InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has appointed Peter Gowers to the newly-created role of chief marketing officer.

Gowers, 33, will oversee the marketing of the group’s seven brands, including InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn, across 100 countries.

He will also head up the group's Priority Club Rewards scheme, which has more than 27 million members and the support of a $450m (£253m) budget.

"As we focus further on being a manager and franchisor in the hotel industry, our brands become an even more important part of our growth strategy," said chief executive Andrew Cosslett.

Gowers was formerly executive vice-president for global brand services at IHG and was responsible for the recent “Do you lead an InterContinental life” campaign.

Before that, he held a number of senior roles at Six Continents, which demerged IHG in April 2003.

His appointment follows the recruitment of Tracy Robbins to the role of executive vice-president, human resources.

Robbins, formerly group human resources leadership and development director at Compass, takes up her new position on 12 December.

by Angela Frewin