Eva Ziegler is Global Brand Leader of W Hotels Worldwide, the hotel category buster and innovative lifestyle brand, and Le Méridien, the culturally rich European brand for the curious, creative guest. In her role, Vienna-born Ziegler, a globally recognized leader, combines her expertise in experience-driven marketing with her international sensibilities to strategically guide these two dynamic brands globally.  Ziegler will leverage her experience in the international marketplace to launch W Hotels outside of North America and continue the re-launch of the Le Méridien brand. 

Ziegler joined Starwood Hotels & Resorts as Global Brand Leader of Le Méridien shortly after it was acquired by Starwood in late 2005. She was responsible for defining the vision and brand strategy across all disciplines for the renowned international brand. She also supported the full integration of Le Méridien into the Starwood family.  In this role, Ziegler was instrumental in the transformation of the Le Méridien brand.

Under her vision, Le Méridien has re-positioned itself as a cultural hub for the creative mind leading to a range of innovative approaches and strategies. For example, she developed an innovative strategy through curated experiences by engaging a Cultural Curator and forming a group of cultural innovators called LM100 who define and enrich the guest experience.

In her newly appointed position, Ziegler will lead the global growth strategy of W Hotels Worldwide as it transforms from a U.S. phenomenon into a global powerhouse.  With 10 years of proven success, W Hotels will triple its footprint by 2011 with expansion into vibrant, primary destinations around the world, from Paris to Milan, Barcelona to London, Santiago to Vieques, Puerto Rico, Dubai to Doha, Hollywood to South Beach, and Shanghai to Bali.  Ziegler will also further develop W’s core strengths in fashion, cutting-edge design, music and buzzing nightlife as the brand continues its focus of providing guests with insider access to world of “Wow.”  

Serving in the dual role of Global Brand Leader for both W Hotels and Le Méridien provides Ziegler with the opportunity to ensure brand differentiation of the two contemporary, design-driven Starwood brands. The combined portfolio of W Hotels and Le Méridien represents more than 130 hotels and resorts across more than 50 countries, including vibrant destinations in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and the Americas.

Before joining Starwood, Ziegler was the Director of Le Rendez-Vous Toyota and played a leading role in developing and launching the cutting edge European Brand Experience Center on the Champs-Elysées in Paris, France. She has spent her career working for international Fortune 500 companies such as Coca-Cola and Saatchi & Saatchi. Ziegler earned her degree from the University of Economics Vienna, Austria.