China to get own director
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is restructuring its Asia Pacific set up to give its expanding operations in China their own director.
The chain said its operation in Greater China were now of "sufficient scale" to make it a separate business unit.
IHG has appointed Keith Barr as its new regional managing director for the region. He will be based in Shanghai.
The group said it now had 115 hotels in China with a further 127 in the pipeline.
IHG said it was also setting up a second business unit in the area to cover operations in Southern Asia, Japan, Korea, and the Pacific.
This unit will be led by Jan Smits as regional managing director based in Singapore.
The chain said that as a result of the changes, Peter Gowers, currently Asia Pacific ceo, will leave the business on July 31.
The re-structuring is part of a broader cost saving programme of streamlining parts of the company's global operation.
IHG said the changes would generate savings in addition to $30m already announced, but did not say how much.
Andrew Cosslett, IHG's ceo, said: "We have grown rapidly over the last few years and worked hard to align the business. This allows us to accelerate the programme we have been working on to drive efficiency across the business.
"Asia remains a key long term growth driver for IHG. We have a strong infrastructure and a talented group of operators in the region.
"Today's restructuring will ensure we maintain our leadership position.