IHG’s brand-building CEO Keith Barr to step down in June
IHG Hotels & Resorts is known for its significant buildup in recent years, with brands like Regent, Six Senses and Voco coming into the brand family in relatively short order.
The man who spearheaded those deals announced Friday he will leave the company at the end of June.
“After being a part of IHG for more than 30 years and having spent the last six as CEO, this has been a very difficult decision and ultimately a very personal one, as my family and I decided that now is the right time for us to relocate back to the U.S. after many years living abroad,” IHG CEO Keith Barr said in a statement Friday morning.
Barr’s tenure as CEO began in 2017 — he was the company’s chief commercial officer for four years prior to that. His time at IHG began in 2000 after the company acquired Bristol Hotels and Resorts, where he had worked in several senior positions.
He will be succeeded by Elie Maalouf, who is currently IHG’s CEO of the Americas.
“Under Elie’s leadership, I have every confidence in an extremely bright future for the company, and I would like to congratulate him on his new role,” Barr said. “Elie has spent several decades in the global hospitality sector living and working across markets including the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and the U.S., and he has done an excellent job leading IHG’s Americas business for the past eight years.”
IHG’s brand buildup under Barr
Travelers can thank Barr for leading much of IHG’s beefed-up brand offering and loyalty overhaul.
He frequently likened the strategy to filling in the rungs of a ladder, moving the company’s loyalty offering beyond InterContinental and into ultra-luxury with Regent and Six Senses.
While the company’s luxury and lifestyle hotels — a category that includes brands like Kimpton, Hotel Indigo and the Vignette Collection — only make up 13% of the company’s overall size, they represent 20% of future development at IHG, as of March.
The company also made inroads into all-inclusive resorts with a partnership announced late last year with Spain’s Iberostar Beachfront Resorts. There was also an expansion in the more affordable end of the travel segment with Avid, a midscale brand launched early into Barr’s term as CEO.
Additionally, the company's overhauled IHG One Rewards loyalty program launched last year under Barr's tenure.
Leaving on a high note
Barr’s departure announcement came the same day the company reported a first-quarter revenue update that concluded the hotel earnings cycle. Like many of its competitors, IHG had a strong start to the year.
The company’s overall hotel performance exceeded pre-pandemic levels by nearly 7%, and average daily rates were 10% higher than 2019 levels for the first three months of the year.
“Leisure demand has remained buoyant, and there has been further return of business and group travel as expected,” Barr said. “While comparatives to 2022 get tougher from the second quarter onwards and there are ongoing economic uncertainties, IHG has continued to prove the resiliency of its business model, and we remain confident about the strong tailwinds for attractive long-term, sustainable growth and value creation.”
Related reading:
- The award travelers guide to IHG Rewards
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
- What is IHG One Rewards elite status worth?
- Current offers on IHG One Rewards credit cards
- Which credit cards offer the most lucrative rewards for hotel stays?
- The best hotel rewards programs in the world
- Best hotel credit cards
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Annual Fee
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.