InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has appointed Ruwan Peiris as Regional General Manager for New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and Victoria. In his new role, Ruwan will be responsible for the management of thirteen IHG hotels, the National Convention Centre Canberra and Parliament House Catering by IHG.

Ruwan, who holds an Associate Diploma in Hotel Management, joins IHG with over 20 years of experience in Australia’s hospitality industry. He was most recently Area General Manager with Accor Hotels, where he was responsible for the operational performance of hotels across New South Wales, the ACT and the company’s properties in Darling Harbour. During that time Ruwan also played a key role in integrating Mirvac Hotels & Resorts into the group whilst driving the company’s reputational growth on a national level.

Having started his career overseeing food and beverage (F&B) operations, Ruwan’s experience in F&B comes at a strategic time for IHG which is focused on enhancing dining experiences for its guests and customers.

Karin Sheppard, Chief Operating Officer, Australasia, Japan & Korea, and Franchising for AMEA, said: “Ruwan has a stellar reputation in the industry as an engaging and authentic leader who delivers outstanding operational performance and prides himself on developing strong owner relationships. We’re thrilled Ruwan is joining our Australasia team – he is one of the first new leadership hires I’ve made since taking on the role of Chief Operating Officer and I know he will be a key part of IHG’s story in the market going forward.”

Commenting on his appointment, Ruwan said: “IHG has had a consistently strong presence in Australia over the years and I’ve always admired their culture and people ethos, so I’m delighted to be joining the company. With an even stronger leadership team under Karin in her new COO role, and the renewed focus on delivering growth here, the company is well positioned to capitalise on the opportunities in this market. I’m confident we will be able to continue the strong focus IHG have on market leading brands and systems, delivering higher quality growth and returns to our owners – and I look forward to being a part of that.”

Ruwan will sit on the IHG Australasia leadership team, alongside Joerg Boeckeler, Area General Manager for InterContinental Sydney and InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort, who also reports directly to Karin Sheppard.