Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts has appointed long-serving Starwood marketer Steven Taylor to the position of chief marketing officer.

Taylor joined Starwood Hotels & Resorts 16 years ago and has held a number of senior roles, most recently as vice president marketing EMEA, leading the company’s St Regis, W and Westin brands.

He will join Shangri-La on 5 January, replacing predecessor Kent Zhu, and will be based at the group’s Hong Kong corporate office, reporting to the luxury brand’s president and CEO Greg Dogan.

Taylor will oversee all sales and marketing functions, including revenue management, digital marketing, brand communications, loyalty and partner marketing.

“There has been a fundamental shift in marketing communications in the past decade, and [Taylor] has a keen understanding of how to communicate with and engage ‘Generation C’,” said Dogan.

“With his strategic vision and depth of experience, Steven will be an asset to Shangri-La as we extend ‘hospitality from the heart’ for which Shangri-La is renowned, and engage consumers across all digital touch-points.”

Shangri-La operates 85 hotels globally, including a recently-launched site at London’s Shard building.