Christopher W. Silcock
Hilton Worldwide HoldingsAbout Christopher W. Silcock
Christopher W. Silcock, 53, is President, Global Brands & Commercial Services at Hilton (appointed in 2024). He leads brand positioning, product design, performance support, owner services, and the integration of commercial service offerings across technology, sales, distribution and loyalty; prior milestones include modernizing global sales, creating Hilton’s first enterprise data & analytics team, and transitioning revenue management to a data-driven discipline. He has nearly 30 years at Hilton, started on-property in operations, and holds a BSc in Computer Studies (University of Essex); he serves on the board of Groups360 and previously served on the board of Roomkey, including two years as chairman. In 2024, Hilton delivered $3,429M Adjusted EBITDA, $1,539M net income, and +2.7% RevPAR growth; 5-year TSR was 125% with stock rising from $110.91 to $247.16, underpinned by $3.0B capital return, metrics that drive incentive outcomes and pay-for-performance alignment .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hilton Worldwide | President, Global Brands & Commercial Services | 2024–Present | Leads brand positioning; integrates technology, sales, distribution, loyalty into commercial platform |
| Hilton Worldwide | EVP & Chief Commercial Officer | Not disclosed | Modernized global sales; launched enterprise data & analytics; institutionalized data-driven revenue management |
| Hilton Worldwide | Head of Revenue Management; Online & Regional Marketing; property-level positions | Not disclosed | Built revenue management capabilities; digital/online marketing scale-up |
| Various hospitality companies (Europe) | Consultant | Not disclosed | Advised chains, operators, independents; applied analytics to commercial strategy |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groups360 | Board Member | Not disclosed | Supports online marketplace strategy for meetings; ecosystem connectivity |
| Roomkey (JV of 6 global hospitality companies) | Director; Chairman of the Board | 2 years as Chairman | Governance and commercial alignment across JV |
Fixed Compensation
Multi-year compensation summary (USD):
| Metric | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salary | $611,106 | $705,167 | $831,624 |
| Stock Awards (RSUs/PSUs grant-date FV) | $1,912,153 | $2,531,573 | $3,405,724 |
| Option Awards (grant-date FV) | $637,380 | $843,869 | $1,135,298 |
| Non-Equity Incentive (Annual Bonus Paid) | $1,013,244 | $1,020,282 | $947,993 |
| All Other Compensation | $202,390 | $258,902 | $287,141 |
| Total Compensation | $4,376,273 | $5,410,793 | $6,607,779 |
Base salary progression and target bonus:
- Base salary increased 14.3% to $849,304 in 2024 (paid in GBP, USD translated at 1.27811), from $743,221 in 2023; target annual cash incentive remains 100% of base salary for non-CEO NEOs .
Perquisites and pension:
- 2024 “All Other Compensation” includes cash in lieu of UK defined contribution pension ($249,487), car allowance ($14,877), long-term disability ($6,020), and travel perquisites ($16,756) .
- Participates in Hilton U.K. Pension Plan; present value of accumulated benefit at 12/31/2024 was $298,000; 2024 change in pension value was $(45,000) (not shown per SEC rules for negative amounts) .
Performance Compensation
Annual cash incentive (ACI) design and 2024 outcomes:
| Component | Weighting | Target Design | 2024 Actual | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Financial: Adjusted EBITDA | 40% (Other NEOs) | Target set above 2023 with ±10% range (threshold 90%, max 110%) | $3,429M (102% of target) | 123% financial payout company-wide |
| Business Area & Organizational Strength | 60% (Other NEOs) | Quantitative KSP-linked objectives (e.g., Honors enrollment/occupancy; channel mix; NUG; RPI; HSM EBITDA; customer experience; Travel with Purpose; engagement) | NEO-specific achievements; Silcock: footprint expansion, integrations (Graduate/NoMad/SLH/AutoCamp), brand recognitions, +30M Honors members to 211M | NEO-specific assessment; Silcock business/org payout 113% |
| Silcock ACI Result | — | Target = 100% of base salary | Year-end base $849,304 | Total payout 112% = $947,993 |
Long-Term Incentive (LTI) structure and grants:
- Mix: 50% PSUs (3-year performance), 25% RSUs (2-year ratable), 25% stock options (3-year ratable) .
- PSU metrics (equal weight): Adjusted EBITDA (final-year), FCF/share (final-year), Net Unit Growth CAGR (3-year), RevPAR Index Growth (final-year); 0–200% payout range .
Silcock LTI grants by year:
| Grant Detail | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs (#) | 4,230 | 5,772 | 5,566 |
| RSUs Grant-Date FV ($) | $637,334 | $843,809 | $1,135,241 |
| Options (#) | 12,461 | 16,129 | 15,934 |
| Option Exercise Price ($) | $150.67 | $146.19 | $203.96 |
| Options Grant-Date FV ($) | $637,380 | $843,869 | $1,135,298 |
| PSUs target (#) | 4,230 | 5,772 | 5,566 |
| PSUs Grant-Date FV ($) | $1,274,819 | $1,687,764 | $2,270,483 |
| ACI target ($) | $614,087 | $722,834 | $849,304 |
Vesting schedules and key dates:
- RSUs: two equal annual installments beginning March 3 following grant (e.g., 2023/2024 RSUs vest March 3, 2024/2025 and March 3, 2025/2026) .
- Options: three equal annual installments beginning March 3 following grant; 2024 options expire 2/28/2034 .
- PSUs: 3-year performance period ending 12/31/2026; payout 0–200% based on metric achievement .
Treatment on termination/change-in-control (CIC):
- Double-trigger CIC for acceleration; death/disability immediate vest (full target for 2024 PSUs); retirement prorata and continue vesting per schedule; 12-month post-employment non-compete/non-solicit; indefinite confidentiality, trade secrets, non-disparagement; clawback applies to incentive comp .
Historical PSU payouts:
- 2022 PSU cohort (performance through 12/31/2024) paid 153% of target (EBITDA 191%, FCF/share 200%, NUG CAGR 140%, RPI Growth 80%) .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
Beneficial ownership:
| Metric | As of Mar 22, 2024 | As of Mar 21, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Shares Beneficially Owned | 156,244 | 178,021 |
| Ownership % of Common Stock | <1% | <1% |
| Includes Vested Options | 96,315 | 106,170 |
Outstanding equity at 12/31/2024:
| Category | Count | Market/Status |
|---|---|---|
| RSUs unvested (2023 grant) | 2,886 | $713,304 market value (at $247.16) |
| RSUs unvested (2024 grant) | 5,566 | $1,375,693 market value |
| PSUs unearned (2023 cohort) | 20,204 | $4,993,621 market/payout value assumption per achievement status |
| PSUs unearned (2024 cohort) | 13,915 | $3,439,231 market/payout value assumption per achievement status |
| Options unexercisable (2024 grant) | 15,934 | Exercise price $203.96; vests ratably over 3 years |
| Options exercisable/unexercisable (older grants) | Various (e.g., 2022: 8,307/4,154; 2023: 5,376/10,753) | See table; standard 3-year ratable vesting |
Alignment policies:
- Ownership guideline: 3× base salary for executive officers; all currently employed NEOs meet guideline .
- Pledging/hedging prohibited; short sales and derivative transactions not permitted .
- Clawback updated per SEC/NYSE for restatement-related recoveries .
Employment Terms
Severance plan (NEO-level) and change-in-control economics for Silcock:
| Trigger Scenario | Cash Severance | Equity Acceleration | Benefits Continuation | Outplacement | Total Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qualifying Termination (without CIC) | $3,397,216 | — | $7,854 | $30,000 | $3,435,070 |
| Qualifying Termination within 12 months of CIC (double trigger) | $3,397,216 | $10,573,716 | $7,854 | $30,000 | $14,008,786 |
| Death/Disability | $849,304 (prorated ACI) | $8,919,648 | — | — | $9,768,952 |
Additional terms:
- UK employment agreement requires six months’ notice; severance otherwise per Company Severance Plan .
- Equity awards include 12-month non-compete and non-solicit; indefinite confidentiality, trade secrets, non-disparagement covenants; clawback policy applies .
Investment Implications
- Pay-for-performance alignment: ACI centers on Adjusted EBITDA with quant, KSP-linked business metrics; 2024 payout for Silcock was 112% vs company financial 123%, reflecting balanced performance execution and discipline .
- Retention and selling pressure: Significant unvested RSUs (2023/2024) vest on March 3, 2025/2026; options vest over 2025–2027; PSUs cliff vest after 12/31/2026. Expect potential selling windows around vest dates subject to insider trading policy/trading windows; pledging/hedging prohibited reduces misalignment risk .
- CIC protection and alignment: Double-trigger CIC and rigorous PSU metrics mitigate windfall risk while preserving executive focus on long-term value; quantified CIC economics for Silcock ($14.0M) indicate meaningful equity alignment and exposure to performance outcomes .
- Ownership and governance: Meets 3× salary ownership guideline and holds vested options; clawback, no tax gross-ups, and no option repricing policies are shareholder-friendly and reduce governance red flags .
- Track record and execution: 2024 achievements include integrations of Graduate/NoMad/SLH/AutoCamp, footprint expansion, brand recognition, and Honors growth to 211M members – all drivers of LTI metrics (NUG CAGR, RPI Growth, FCF/share) and long-term value creation .
