Marie Richard

Marie Richard is Senior Development Manager 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.

Samuel Richard

Samuel Richard es Gerente de Desarrollo de Negocios en IHG Hotels and Resorts, donde se enfoca en impulsar el crecimiento de la marca IHG en Estados Unidos y Canadá. Con más de una década de experiencia en IHG, anteriormente se desempeñó como Consultor de Calidad y Director Regional de Franquicia Openings.

Sam, un colaborador clave en el lanzamiento de Garner Hotels, jugó un papel decisivo en la exitosa apertura de la primera propiedad en Auburn, WA, en diciembre de 2023. Se destaca en la gestión de proyectos, estrategias de crecimiento y en la construcción de relaciones sólidas con los propietarios del hotel.

Antes de unirse a IHG, Sam trabajó como consultor de calidad en LRA/Deloitte y ocupó varios puestos operativos en Fairmont, Westin y W Hotels. 

Sam tiene un Diploma en Gestión Hotelera del Institut de Tourisme et d'hôtellerie du Québec y una Licenciatura en Administración de Empresas con especialización en Turismo y Gestión Hotelera de la Université du Québec à Montréal.

Sam reside en Cochrane, cerca de Calgary en Alberta, Canadá. En su tiempo libre, a Sam le gusta hacer senderismo y esquí de fondo en las Montañas Rocosas canadienses, además de cocinar, hacer jardinería y viajar.

Misty Roe

Misty Roe supports the development functions for IHG’s upscale brands in the northeast, southeast and midwestern United States. She assists in identifying new development opportunities and retaining existing assets in IHG’s portfolio. Prior to joining IHG, Misty worked on the Franchise Development team at Starwood Hotels and Resorts and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, respectively. In her personal time, Misty enjoys gathering with her family and friends, taking her dog to get fresh air at the park, and lending a helping hand to local animal rescue groups.

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 es gerente senior de desarrollo para Turquía en IHG Hotels & Resorts, una de las compañías hoteleras líderes del mundo. 

En su función, Merve encabeza la expansión de las diversas marcas cartera de IHG en todo el país, incluidas oportunidades de lujo, de alta gama y convencionales a través de estructuras de acuerdos administrados y de franquicia. 

Con más de 15 años de amplia experiencia en hotelería, Merve ha ocupado varios puestos de liderazgo operativo en marcas de renombre mundial como Marriott, Shangri-La, Raffles y Accor. En la oficina central de Accor en Turquía, desempeñó un papel fundamental en la supervisión de los estándares operativos a nivel nacional, al tiempo que brindó un apoyo significativo a las iniciativas de desarrollo del grupo. 

Merve tiene una licenciatura de la prestigiosa Universidad Hacettepe y perfeccionó su experiencia en marketing a través de estudios en Oxford.  

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.

Deepshikha Sinha

Deepshikha Sinha apoya el desarrollo de la marca Luxury & Lifestyle & Premium de IHG en las regiones del noreste de EE. UU. Ha trabajado en IHG desde 2018, contribuyendo inicialmente al equipo de Análisis de Inversiones antes de pasar al equipo de desarrollo en 2021.

Antes de unirse a IHG, Deepshikha se desempeñó como gerente sénior de análisis de viabilidad e inversión para Jumeirah Group, donde dirigió diversos proyectos que iban desde el desarrollo de activos individuales hasta complejos turísticos de uso mixto e integrados. Su extensa carrera la ha llevado a trabajar en proyectos hoteleros en cinco continentes y residir en más de 18 ciudades diferentes, lo que le proporciona una comprensión amplia y matizada de los mercados hoteleros globales.

Deepshikha tiene una Maestría en Administración en Hotelería (MMH) con un enfoque en finanzas e inversiones inmobiliarias de la Universidad de Cornell. Habla con fluidez inglés e hindi y, en su tiempo libre, disfruta de emprender viajes por carretera para explorar nuevos destinos.

Stacy Soffer

Stacy is Director of Development for Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants where she focuses on the growth and retention of Kimpton’s portfolio through sourcing, evaluating, and securing new franchise and management opportunities in the US, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Prior to joining Kimpton, Stacy was Director of Feasibility and Development Planning at Marriott International where she led hotel underwriting and business intelligence to support new hotel development, conversions, and renovation/repositioning opportunities. Stacy started her hospitality career at Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide where she took on increased responsibilities over her tenure at the company, including roles on the Global Development Team as well as serving as Associate Director of North America Feasibility, Development and Investment Analysis. Stacy holds a bachelor’s degree from the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics at the University of Delaware. Stacy lives in Connecticut with her husband and two young sons. In her free time Stacy enjoys, being outdoors, hiking, gardening, and visiting the beach.

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.