Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) chief marketing officer Peter Gowers has been promoted to Asia Pacific chief executive to replace Patrick Imbardelli, who resigned in May after admitting to “inconsistencies” on his CV.

Gowers, who took up the position of chief marketing officer in October 2005, was in charge of the marketing departments of Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn and Intercontinental. 

He takes up his new position on 1 November and succeeds acting chef executive Tony South, who now resumes his responsibilities as senior vice-president, development & asset management 

IHG has also appointed Kirk Kinsell to the position of president for Europe, the Middle East & Africa. 

Kinsell, currently senior vice-president and chief development officer for the Americas region, succeeds Richard Hartman who is set to retire. 

Andrew Cosslett, chief executive at IHG, said: “I am delighted to be able to make these two key appointments from within the company. This says a great deal about the strength and depth of management we have.”

The timing of the Gowers announcement comes as a surprise coming just weeks after Cosslett said a replacement for Imbardelli would be announced in “months, rather than weeks”.

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By Daniel Thomas

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