New Leadership at IHG and Mandarin Oriental
From left: Mandarin Oriental’s new group CEO Laurent Kleitman; at IHG, Elie Maalouf succeeds Keith Barr as CEO
By Raini Hamdi, 5 May 2023
Succession planning has been a hallmark of the business, says IHG in announcing the appointment of Elie Maalouf to succeed Keith Barr as group CEO effective July 1.
Barr, based in the UK, is stepping down to return with his family to the US. His last day will be on June 30, after which he will remain available to support and advise the business until the end of the year.
Maalouf joined IHG as Americas CEO in 2015. His achievements include growing the region from 3,700 hotels to 4,350 and delivering record profits. IHG is finding a new Americas CEO.
IHG’s chair, Deanna Oppenheimer, said of the succession planning: “Elle’s appointment is the result of a rigorous process and a commitment to invest in the development of our leaders, as was the case when Keith became CEO in 2017.
“Elie has been an instrumental part of our business in his eight years running our largest operating region and as a member of the Board since 2018. His significant industry experience and deep understanding of our business makes him extremely well placed to take on the role of CEO and ensure we continue to progress and execute against our successful strategy.”
Barr, too, started in IHG hotels in the US before moving into corporate roles that have seen him work across international markets. He joined IHG in 2000 and held a number of senior positions, including vice president of operations for midscale brands in North America, vice president of operations for Holiday Inn in North America and COO for Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific.
He was CEO of Greater China for four years, then chief commercial officer of the group for another four years before being named CEO in 2017. Barr’s first move as CEO was to restructure IHG, creating a mammoth operating region that combines Europe, Middle East, Asia & Africa, based in the UK under Kenneth Macpherson, and creating strong sub-regional divisions in a number of locations in a bid to get closer to owners, guests and colleagues.
He will leave behind an IHG that surpasses 6,000 open hotels and is stronger than ever before in luxury, thanks to the acquisition of Regent Hotels & Resorts, and Six Senses Hotels, Resorts, Spas. He also invested in IHG’s digital capability and loyalty program.
“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 decide that now is the right time for us relocate back to the US after many years living abroad,” Barr wrote in his post on LinkedIn.
Maalouf said, “Working closely with Keith and as an Executive Committee [member], we’ve made a number of critical strategic investments in recent years that position us with exciting opportunities to realize IHG’s full industry leading potential, by driving the performance and growth of our fantastic brands and delivering strong returns for all our stakeholders.”
Fresh Blood at Mandarin Oriental
Another UK-based company, Mandarin Oriental International, has named a new group CEO that comes from the perfume and beauty industry.
Laurent Kleitman, most recently president & CEO of Parfums Christian Dior – the largest luxury beauty business of LVMH – will replace James Riley, who is stepping down after 30 years of service to parent Jardine Matheson Group, the past seven years as Mandarin Oriental group CEO.
Before joining LVMH in 2019, Kleitman was president of the Consumer Beauty division of Coty, a NYSE- listed company with a portfolio of well-known brands across fragrance, color cosmetics, and skin and body care. Before that, he was at Unilever for 25 years and held global and regional leadership roles covering the UK, Europe and Asia, across its personal care, home care and food businesses.
Kleitman could provide fresh perspectives, which are needed in the luxury hotel industry where there are more brands, not to mention the entry of fashion houses themselves into the sector.
Chairman Ben Keswick expects Kleitman to “further evolve our brand for our guests – delivering 21st century luxury hospitality and lifestyle experiences steeped in a rich and proud Asian heritage.”
Laurent’s career has centered on building iconic brands, according to the group. He has led the creation and evolution of new and historic brands, as well as growth strategies focused on customer-centric innovation and experience. He has also built digital platforms for brands, and expanded brands into new markets and new product lines.
Keswick paid a tribute to Riley, thanking him for being instrumental in continuing to expand Mandarin Oriental’s pipeline and elevating the brand globally.
There are 36 Mandarin Oriental hotels and nine residences, with another 25 due to open in the next five years.
Riley will step down on July 31 but will be available to support the management team until his successor begins on September 1.