the industry’s most prominent investors from sovereign wealth funds and private equity to global brands and UHNWIs. She began her career at PwC before joining JLL in 2004, where she rose to become Global CEO of JLL Hotels & Hospitality. In this role, she led investment sales, debt and equity placement, strategic advisory, and asset management across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia Pacific. She also spearheaded the Global Hotel Desk, driving cross-border transactions involving some of the world’s most iconic hospitality assets. In October 2023, Gilda joined Accor as Chief Strategy Officer and a member of the Management Board, overseeing global strategy, investor relations, and strategic partnerships. In January 2024, she also assumed the role of CEO of Orient Express, Accor’s ultra-luxury brand being developed in partnership with LVMH, encompassing hotels, luxury trains, and sailing yachts. A respected voice in both hospitality and real estate, Gilda serves on several prestigious boards, including Blackstone Mortgage Trust Inc. and Cornell University’s Board of Trustees. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University, where she graduated as Degree Marshal of the School of Hotel Administration, and an MBA from IE Business School.