IHG’s (InterContinental Hotels Group) Karin Sheppard, COO for Australasia and Japan, has announced a new member of her growing Corporate Operations team in preparation for the company’s expanding pipeline in the region, appointing Gareth Long as Director of Operations Support Australasia and Japan.
Long will be responsible for driving operations excellence across the 66 hotels in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Japan, ensuring new initiatives are fully embedded to drive performance improvements.
“Gareth is an enthusiastic leader who encourages the same from operations staff across the region,” IHG’s COO Australasia and Japan, Karin Sheppard.
“He has the ability to apply operational metrics with a personalised approach and act as an integral liaison for hotel General Managers and owners across our managed and franchised properties.
“As our network grows in this region over the next five years, Gareth’s role will provide essential information to our hotels to ensure our high service levels are maintained.”
Long has over 10 years’ experience with IHG which has seen him take on various fast-track operations development roles both in Australia and India.
He is a graduate of the Group’s Future Leaders Program and held operational roles at Holiday Inn City Centre Perth and Potts Point, before his most recent appointment as General Manager, Holiday Inn Sydney Airport.
“This role is a tremendous opportunity to build on IHG’s strong guest experience culture as new hotels and new brands enter our market, and ensure operational and service standards are maintained into our hotels of the future,” Long said.
IHG currently has four hotels under construction – Holiday Inn Express Brisbane Spring Hill, Crowne Plaza Christchurch, Crowne Plaza Hobart and InterContinental Perth – opening between end of 2016 and 2018.
A further three hotels – Holiday Inn Express Adelaide, Holiday Inn Denarau Fiji and Crowne Plaza Darling Harbour Sydney – will commence construction later this year.