InterContinental Hotels Group, the world's largest hotel operator, announced today that Chris Watson has been appointed as Vice President of Human Resources for the Middle East and Africa.
The British human resources professional – who speaks French, Italian and moderate levels of Mandarin and Cantonese – spent much of his career in roles throughout the Far East and is now keen to contribute to InterContinental Hotels Group’s Middle East and Africa operations.
In his new role, Watson will assist in the recruitment of international management teams, establishment of training and development systems, put in place policies, procedures and standards and further develop the company culture.
Building on his experience in a similar role in Shanghai, China, Watson – who has previously held roles with the world’s largest hotel group – looks forward to supporting InterContinental Hotels Group’s human resource function.
“With a high level of growth anticipated in the future years, it is an exciting time to be joining the human resources team here in the region. Set to reinforce its position as the largest multi-branded hotel operator in the Middle East, I am pleased to be onboard to provide my input and apply my expertise to ensuring a smooth transition period,” said Watson.
As the largest hotel operator in the Middle East, InterContinental Hotels Group has more than 70 InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn properties across the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Kenya, Eritrea, Zambia and Gabon.
With experience in the hotel sector at properties in countries including China, Singapore, Watson has worked in the hospitality industry since 1982. Having achieved a Bachelor of Arts degree from Napier University in the UK and a diploma in Human Resource and Training from Hong Kong University, Watson is currently studying for a Masters in Training and Performance Management with the University of Leicester in the UK.
“At InterContinental Hotels Group we are experiencing an exciting time, with new properties opening and this of course means we have to find the best people for the jobs. With Chris as part of our human resources team, I am confident that our group will continue to employ highly qualified and professional people who are dedicated to our brands – and our customer’s needs,” said Chris Moloney, Chief Operating Officer, InterContinental Hotels Group, Middle East and Africa.
