Mitchell Salaman

Mitchell Salaman serves as the Regional Vice President of Franchise Sales and Development for the Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions. He leads a dedicated team focused on advancing IHG’s development efforts for brands such as Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn, avid hotels, Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites, and Atwell Suites.

Mitchell joined IHG in 2016, bringing with him over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Prior to his tenure at IHG, he held various roles at Starwood Hotels and Resorts, including nine years in Global and North America Development. At Starwood, Mitchell was instrumental in managing and securing both Managed and Franchise deals across all of the company's brands. His career began as a management consultant in the Financial Services and Insurance industry.

Mitchell holds an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business, with specializations in Finance, Accounting, and Information Systems, and a BS in Business Administration from the University of Vermont. Based in Westchester, New York, Mitchell enjoys traveling, skiing, and biking in his spare time.

Abhijay Sandilya

Abhijay Sandilya is Managing Director - Japan at IHG®, one of the world’s leading hotel companies. He is responsible for the company’s strategic growth, performance and operations in Japan.

Prior to taking on this role in October 2021, Abhijay spent nearly 6 years with IHG in Australia where he most recently led IHG’s Development team as VP Development - Japan, Australasia, Pacific. Together with his team in Sydney and Tokyo, he was responsible for IHG’s biggest years of signings and openings on record in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, New Caledonia and Micronesia – signing almost 60 deals and reshaping the JAPAC region from 60 operating hotels in 2016 to more than 140 open and pipeline hotels today.

Key signings in his time with IHG have included the Appi Kogen portfolio, IHG’s biggest conversion deal in more than a decade in Japan, the first voco and Vignette Collection hotels globally, and market entries for Hotel Indigo, Kimpton and Regent.

Prior to his time at IHG, Abhijay worked for Whitbread PLC and the Jumeirah Group in Singapore and Dubai holding key leadership positions working on hotel real estate acquisitions for the groups working across markets in the Middle East, Africa and the Asia Pacific regions.

Abhijay has lived and worked in eight countries and holds a Master’s degree from Erasmus University’s Rotterdam School of Management.

Amy Schimmel

Amy Schimmel directs development for IHG’s mainstream brands in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.  Amy has 28 years of experience in the hotel industry, with five years of prior experience working with IHG, initially as a Senior Regional Manager of Property Improvements and then joining the Franchise Development team as a Business Development Manager where she helped grow IHG’s brand presence in the Western United States. She then advanced her franchise sales skills as Regional Director of Franchise Sales with Wyndham Hotel & Resorts, responsible for selling their full-service brands in the Central U.S.  Most recently, she was Regional Director of Franchise Sales with Best Western where she sold their extended stay brands for the entire Western U.S.  Amy has rejoined the IHG Development team and is excited to take on her role as Regional Director for the Mountain States.  She and her family call Colorado home.

Kevin Schramm

Kevin leads the team focused on increasing distribution of IHG’s mainstream brands throughout the United States and Canada. Prior to joining IHG, he was Vice President, Real Estate and Development, for Hyatt Corporation, where he oversaw development and franchising for Hyatt’s select service and extended stay brands in 17 states and Canada. Previously, he was Senior Director of Franchising for Wyndham Worldwide. Earlier in his career, he was managing partner of a restaurant/bar concept in Houston, Texas. Kevin attended the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, where he majored in finance and played baseball. Outside the office, he enjoys living in California—surfing, golfing, biking, and just being at the beach.

David Self

David works closely with hotel owners to expand the footprint of IHG’s Essentials & Suites Brands across Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Prior to joining IHG, he spent nearly 15 years in Franchise Development for Choice Hotels International in the Upper Midwest, Texas, and Southeast Regions. David holds a BA in Business & Economics from Wheaton College, near Chicago. Outside the office, he's always ready for a pickup basketball game and enjoys hunting for his next favorite band. Above all, he adores spending time with his family.

Alex Shamsuddin

Justin Shapiro

Justin Shapiro is the Director of Mainstream Development for IHG, overseeing projects in New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and Washington D.C. In his role, Justin spearheads development efforts for IHG’s mainstream brands, including Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn, avid hotels, Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites, Garner, and Atwell Suites.

Since joining IHG in 2023, Justin has leveraged his robust background in technology from working with fintech startups and prior experience as a consultant with Cognizant. His previous role with IHG as Business Development Manager has positioned him as a pivotal player in IHG’s expansion and growth within these key markets.

Justin holds a bachelor’s degree from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland and earned his MBA from Emory University's Goizueta Business School in 2019.

Based in New York City, Justin is an avid traveler and enjoys skiing and golf in his leisure time. His diverse professional background and passion for hospitality make him a dynamic leader in the industry.

Elizabeth Shults

Elizabeth supports the development of IHG’s Mainstream brands and growth activities for the Midwest. Elizabeth holds a degree in Communications and Entrepreneurship from the University of Michigan and currently lives in Chicago. She loves traveling, being active, cooking, trying new restaurants, and all things Michigan and Detroit sports.

Andrzej Szymczyk

Andrzej Szymczyk is Development Director for Poland & Eastern Europe at IHG®, one of the world’s leading hotel companies. He is responsible for leading and growing IHG’s portfolio through franchise and management agreements.

Andrzej has over 15 years of extensive international experience in the hospitality industry across various hotel departments, especially in large hotel groups as well as independent hotels covering a large variety of property types. He is well positioned to help owners optimise their asset and recommending the most appropriate brand and design solutions for their properties.