Andrés O. Hayes is the President and CEO of the Airtifae Group an organization that was created to assist local, regional and international entities to " ELEVATE THEIR INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE AND LEVEL OF SERVICE".

Most recently, he served as Director for International Trade and Commerce in the Government of the District of Columbia from 2019-2022 and was responsible for attracting foreign direct investment into Washington, DC, strengthening relationships with countries who have expressed interest in investing in DC and want to expand further,
increasing exports from small- and medium-sized businesses in the District to other countries, and planning for and carrying out the Mayor’s international trade missions. He is credited with creating and executing the first-ever International Business Strategy for the City and as a result, positioned DC as a hub in the United States for international business and supported dozens of businesses expanding operations to DC. With citizenship in the United States and residency in the UAE, Andres has forged deep relations for Foreign Direct Investment and strategic relations.

Andres Hayes has 25 years of experience in Banking and Hospitality, most of them in the Credit Card Business where he worked for Visa International for 11 years: 7 years in Miami, Florida and 4 years in London, England. As one of the youngest Regional Managers, Mr. Hayes was selected to open the new Operations Center for Central Europe Middle East, and Africa in 1994. After his time with Visa International, he managed two major Card Operations Centers in the
Americas and Europe as Senior Vice President. Additionally, he was the Restaurant Manager for B. Smith’s in Washington DC for 4 years and General Manager for The Mansion on O Street for 2 years. Afterward, he opened AH Consulting Firm, a hospitality and tourism firm, as President and CEO.

​Hayes is extremely active in the DC community where he served as a board member of the DC Chamber of Commerce, The Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Advisory Board of Carlos Rosario International Charter School Culinary Program, and Raised funds for the Greater Washington Area Covenant House. 

He is a past President of Skål International Washington DC and current Director of the International Board. Skål is an international organization of Tourism Professionals. He is also a Board Member of Education for Sharing.  An international non-profit organization that forms better global citizens through innovative education based on the power of play.

​He is extremely passionate about International Trade and the Hospitality Industry and is always focused on providing the highest level of service.