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Asia Pacific
Travelodge appoints new chief executive
Travelodge has appointed former InterContinental Hotels executive Peter Gowers as its new chief executive officer to succeed Grant Hearn.
Gowers, 41, will start on November 25.
He was most recently CEO of self-storage operator Safestore Holdings, but he previously held the role of chief executive, Asia-Pacific for IHG where he oversaw more than 250 hotels and 60,000 employees.
Prior to becoming CEO of Asia-Pacific, Gowers was chief marketing officer of IHG from 2005 to 2007, where he led the worldwide marketing and sales team.
He spent his early career at Bass PLC and has gained a broad experience in the leisure industry holding senior positions at IHG as well as its predecessor, Six Continents Hotels, said Travelodge.
The budget hotel chain chairman Brian Wallace said: "I am delighted to welcome Peter as the new CEO of Travelodge. Peter is a highly regarded senior executive, with extensive industry and market experience and expertise.
"His skills and knowledge will be a great asset in helping to further grow our business and to make Travelodge the best value hotel chain in the UK."
Outgoing CEO Grant Hearn will remain in the post for a further two weeks to assist the changeover. Wallace added: "Since joining Travelodge in 2003, Grant has done a tremendous job in more than doubling the size of the Company’s portfolio and establishing the brand as a household name with an exceptional digital presence.
"Grant has built a remarkable team that, led by Peter, will now take the business on to even greater levels of success driven by meeting and exceeding guest expectations. On a personal level, I am extremely grateful for Grant’s support since I became chairman earlier this year."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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