Hilton has announced the appointment of Yong Min Kim as General Manager of the Conrad Bangkok Sukhumvit Queen’s Park. The executive took up his post in August 2026, heading a property currently in the pre-opening phase in the Thai capital.
The appointment comes as part of a broader strengthening of Hilton’s luxury and lifestyle portfolio across Asia-Pacific, a region the group regards as a strategic growth driver, buoyed by sustained owner demand for differentiated brands. The new property joins the Conrad Hotels & Resorts brand in Bangkok, where Hilton had also recently appointed Nicola Coccia to lead the Conrad Bangkok, the group’s long-standing property on Wireless Road.
A career built around pre-opening projects and independent luxury
Before joining the Conrad Bangkok Sukhumvit Queen’s Park, Yong Min Kim had held the position of General Manager of La Festa Phu Quoc, Curio Collection by Hilton, since September 2024 — the property that marked the brand’s debut in Vietnam. For two years, he steered the positioning of this Mediterranean-inspired beach resort on Phu Quoc island.
His career includes several pre-opening mandates, among them General Manager of THE JEDDAH EDITION, a Marriott International property in Saudi Arabia, between February and May 2024. He also spent nearly six years leading The Merchant House in Manama, Bahrain’s first 5-star boutique hotel, then managed by Campbell Gray Hotels before its affiliation with Small Luxury Hotels of the World. The property was repeatedly recognised by Condé Nast Traveller Middle East and by TripAdvisor, including the Travelers’ Choice Award in 2020, 2021 and 2023.
International experience built at Starwood, Marriott and Banyan Tree
Yong Min Kim began his hospitality career in 1999 at Starwood, then owner of the Sheraton on the Park in Sydney, where he held several food and beverage roles before moving into management positions in Kyoto, Seoul and Kuala Lumpur. He subsequently joined the Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives, under the InterContinental Hotels Group banner, followed by Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul as Director of Food and Beverage.
His career continued at Starwood and then Marriott International, where he led operations at the W Retreat & Spa Maldives between 2013 and 2015, before joining the W Dubai – Al Habtoor City as Hotel Manager until 2018. Between 2008 and 2009, he also taught hospitality at the Think Education Group in Sydney.
A background reinforced by executive education programmes
Yong Min Kim holds a Master’s degree in International Hospitality Management from Le Cordon Bleu Australia, obtained in 2023, along with two Graduate Certificates in Hospitality Leadership and Hospitality Decision Making from the same institution. He has also completed two executive education programmes at INSEAD, covering decision-making in complex environments and blue ocean differentiation strategies respectively.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
New appointment: Yong Min Kim, General Manager, Conrad Bangkok Sukhumvit Queen’s Park (pre-opening)
Effective date: August 2026
Previous role: General Manager, La Festa Phu Quoc, Curio Collection by Hilton, Vietnam (2024-2026)
Pre-opening track record: THE JEDDAH EDITION (Marriott International, Saudi Arabia)
Career highlight: 6 years as General Manager of The Merchant House, first 5-star boutique hotel in Bahrain
Education: Master’s degree, International Hospitality Management, Le Cordon Bleu Australia; executive education, INSEAD
