Hyatt Hotels Corporation has appointed Mina Li as Regional Vice President and Country Manager for Hyatt Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, positioning her to lead the company’s strategic growth across one of its most dynamic markets.
Li brings more than 15 years of experience spanning hospitality advisory, investment and asset management across the Asia Pacific region. In her new Sydney-based role, she will report to Stephen Ho, President – Greater China and Growth, Asia Pacific, and will be responsible for strengthening relationships with existing and prospective owners while advancing Hyatt’s long-term expansion strategy.
Originally from Hong Kong, Li offers a distinctly international perspective shaped by early career training in the United States and extensive recent experience working across Australia and New Zealand. Her academic credentials include a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and a Master’s degree in Property from The University of Melbourne.
Li’s career trajectory has encompassed senior positions with leading hotel advisory and real estate firms in both Hong Kong and Australia, alongside roles with hotel ownership groups. Prior to her appointment, she served as Director of Investments and Asset Management at Pro-invest Group, a private equity real estate firm based in Australia and the UK. In that capacity, she led the acquisition and due diligence process for the group’s hotel transactions and established the asset management arm of its operating hotel portfolio across Australasia, overseeing more than 30 branded hotels.
Her earlier career included management and consulting positions at Colliers International, the globally renowned hospitality consulting firm Horwath HTL – where she undertook hundreds of hotel financial feasibilities across 24 countries – and hotel management company Marriott International. Most recently, she operated as an independent hospitality investment and asset management professional through her firm IAM Advisory, specialising in development feasibility and hotel real estate advisory across Asia Pacific.
Li is also a committee member of the Urban Land Institute’s Women’s Leadership Initiative Chapter in Australia and an advocate for promoting women leadership in the built environment sector.
“I’m honoured to take on this role at a time of continued opportunity across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands,” Li said. “Hyatt has a strong foundation in the region, and I look forward to working closely with our owners to support their long-term success, unlock growth opportunities and ensure each asset benefits from Hyatt’s global scale, brands and operational expertise.”
Li assumes her position as Hyatt prepares to significantly expand its footprint in Australia and the Pacific. The company has maintained a brand presence in Australia for more than 40 years, currently operating 10 hotels under five distinct brands including Park Hyatt, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Centric and Hyatt Place. The portfolio spans iconic properties including Park Hyatt Sydney overlooking the Opera House, Grand Hyatt Melbourne on Collins Street, Hyatt Regency Brisbane, Hyatt Regency Sydney at Darling Harbour and the heritage-listed Hyatt Hotel Canberra – A Park Hyatt Hotel, which has served as the preferred residence for heads of state and dignitaries for a century. In New Zealand, Park Hyatt Auckland anchors the company’s presence in the region.
The appointment comes at a pivotal moment for Hyatt’s growth ambitions. The company has announced plans to expand its luxury and lifestyle brand portfolios across Asia Pacific with a pipeline of close to 90 properties expected to open over the next five years. A centrepiece of this strategy is Andaz Gold Coast, set to debut in the second quarter of 2026 as the brand’s first hotel in Australia and the Pacific region. The 202-room luxury lifestyle property will occupy floors six to 21 of a 65-storey tower within The Star Gold Coast’s AU$2 billion integrated resort development on Broadbeach Island.
Globally, Hyatt’s portfolio has grown substantially, with the company having doubled its luxury rooms, tripled its resort inventory and increased lifestyle room availability fivefold since 2017. As of early 2025, 64 per cent of Hyatt’s Asia Pacific hotels operate in the luxury and upper-upscale segments, reflecting the company’s strategic focus on capturing growth in the premium travel market.
