Alex Kuhl

Als regionaler SVP of Entwicklung für IHG Hotels & Resorts kümmert er sich um die Verhandlung und Ausführung von markenspezifischen Managementvereinbarungen, Joint Ventures und Franchising-Möglichkeiten für die IHG Hotelsmarke in den USA und Kanada. Mit seiner Fachkompetenz im Luxury & Lifestyle sowie im Premium-Segment verfügt er über fast drei Jahrzehnte Führungserfahrung im Gastgewerbe, u. a. im Aufbau strategischer Partnerschaften und in der Umsetzung wegweisender Geschäfte in Märkten mit hoher Barrierefreiheit. Seit seinem Eintritt bei IHG im April 2003 hat er Rollen mit erhöhter Verantwortung in den Bereichen Entwicklung, Betrieb, Handel sowie Schlussverkauf und Marketing des Unternehmens übernommen. Alex hat sowohl einen BA in Geschichte der Denison University als auch ein Zertifikat in Hotel Real Estate Investment und Asset Management der Cornell University.

Nishant Kumar

Nishant Kumar is the Director of Development for South West Asia at IHG®, responsible for the development and growth of IHG’s brand portfolio across the region.

Nishant has over 18 years of experience in Real Estate, Infrastructure and the hospitality industry. Since joining IHG in 2017, he has been instrumental in expanding IHG’s brand footprint across the South West Asia region. His key signings include the debut of the Staybridge Suites brand in Bengaluru, the ‘Silicon Valley of India’, InterContinental Bengaluru, and relaunching the InterContinental brand in Sri Lanka with the signing of InterContinental Colombo. He also led the signing of a four-hotel portfolio deal under Holiday Inn brand family, which uniquely positions IHG as the first international operator in the Buddhist Circuit of India.

Prior to IHG, Nishant was with Starwood Hotel & Resorts where he was a key member of its i100 plan to induce strong growth momentum for its brands in SWA region.. Before joining Starwood, Nishant was with DLF Limited, where he represented the ownership core team to form the DLF-Hilton joint venture in India, as well as the acquisition of Aman Resorts portfolio in 2007.

Nishant holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, majoring in Finance with a minor in Economics and received his PGDBA from IMT Ghaziabad.

Shi'ai Liang

Shi'ai Liang is the Senior Development Director for South East Asia & Korea at IHG^®, one of the world’s leading hotel companies. She is responsible for the expansion of IHG’s brand portfolio across South East Asia & Korea, particularly in Malaysia, Maldives and Cambodia.

Shi'ai joined IHG with over 14 years of experience in hotel development. Prior to IHG, she was Vice President, Head of Development APAC for Blueground, the world's leading flexible living operator. During her time with Blueground, she signed strategic partnership agreements for Blueground's entry into Japan and Thailand. Before Blueground, she held hotel development roles with Marriott International, Rosewood Hotel Group, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Pan Pacific Hotels Group.

Shi’ai holds a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture degree from the National University of Singapore and a Master of Management in Hospitality from Cornell University, with a concentration in real estate finance.

Alex Mai

Alexa ist verantwortlich für die Festlegung der Strategie, die Planung, die Verhandlung/Ausführung von Hoteldeals sowie das Management des Wachstums und der Expansion aller Hotelmarken für IHG Hotels & Resorts in Lateinamerika und der Karibik. Alexander verfügt über mehr als 25 Jahre praktischer Erfahrung in Hotels, Resorts, Hotelmarkenmanagement, Immobilien und Betrieb. Er hat an Hunderten von Hotelanlagen, Verhandlungen und Hotelleistungen in den USA von Amerika, Lateinamerika und der Karibik mitgewirkt.

Prior to joining IHG, Alex was the Head of Development and Vice President of development for Latin America & Caribbean for Choice Hotels International and Radisson Hotels Group Americas, where he was responsible for the growth of all brands. Alex was also President & Founder of ALBA Hospitality from 2020 to 2022, where he was responsible for strategic asset positioning, management contract negotiations, and hotel real estate transactions. Prior to that, Alex worked for Hilton Hotels Corporation from 2007 to 2020 holding various Management positions in Development, Brand Management for Full & Focused Service, Owners Relations, and Training. In his free time, Alex enjoys exercising outdoors with his wife and Siberian Husky and watching European Soccer matches. 

Miguel Martins

Miguel Martins is the Head of Development for Northern Europe at IHG®, one of the world’s leading hotel companies. He is responsible for leading and developing IHG’s brand portfolio across Northern Europe, covering 17 countries, and identifying new business opportunities.

Miguel and his team work collaboratively with development partners to deliver value for both franchised and managed hotels across luxury, upscale and mainstream brands. In his tenure with IHG, he has since signed over 40 new deals across the Northern Europe region.

With extensive international experience in hotel development and hotel operations, he has been involved in over 20 projects in Europe, including Portugal, Spain and Poland. Prior to joining IHG in 2015, Miguel co-founded Polish Hotel Company, a strategic growth Partner, responsible for the roll out of some of IHG’s most well-known brands in Poland, such as Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Hotel Indigo and Crowne Plaza.

Miguel also worked as a Senior Consultant at an international hotel & asset management company based in Portugal where he was involved on various projects under local and international brands and experienced several functions in hotel operations.

Elena McGarry

Elena McGarry is the Development Manager for DACH at IHG®, one of the world’s leading hotel companies. She is responsible for the development and growth of IHG’s brand portfolio across the DACH region, particularly in Germany and Austria.

Alex Moeckel

Alex Moekel ist Vice President of Entwicklung bei IHG Hotels & Resorts und verantwortlich für das Wachstum der Luxury & Lifestyle und Premium Hotelmarke in den Ostregionen sowie im Mittleren Westen der USA und im Osten Kanadas. Anreisende Herr Moekel kam vor 13Jahren als Entwicklungsmanager für Nordamerika und Lateinamerika zum ersten Mal zu IHG, tätig im Büro in Atlanta. Vor seiner Ankunft bei IHG war er in New York City tätig, wo er in immer verantwortungsvolleren Positionen bei Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Eastdil Secured und Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts aufstieg. Alex absolvierte die University of Delaware School of Hospitality Management und ist derzeit Mitglied des Beirats der University of Delaware Hospitality & Sport Business Management School. Neben der Zeit mit seiner Frau und den zwei Kindern verbringt er gerne Zeit mit Reisen, neuem Essen, Golfen, Skifahren und Surfen. Herr Moekel ist Mitglied des Vorstands von FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education), der landesweit führenden gemeinnützigen Organisation im Bereich Lebensmittelallergien und dem größten privaten Geldgeber von Forschung, Schulung und Lobbyarbeit im Bereich Lebensmittelallergien.

Mudassir Naqib

Mudassir Naqib is the Development Director for South West Asia at IHG®, one of the world’s leading hotel companies. He is responsible for the development and growth of IHG’s brand portfolio across the region.

Elliot Newton

Elliot Newton is the Development Director for UK & Ireland at IHG®, one of the world’s leading hotel companies. He is responsible for growing IHG's development opportunities encompassing luxury, upscale and mainstream opportunities through managed and franchised deal structures in one of IHG’s key global markets.

Prior to joining IHG, he was most recently Development Director for Louvre Hotels Group, where he established the development & asset management strategy for the Group in the UK & Ireland.

Born and raised in Teesside, Elliot studied at Newcastle University before working in a broad spectrum of roles across the hospitality sector. He began his career at Holiday Inn Scotch Corner, with Cairn Hotel Group, before progressing into various corporate office roles at IHG Hotels & Resorts and Hilton.