James Oh

James Oh is Development Director for South East Asia & Korea at IHG®, one of the world’s leading hotel companies. Based in Seoul, James is responsible for the strategic growth of IHG brands in Korea. 

James brings 14 years of experience in real estate and hospitality industry, in various roles in some of the largest real estate asset management firms in Korea, from investments to ownership and asset management of hotels. With his knowledge and experience in hotel ownership companies, James has a strong understanding of the needs of hotel owners and is well versed to provide creative investment structures to drive successful outcomes.

Prior to joining IHG, he was Investment Director for Aju Hotels & Resorts, where he successfully led an acquisition of four hotels in the U.S. with diversified structures. Prior to Aju, James was the Head of Hotel Investment at Mirae Asset Global Investments where he led multi-billion dollar hotel investment deals and handled the firm's hotel group strategies. Before joining Mirae, he was with IGIS AMC where he spearheaded outbound commercial real estate investments.

James also held various roles in hotel brokerage and consultancy. He was previously the Country Representative for Hodges Ward Elliott, where he led the firm’s brokerage business development in Asia, and provided tailored solutions for investors hotel acquisitions.

James holds a Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management from New York University and is a registered fund manager in the Republic of Korea.

Nicolas Petrone

Nicolas Petrone implements the long-term franchise distribution strategy for IHG’s mainstream brands in North Carolina, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Virginia. His responsibilities include driving the strategic placement of new-build and conversion hotels, maximizing the quality and scale of each property, and forging strong relationships with franchisees in these markets.

Prior to joining IHG, Nicolas developed his hotel industry expertise over more than a decade as Director of Franchise Development for Choice Hotels and Director of Franchise Development for Wyndham Hotels and Resorts. His extensive experience in franchise development has equipped him with a keen understanding of market dynamics and strategic growth.

Outside of work, Nicolas seeks excitement through travel, boating, and spending quality time with his family.

Maurizio Piedra

Maurizio is the Development Director for the Caribbean and Latin America, responsible for executing the growth strategy of all brands across this region. He started his career in hotel investment sales and later transitioned into an asset management role, responsible for a portfolio of 11 hotels across the United States with all major hotel brands. In his previous roles, he successfully developed the real estate growth strategy for other international brands, like Sonder and Hilton, in Florida and the Caribbean. Maurizio is originally from Peru and is an economist by profession. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his friends, discovering the culinary scene of the places he visits, and going for morning runs.

Fabrizio Piolanti

Fabrizio Piolanti is Director Development for Italy at IHG^®, one of the world’s leading hotel companies. He is responsible for the expansion of IHG’s brand portfolio in Italy.

Fabrizio boasts an extensive knowledge of the Italian market with over 15 years of experience in corporate roles, operations, and consulting. Prior to IHG, he was Development Director at Marriott International and has executed both limited and premium brands projects, in urban and resort destinations. He also gained experience in EY’s and JLL’s Hospitality teams in Milan, where he led multiple operator selection processes, valuations, feasibility studies and transaction assignments.

Fabrizio holds a master’s degree in Tourism economics from Bocconi University in Milan.

 

Lindsey Powers

Lindsey Powers is the Director of Franchise Development for IHG across Oklahoma and Northern Texas. In her role, Lindsey steers development efforts for IHG’s seven mainstream brands: Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn, avid hotels, Staybridge Suites, Candlewood Suites, Garner, and Atwell Suites. Since joining IHG in 2022, Lindsey has supported hotel developers across the Western and Central U.S., helping them expand into new brands and geographies with her relationship-driven approach to franchise growth.

Before IHG, she worked in the staffing industry, helping organizations address critical workforce needs, and gained experience in residential real estate while working at Berkshire Hathaway, where she developed a strong foundation in client relations and market analysis. Lindsey holds a degree in Business Administration from Eastern Illinois University, where she played volleyball. Now based in Austin, Texas, Lindsey enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants, and cheering on the Purdue Boilermakers.

Marie Richard

Marie Richard is Director, Development Portfolios & Luxury COE for Portfolios and Strategic Alliances in Europe at IHG®, one of the world’s leading hotel companies. Marie’s pan-European role is responsible for developing all IHG’s brands in collaboration with IHG regional developers for any portfolio deals and strategic alliances, including multi-country development partnerships or complex luxury deals.

Prior to IHG, Marie worked for Jin Jiang / Louvre Hotels Group for seven years where she had a progressive career from an International Development Analyst to Asset & Investment Manager and was most recently an M&A Manager, where she worked on several portfolio acquisitions for the group in Europe and Brazil. She was also in charge of International Operations for South America and India, in coordination with local operational offices.

Marie is an Honours graduate of HEC Paris Business School in France where she followed a Master in Management in Corporate Finance.

Philip Ryan

Philip Ryan is Director of Development for Japan and Director of Capital Investments & Transactions for Asia Pacific. Based in Tokyo, he is responsible for working with hotel investors and owners on new hotels and conversions and executing IHG’s strategic growth in Japan and the region.

Merve Sakaoglu

Merve Sakaoglu is the Senior Development Manager for Türkiye at IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world’s leading hotel companies. 

In her role, Merve spearheads the expansion of IHG’s diverse brand portfolio across the country, including luxury, upscale, and mainstream opportunities through managed and franchised deal structures. 

With over 15 years of extensive hospitality experience, Merve has held various operational leadership positions at globally renowned brands such as Marriott, Shangri-La, Raffles, and Accor. At Accor’s Türkiye Head Office, she played a pivotal role in overseeing operational standards nationwide while providing significant support for the group’s development initiatives. 

Merve holds a bachelor’s degree from the prestigious Hacettepe University and further honed her expertise in Marketing through studies at Oxford.  

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, Northeast and Canada 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, Atwell Suites, and Garner.

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.