IHG?s VP Operations, Russia, Commonwealth of Independent States and Georgia, Robert Kennedy, said:
?Our decision to establish such a centre underlines our commitment to growing in Russia and the rest of the CIS: one of IHG?s priority markets.
?The managed service centre will be a bespoke offering for this region. It will provide a dedicated, fully resourced office staffed to deliver essential specialised operational expertise for our future properties.
?The centre will reinforce our already compelling management offer to owners, an offer based on more than sixty years? of expertise with world-renowned brands and leading system delivery.
?The centre?s focus will be to drive operational excellence and consistency, freeing up hotel staff to focus on delivering exceptional guest experiences.
?We have already talked about our ambition to have 100 hotels across Russia and the CIS open or in the pipeline by 2020. We will continue to grow in Moscow and St. Petersburg while working with local investors to introduce managed and franchised hotels across the country, wherever there is a need for internationally branded hotels.?
More About the Managed Service Centre
IHG managed service centre for Russia and the CIS will deliver services that are essential to hotel operations but require specialist expertise, including: accounting; reservations; sales and marketing; procurement/purchasing; revenue management; human resources, recruitment and training; IT; quality and compliance engineering.
The group plans to open the centre in March 2013. The centre?s services will be offered to all properties in the group?s pipeline.
IHG in Russia, Commonwealth of Independent States and Georgia
IHG has 13 hotels (3, 894 rooms) open in Russia, with another four hotels (1, 673 rooms) in the pipeline. Throughout the CIS IHG has five hotels (1,099 rooms) and two hotels (455 rooms) in the pipeline, which will open in the next three to five years.