Here's a name to remember for London-bound travelers: Alvaro Rey will become the area general manager for InterContinental Hotels in London.
He will also continue as General Manager of InterContinental London Park Lane and now also oversee InterContinental London Westminster. (Why the dual role? We hear the new position has been designed to create a greater alignment between InterContinental Hotels in London further develop the InterContinental brand in the capital.)
Rey trained at the Ecole Hôtelière Les Roches in Switzerland. In 1984, he began his career at InterContinental Medellin in his native country of Colombia and has remained with the company ever since. During his time with InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, Rey has worked across departments throughout North and South America, Middle East, Australia and Europe.
Related: InterContinental Hotels and the Definition of Luxury
In 2009, Rey became General Manager at IHG's flagship hotel, the InterContinental London Park Lane. His sustainable approach to business, which rewards staffing development and community involvement, has increased RevPAR and reduced staff turnover. Last year, Rey was honored with the award for Best General Manager (upscale/luxury) at the Worldwide Hospitality Awards.
InterContinental London Westminster, meanwhile, opened in November 2012 and was recently crowned at the Business Traveller Awards 2013 as Best New Business Hotel in the World.