IHG Hotels & Resorts Chief Development Officer for the Americas region Julienne Smith has departed, the company confirmed to Hotel Dive Wednesday.
Smith held the CDO title for roughly six years after joining IHG in 2019, according to her LinkedIn profile. She previously held development leadership roles at Hyatt and Marriott International.
“Unfortunately, Julienne has decided to pursue an opportunity outside of IHG, and we wish her well in her future endeavors,” a company spokesperson said in a statement. The spokesperson declined to share additional details about a possible successor.
At the beginning of 2025, Smith told Hotel Dive the luxury and lifestyle segment in the Americas would “remain ripe with potential, as owners and developers recognize the value of shifting to higher chain scales.”
IHG has recently focused on growth in that segment, expanding its Kimpton brand last month and bringing its Ruby flag to the U.S. in September.
In the third quarter, IHG’s RevPAR for the Americas region was down 0.9% year over year, with the metric falling 1.6% in the U.S. specifically.
During earnings, the company also announced the launch of an as-yet-unnamed upscale to upper upscale collection brand that will come to market in the coming months, initially focused on the Europe, Middle East, Asia and Africa region.
