InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has appointed former McDonald’s chief marketing officer, Larry Light, as global chief brands officer.

Reporting directly to chief executive Richard Solomons, the hiring of Light builds on the company’s strategy of developing and nurturing a powerful portfolio of preferred brands.

IHG operates brands including; Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, Hotel Indigo, Crowne Plaza, InterContinental, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites.

Larry Light is one of the world’s leading brand consultants and author of the book ‘Six Rules for Brand Revitalisation’. 

He served as global chief marketing officer for McDonald’s during 2002-2005, crucial years in the brand’s marketing turnaround and as chief executive of Arcature LLC, a brand management consultancy.

Larry has also worked with other high profile organisations including Mars, Nissan, 3M and IBM.

Solomons said: “I am delighted to welcome Larry to our senior leadership team and look forward to working with him.

“One of our strategic priorities is to develop our brands and Larry’s wealth of experience and brand expertise will help us build a stronger platform for future growth.”

The arrival of Larry Light to the senior management team at IHG coincides with two major milestones in brand development for the company.

Both EVEN Hotels and HUALUXE Hotels & Resorts launched in the first quarter of 2012 – examples of IHG’s strength in creating new brands based on unparalleled consumer insights and understanding.

Light explained: “It is an exciting time for IHG as the portfolio has already grown from seven to nine brands with the launch of EVEN and HUALUXE in the first quarter of 2012.

“I am very familiar with the franchise model that IHG operates and I look forward to working with the talented leadership team to deliver the best brand experience for our guests and better returns for our owners.”