IHG Appoints Jorge Apaez as COO - Mexico, Latin America & Caribbean

InterContinental Hotels Group has appointed Jorge Apaez as Chief Operating Officer, Mexico, Latin America & Caribbean. Jorge assumes this role after the retirement of industry veteran Alvaro Diago.

Jorge will oversee operations for the 220 hotels under six different brands across 21 countries in the region as well as relationships with the owning companies of IHG’s managed and franchised hotels. He will report to the Americas Chief Operating Officer, Jolyon Bulley, and will be based in IHG’s Guadalajara corporate office.

Elie Maalouf, Chief Executive Officer, The Americas, IHG, said, “Jorge is among the industry’s most respected professionals with more than 30 years of hospitality experience including several years leading IHG’s business in Mexico. With his strong owner relationships and deep understanding of hotel operations, this makes him the perfect person to lead the entire Latin America region. Latin America continues to be a strong area of focus for IHG and having someone like Jorge lead our efforts to deliver a preferred guest experience is critical to our success.”

Jorge joined IHG in 1995 and most recently held the role of Senior Vice President of Hotel Operations for the Western U.S. and Mexico, where he oversaw the operations of more than 1,220 hotels.

He has served in a variety of capacities for IHG throughout the U.S., Mexico, and Latin America, among them positions as Director of Sales and Marketing, Vice President of Operations and Managing Director, and Area President for Mexico.

Prior to joining IHG, he worked as a Marketing Director for Howard Johnson’s master franchisee in Latin America and as a Director of Sales and Marketing for Radisson Hotels in Mexico. He also worked for POSADAS, Mexico’s largest hotel management company, in the areas of sales, marketing and reservations.