InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) announced the recent appointment of Oliver Bonke to the position of Americas Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), effective September 3. He will be responsible for leading brand management and sales and marketing in the Americas, and will serve on the region’s senior leadership committee.
Oliver comes to IHG after 24 years with Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide. He most recently served as senior vice president of sales and marketing for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, a position he held since 2008. During his tenure, his innovative and performance-driven approach transformed the business across the brand marketing, communications, operations, and revenue management functions. Prior to this role, Oliver oversaw sales and marketing for the fast-growing Asia-Pacific region, including designing and adapting the organization for the emerging China and India markets. From 1998 to 2004, Oliver held roles of increasing responsibility in the United States and Germany, including serving as the vice president of sales and product development for The Luxury Collection and as Managing Director and Chief Marketing Officer for the Arabella Starwood Hotels joint venture, respectively. His career began in 1989 at the hotel level.
Joining IHG brings Oliver back to the U.S. after 13 years and reconnects his shared heritage with the InterContinental Hotels and Resorts brand. It was at an InterContinental hotel in his native Hamburg, Germany that he got his first summer job as a Page Boy, personally delivering messages to guests. He had a long-held penchant for exploring the world and living beyond his hometown; and this experience, along with encouragement from his family, sparked a career in the global hotel industry.
Oliver Bonke remarked, “I am energized to join IHG and feel privileged to work alongside such a passionate group of people, as I immerse myself and gain a deeper understanding of the company. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead the region’s evolution of IHG’s nine well-loved brands, and to ensure that they are always at the forefront of meeting our guests’ needs.”
