People Moves

IHG appoints former Unilever CEO as chairman

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is appointing former Unilever group chief executive Patrick Cescau as its chairman.

He will replace current IHG chairman David Webster when he retires in December. Webster has been chairman of the hotel chain since 2004 and a member of the board since 2003.

“My time with IHG has truly been a career highlight for me and I leave with a feeling of achievement for all that has been done,” says Webster. “I’m proud of the total shareholder return delivered over this period and I leave confident that a strong business with a sustainable growth strategy is in place.”

Cescau will join the IHG board as chairman on 1Janurary 2013. He was group chief executive of Unilver from 2005 to 2008 and had previously held other senior positions with the FMCG company including finance director and foods division chief executive.

“My fellow Board members and I look forward to guiding IHG to even greater achievements as we focus on brand building and the strategic global expansion of the business in the near term and future,” says Cescau.

IHG recently hired former McDonald’s chief marketing officer Larry Light as its global chief brands officer. The hotel group has also begun focusing on China with the launch of its HUALUXE international hotel brand and increasing the presence of its Holiday Inn brand in the country.

David Hing, London