Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 9 July 2026, Star and Hilton today announced a strategic partnership dedicated to human capital development within the hospitality industry, with a shared commitment to develop and qualify Saudi cadres at every level. The agreement was signed at The Hotel Galleria Jeddah, Curio Collection by Hilton, by Mr. Salman S. Gasim, Chief Executive Officer of Star, and Mr. Marwan Fadel, Regional Human Resources Director for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Bahrain at Hilton.
The partnership brings together Star's expertise in Human Capability Development with Hilton's global standards in hospitality to build, qualify, and enable Saudi talent across the full spectrum of the profession. Its offerings are designed for professionals at every stage of their career, from those entering the sector through to supervisors, managers, executives, and senior leaders, ensuring that development is continuous and available at every level of the organization.
Capability at every level
Together, the two organizations will design and deliver a series of initiatives spanning training, certification, and professional development. One of the first of these will enable Saudi professionals to earn the Certified Hospitality Department Trainer (CHDT) certification from the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI). The CHDT credential equips professionals to design, deliver, and evaluate training within their departments, building an internal capability that raises service standards across teams. Further initiatives, reaching from operational roles to leadership and executive development, will be introduced over the course of the partnership.
By developing Saudi cadres across all levels, the partnership directly supports the national talent development and localization goals set out in Saudi Vision 2030, and reinforces the Kingdom's ambition to build a world class tourism and hospitality sector powered by its own people.
“Star has spent over a decade building the people behind this sector. That experience has taught us that real capability is built deliberately, at every level, and over time. In Hilton we have found a partner whose standards match our own ambition for Saudi hospitality. Together we are equipping a generation of national talent, from the frontline to the boardroom, to lead the sector's future.”
Salman S. Gasim, Chief Executive Officer of Star
The signing ceremony brought together senior leadership from both organizations to mark the beginning of a long term collaboration focused on building Saudi capability at scale.
About Star
Star is a Human Capability Development company headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with combined experience since 2014. Over this period, Star has worked to build national talent as the foundation of the Kingdom's growth, developing more than 50,000 professionals across hospitality, tourism, culture, and the wider service economy.
Operating through four integrated verticals, Star Training, Star Education, Star Projects, and Star Events, the company designs and delivers learning, certification, and capability programs at every level, from frontline workforces to executive leadership. Star is one of the largest operators serving government and semi-government organizations across sectors in Saudi Arabia, working with ministries, authorities, commissions, and national centers, alongside the sovereign wealth fund and its giga-projects, to develop the national workforce behind the Kingdom's most ambitious sectors.
Star partners with leading global institutions to deliver world class learning and is the exclusive partner of the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) in Saudi Arabia. Through this work, Star is committed to advancing the human capability ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030. Visit www.star.sa for more information, and connect with Star on LinkedIn and Instagram.