InterContinental Hotels Group, the world’s most global hotel company and largest by
number of rooms, announced today appointments of the executive
committee at the $115 million InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta, the
company’s flagship property scheduled to open in November 2004.
The new executive committee is comprised of the following hospitality
industry veterans:  Simon Antoine - director of Food & Beverage; Pascal
Forotti - executive assistant manager; Debbie Grant ? director of Sales and
Marketing; Laura Hamilton ? director of Human Resources; Patrick Kelly -
financial controller; Jerry Maon - rooms division manager; Bixente Pery -
executive chef; Yolima Rodriguez - executive housekeeper; and William
Romero - chief engineer.

“I am delighted to have such an outstanding executive team in place in
preparation for the hotel’s opening in November,” said Ronen Nissenbaum,
general manager of the new InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta.  “The
expertise, attitude and service culture of this team will have a significant
impact on both the guest experience and the Buckhead community overall.”

As director of Food and Beverage, Antoine will oversee the 160-seat Au
Pied De Cochon restaurant and all other food and beverage outlets. He will
also be responsible for the operations of the largest five-star conference and
banqueting facility in Atlanta. With nearly 20 years experience in the
hospitality industry, Antoine has managed Food & Beverage departments at
InterContinental hotels in London and the Abidjan Ivory Coast, as well as
Novotel hotels in New York and Great Britain.  Antoine is a member of the
following French professional organizations: Chevalier of the Cheese Master
of France, Maitre de Table Restaurant and Baillie Delegue of the “Chaine des
Rotisseurs” and Town Member of the Reunion des Gastronomes.

Forotti has been with InterContinental Hotels Group since 1992, and began
his career with the company as assistant night manager at the
InterContinental Luxembourg.  Later, Forotti took on roles of increasing
responsibility with InterContinental hotels in London, Amsterdam,
Washington, D.C. and New York, where he was selected as a member of the
pre-opening team. Forotti has extensive experience in operations and
speaks fluently in four languages.  In his new role as executive assistant
manager, he will oversee the day-to-day operations, quality and standards
for the new five-star hotel.

Grant, a 20-year veteran in the hospitality industry, has been with
InterContinental Hotels Group since 1996. Grant has extensive experience
in the areas of sales and marketing.  In her new role with the
InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta, Grant oversees sales, catering and
reservations, as well as advertising and marketing for the new hotel.

Hamilton will oversee human resources for the 300 employees who will work
at the hotel, including hiring, compensation, training, benefits and other
personnel-related issues. Most recently with the Windsor Court Hotel-New
Orleans, Hamilton served as director of Human Resources and before that;
she worked in Human Resources with the Four Seasons Hotel, Atlanta as
well as with the Ritz Carlton. Hamilton has more than 15 years? experience
in the hospitality industry with a strong hotel operations background.

Kelly has nearly 25 years experience in hospitality finance.  As financial
controller, he will oversee the property?s finances including accounts
receivable, asset management and profit improvement.  Kelly built his
hospitality finance career working with Marriott International at locations
throughout the U.S. and the Caribbean. Most recently, Kelly served as
director of financial analysis with Kerzner International.

Maon joined InterContinental Hotels Group in 1995 and in 2002 was
named “Best of the Best Front Office Manager” by the company. With nearly
ten years experience in the hospitality industry, Maon joins the
InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta as rooms division manager and will
oversee operations for all hotel rooms, the housekeeping department and
the front office.  Most recently, Maon served as receptions manager at the
InterContinental Chicago. He has also been involved in the the pre-
openings of InterContinental hotels in Cleveland and Houston.

As executive chef, Pery is responsible for managing the hotel’s four
kitchens, including its notable Kosher Kitchen. Pery will oversee menu
development and cuisine preparation, as well as handle the purchasing of
the highest quality food products available. Pery has more than 17 years
experience as a chef in the hospitality industry. He has prepared meals for a
diverse group of world leaders at InterContinental hotels around the world
including President Bush Senior, Vice President Dick Cheney, Governor
John Kerry, the Crown Prince of Arabia, Queen Sofia of Spain and presidents
of China, Nicaragua, Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Santo Domingo
Republic and Eqypt.

Rodriguez, a 24-year veteran in hospitality housekeeping will oversee all
aspects of the housekeeping department for the 422-room hotel. Rodriguez
has worked at InterContinental hotels in Colombia, Panama City, Puerto
Rico and Guatemala, where under her leadership, the hotel?s housekeeping
department earned the highest score in guest satisfaction in Central
America for two consecutive years. Most recently, Rodriquez was executive
housekeeper at the Crowne Plaza Medical Center ?Houston.

As chief engineer, Romero will oversee all technical operations for the 21-
story high rise. Romero joined InterContinental Hotels Group in 1990 as
chief engineer at the InterContinental Medellin-Colombia. Later, he served
as chief engineer at InterContinental hotels in Cartagena, Colombia,
Venezuela, Panama, Puerto Rico and most recently, with the Crowne Plaza
Royal Palm-Miami.

The InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta is located in the heart of the
Buckhead community on Peachtree Road. The 21-story high-rise will
include 401 guest rooms, 21 suites and the largest ballroom space of any
five-star hotel in the city.

The hotel, which will be seen as a “grand dame” on historic Peachtree Road,
is designed to capture InterContinental?s vision of a gracious contemporary
hotel that expresses the character, ambiance and indigenous spirit of
Atlanta. An interior garden courtyard, which can be viewed from all public
areas of the hotel, will create an oasis of calm in a vibrant urban setting. The
architecture and interior design offer architectural imagery that is forward-
looking, yet respectful of Atlanta’s past.

Hotel amenities will include:
- Generous, covered port cochere entry with fountain to anchor hotel site on
the corner of Peachtree Road and Highland Drive
- Three-story elliptical lobby and lounge area
- 55,000 sq. of meeting and function space, 31,000 sq. ft. of meeting space,
matching the largest meeting space of any five-star hotel in Atlanta. This
includes a unique to Atlanta, 24,000 sq. ft. central garden area.
- 12,000 sq. ft. ballroom is the largest of all the five-star hotels in Atlanta,
the largest in Buckhead and can accommodate approximately 950 people
for seated dinners and 1,500 theater style
- 6,185 sq. ft. junior ballroom will serve Atlanta?s social market
- 160-seat restaurant and bar with exterior terrace along Peachtree Road,
encompasses fine and casual dining
- Day spa
- Health club facilities
- Outdoor pool and lounge area
- The only hotel in Buckhead where all rooms will have four-fixture
bathrooms—separate stall shower and garden tub in each guest bathroom.
- 500 covered parking spaces
- Kosher Kitchen
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