InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is pleased to announce that John Bamsey has been appointed as the Chief Operating Officer for the Middle East and Africa, in Dubai.
Previously Chief Operating Officer UK & Ireland, John has been with IHG since 2001 and holds more than 12 years of senior management experience in the hotel industry with companies such as Hilton and Le Meridien.
It is this depth of experience and expertise which will prove to be invaluable in the rapidly developing markets of the Middle East and Africa. As IHG grows to meet its development, adding 50-60,000 new rooms to its estate in three years, John Bamsey will lead the development of the Middle East & Africa region.
Richard Hartman, IHG’s Managing Director EMEA, said of the appointment: “In 2003 John joined our UK and Ireland operation and over the past four years he has completely transformed the region into a vibrant, profitable and exciting operation. It is his drive and sense of purpose that I know will make him an excellent leader for IHG in the Middle East and Africa, where he will work well with all stakeholders in our business including owners, investors and hotel management and staff.”
During his time in the UK & Ireland division of IHG, John also presided over the sale and management of more than 80 hotels that the company formally owned and now manages on behalf of investors.
Commenting on the move, John said: “The Middle East and Africa is a dynamic and rapidly changing market and I am excited about leading IHG’s business in the region to support the company’s business growth and development, and working with the excellent team that is in place in the region.
“Having been a regular visitor to Dubai throughout the past 10 years, I am looking forward to being a part of the dynamic growth and excitement of the city. We have a number of major developments in the region including the opening of three properties at Dubai Festival City, the re-opening of InterContinental Abu Dhabi this year after extensive refurbishment, as well as the CityStars project in Cairo. I am looking forward to building relationships to further increase our presence in the region.”
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (IHG) of the United Kingdom [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms. IHG owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various subsidiaries, over 3,800 hotels and more than 563,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. IHG owns a portfolio of well recognised and respected hotel brands, including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites® and Hotel Indigo®, and also manages the world's largest hotel loyalty programme, Priority Club® Rewards, with over 33 million members worldwide.
The company pioneered the travel industry’s first collaborative response to environmental issues as founder of the International Hotels and Environment Initiative (IHEI). The IHEI formed the foundations of the Tourism Partnership launched by the International Business Leaders Forum in 2004, of which IHG is still a member today. The environment and local communities remain at the heart of IHG’s global corporate responsibility focus.
