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Elie W. Maalouf

Chief Executive Officer at IHG Hotels & Resorts

Elie W. Maalouf is the Chief Executive Officer of IHG Hotels & Resorts, a position he has held since July 2023.13 Here are some key details about his career and background:

Career at IHG

Maalouf joined IHG in February 2015 as CEO of the Americas region.1 During his tenure leading the Americas:

  • He oversaw significant growth, expanding the region's portfolio from about 3,700 hotels to over 4,350.1
  • He led the delivery of record profits and strengthened the company's value proposition for hotel owners.1
  • He launched new brands and formats, including Avid hotels in 2017, which became IHG's second-largest contributor to system size after Holiday Inn Express.4

Previous Experience

Before joining IHG, Maalouf's career included:

  • Senior Advisor at McKinsey & Company (April 2012 - December 2014)3
  • President and CEO of HMSHost Corporation (November 2005 - December 2011)3
  • Various roles at HMSHost Corporation, including Executive VP of Operations and SVP of Business Development and International (1997 - 2005)3
  • Director of Planning at Weyerhaeuser Real Estate Company (1989 - 1997)3

Education and Skills

  • MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business12
  • Bachelor's degree in engineering from Virginia Tech1
  • Multilingual: Proficient in English, French, Arabic, and Italian3

Leadership Style and Approach

Maalouf is known for:

  • Focusing on making IHG's portfolio appealing to both owners and guests4
  • Emphasizing owner profitability and efficient operating models4
  • Driving innovation in areas such as reservation systems, connectivity, and in-room entertainment technology2
  • Valuing diverse experiences and collaborative problem-solving2

Maalouf's leadership at IHG has been marked by a strategic focus on brand development, technological innovation, and enhancing the company's value proposition for hotel owners and guests alike.

Highlights

Aug 6 · linkedin

We’re celebrating another half of strong progress today. Global RevPAR grew by +3.0%, reflecting a strong rebound in demand in the US and the breadth of our international footprint.     Net system size growth was up +3.2%, as we opened 126 properties, including brand debuts for Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas in Japan, voco Hotels in India and InterContinental Hotels & Resorts in Crete.     A very busy Q2 saw +123% more signings year-on-year, taking us to a record-breaking first half as we continue to grow our brands worldwide and make sure IHG is first choice for guests and owners.      Thank you to our teams around the world who make it all happen, those strengthening our wider enterprise across loyalty, technology and more, and those in our hotels delivering True Hospitality for Good every day.

Jun 28 · linkedin

It’s been a year since I became Group CEO and I had the pleasure of spending my anniversary at our flagship annual business-to-business summit, IHG’s Ignite Conference. Every year, Ignite is a chance for us to connect with hundreds of our valued customers and third-party travel partners. This year, we spoke about all we're doing to be the best possible partner, the strength of IHG Hotels & Resorts and the potential for our industry. 

As with all strong partnerships, it was important we listened to their perspectives on our progress, and it was valuable hearing their thoughts and feedback first-hand.

To everyone who was involved in organising this important event and to our colleagues at InterContinental Berlin, thank you.

Related Questions

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Elie W. Maalouf
Elie W. Maalouf, photo 1
Elie W. Maalouf, photo 2
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Experience

Chief Executive Officer at IHG Hotels & Resorts since July 2023
Chief Executive Officer, Americas at IHG Hotels & Resorts from January 2015 to Present, Senior Advisor at McKinsey & Company; President and CEO at HMSHost Corporation; Executive Vice President of Oper at HMSHost Corporation

Location

United Kingdom