September 25, 2008 // Franchising.com // Atlanta - IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)], the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms, has appointed Christian Hempell to the newly created role of vice president, Holiday Inn Club Vacations, where he will lead the new Holiday Inn timeshare brand, effective immediately.
Hempell is responsible for the overall strategy, business development, marketing operations and performance of the Holiday Inn Club Vacations portfolio within the Americas. This new brand has been created through a strategic alliance with Orange Lake Resorts and the family of Kemmons Wilson, the founder of Holiday Inn. He will oversee the launch of this new brand in North America and will work through the strategic alliance to drive growth in key resort destinations. Hempell will continue his role as a member of the Americas Operating Committee, working with interim region president Richard Solomons and his senior executive team.
"In his five years with IHG, Christian has been a key player in providing insight and leadership in developing our global and regional growth strategy," said Solomons. "He has been instrumental in developing our timeshare concept and is the ideal candidate to lead the charge for this exciting new addition to the Holiday Inn brand family."
Most recently, Hempell served as vice president, Strategy, the Americas, where he created and established the strategic management process to drive revenue and profit growth in the region. He joined IHG in 2003 as vice president, Global Strategy, based in the U.K. where he was responsible for leading IHG's global strategy function.
Prior to joining IHG, Hempell spent six years with Andersen's hospitality and leisure consulting group, serving global travel clients in the hotel and resort, cruise line and tour operator areas. He earned a BS degree from the Hotel School at Cornell University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
He will be succeeded by Heather Balsley, who has been promoted to vice president, Strategy, the Americas, and will join the Americas Operating Committee, effective immediately. Balsley joined IHG in 2007 as director, Strategy, the Americas, after spending seven years with Marakon Associates, nearly a year of which was spent as a consultant on several IHG projects. She earned a BA degree from Duke University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
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