Niki Leondakis

Chief Operating Officer
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants

Niki Leondakis, Chief Operating Officer of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, oversees operations, sales and marketing, human resources, sustainability and social responsibility initiatives for the company’s 44 boutique hotels and chef-driven, destination restaurants throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Leondakis joined Kimpton in 1993 as director of restaurant operations and advanced through the restaurant division to an eventual role of Senior Vice President of Restaurants. In 2001, Leondakis was promoted to Executive Vice President, Hotels and Restaurants. She became Chief Operating Officer in 2003.

Actively serving on the steering and senior executive committees, Leondakis has been a key player in the creation and development of Kimpton’s values and culture, and in leading the growth and expansion of Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants in the U.S. In 1998, Leondakis formed Kimpton’s Mentor Program, aiding in the development and advancement of emerging leaders.

In 2003, she launched Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants Diversity Initiative, which is committed to creating a culture that acknowledges, understands, accepts, values and celebrates differences among people. Leondakis is also responsible for furthering the mission of Kimpton University, an education and training program that inspires personal as well as professional development and growth.

Prior to joining the Kimpton, Leondakis worked as a food and beverage director for the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company in Marina Del Rey, Calif., Atlanta and San Francisco, from 1985 to 1993. She began her hospitality career as a manager for Marriott Hotels in 1982 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Leondakis has received numerous industry awards, including being named one of the “100 Most Influential Women” by the San Francisco Business Times every year from 2002 to 2009, being recognized as one of “30 Women Power Players” by Nation’s Restaurant News in 2002, and named one of the “Most Powerful Women in Travel” by Travel Agent Magazine that same year. In 2007, Leondakis received the International Food Service Manufacturer’s Association Silver Plate Award for Operator of the Year. In 2008, Leondakis received the Fred Tibbits Hospitality Award for Lifetime Excellence.

An avid contributor to the community, Leondakis serves as Chair of the Worldwide Board for Dress for Success, an international nonprofit organization that provides job interview suits and career development assistance to low-income women. Leondakis has served on the Board of Directors for the National Restaurant Association since 2004 and currently chairs the National Restaurant Association’s Sustainability and Social Responsibility Committee.

Leondakis holds a bachelor’s degree in hotel, restaurant management and travel administration from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. A native of West Springfield, Massachusetts, Leondakis now resides with her husband in Hillsborough, California.

Niki Leondakis, Chief Operating Officer of the nation's premier boutique hotel chain will talk about how reducing your company's environmental footprint isn't just about saving the planet; going green can be a catalyst to attracting talent, innovation and profitability.