IHG Merges Its Latin American, Caribbean Region under One Leadership Team

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) (LSE:IHG) (NYSE:IHG) (ADRs), the world’s largest hotel company by number of rooms, has combined its Latin America and Caribbean regions under the leadership of Alvaro Diago, now Chief Operating Officer (COO), Latin America and Caribbean. Diago was most recently Area President for Latin America.

In his new role Diago, whose Miami-based team has overseen all IHG-branded hotels in Central and South America, as well as select Caribbean destinations, will now have responsibility for all IHG hotels in the Caribbean, which are located in Jamaica, Aruba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Trinidad & Tobago. The 11 properties in the Caribbean will bring to 75 (by year-end 2009) the total number of hotels in the region’s portfolio.

Additionally, Diago will now be looking to increase IHG’s presence throughout the Caribbean, with a particular focus on resort properties, as well as continue to foster and oversee owning company relationships for all IHG brands, both managed and franchised.

"Alvaro has done an excellent job of furthering our portfolio throughout Central and South America,” said Jim Abrahamson, President, Americas for IHG. "He has a long track record of positive relationships with owning companies across all of our brands, and we look forward to him and his team maximizing opportunities for growth throughout the Caribbean as well.”

The expanded region’s Sales, Marketing and Revenue Management team will be led by Regional Vice President Carlos Baruki, who will be driving performance and implementing new strategies to capitalize on IHG’s enterprise system.

The new region’s Director of Development is Salo Smaletz, who has been instrumental in furthering IHG’s presence in Central and South America. IHG has representation in more countries in Latin America than any other international hotel organization. Smaletz will utilize those skills to capitalize on the many growth opportunities within the Caribbean.

"Our team is pleased to expand its focus,” adds Diago. "We have been involved with the Caribbean since IHG was established more than 60 years ago, so I very much look forward to meeting our stakeholders in the area, and furthering best-practices that will continue to create an incomparable guest experience. I also look forward to growing our portfolio of hotels in this wonderful part of the world.”

IHG has more than 180 hotels in Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean, and has been serving Latin America for over 60 years. IHG is the world’s largest hotel group by number of rooms, and has hotels situated in nearly every key market throughout Latin America.

Notes to Editors:

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [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 4,300 hotels and almost 630,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. The Group owns a portfolio of well recognized and respected hotel brands including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites®, and also manages the world's largest hotel loyalty program, Priority Club® Rewards, with 44 million members worldwide.

IHG has nearly 1,600 hotels in its development pipeline, which will create 140,000 jobs worldwide over the next few years.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.

IHG offers information and online reservations for all its hotel brands at www.ihg.com and information for the Priority Club Rewards program at www.priorityclub.com. For the latest news from IHG, visit our online Press Office at www.ihg.com/media.

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