Andy Cosslett
Encyclopedia
Andrew Cosslett (born April 1955, in Manchester
, UK) was the Chief Executive Officer
of InterContinental Hotels Group
(IHG).
Cosslett was born in Manchester in 1955 and was awarded a BA
(Econ) Hons in Economics
and an MA
degree in European Studies
from the University of Manchester
. He began his business career in 1979 as a graduate trainee selling Walls
ice cream and spent 11 years with Unilever
becoming a marketing director before joining Cadbury Schweppes
in 1990. He then spent 14 years at Cadbury Schweppes in a number of senior roles, including Chairman, Cadbury Schweppes Australia
; CEO of the Asia Pacific confectionery
business; Managing Director, Great Britain
& Ireland
; and President
, Europe
, Middle East
and Africa
.
Cosslett joined InterContinental Hotels Group
as Chief Executive Officer in 2005. As CEO of IHG, he oversaw the launching of the midmarket boutique hotel brand Hotel Indigo
, and a focus on further expansion into the Chinese market. An additional change includes IHG selling most of the hotels the company owned and reaffirming their business model as mainly a manager and franchisor of hotels. During the late 2000s, he oversaw a $1bn (£603m), four-year relaunch of the Holiday Inn franchise.
Cosslett is a Board member of the World Travel and Tourism Council
(WTTC), a member of the Presidents Council of the Confederation of British Industry
(CBI) and a Board member of the International Tourism Partnership.
He is married with two teenage children.
Cosslett stood down as the CEO on the 16th of March 2011 stating that he has been considering his situation for quite a while: “I’m into my seventh year, but it does feel like the right time to hand over the reins. ... The business is in great shape, and that really helps my exit.”
CNN – 16 October 2008
Hotels ride out financial storm
CNN - 8 October 2008
Interview with Andy Cosslett
Bloomberg - 12 August 2008
Interview with Andy Cosslett
CNBC - 7 May 2008
Interview with Andy Cosslett
CNBC -19 February 2008
Interview with Andy Cosslett
CNBC - 14 August 2007
Interview with Andy Cosslett
Bloomberg - 14 May 2007
Interview with Andy Cosslett
CNBC - 28 March 2007
Interview with Andy Cosslett
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, UK) was the Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of InterContinental Hotels Group
InterContinental Hotels Group
InterContinental Hotels Group plc is a global hotels company headquartered in Denham, United Kingdom. It is the largest hotels company in the world measured by rooms , and has over 4,500 hotels across over 100 countries...
(IHG).
Cosslett was born in Manchester in 1955 and was awarded a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(Econ) Hons in Economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
and an MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in European Studies
European studies
European studies is a field of study offered by many academic colleges and universities that focuses on current developments in European integration....
from the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
. He began his business career in 1979 as a graduate trainee selling Walls
Walls
- Other uses :*Wall's , a company that makes ice cream*Wall's sausages, a British sausage brand*Walls, an episode of Power Rangers S.P.D.- Music :*Walls EP, a 2005 album by The Red Paintings*Walls , 2007...
ice cream and spent 11 years with Unilever
Unilever
Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
becoming a marketing director before joining Cadbury Schweppes
Cadbury Schweppes
Cadbury is a confectionery company owned by Kraft Foods and is the industry's second-largest globally after Mars, Incorporated. Headquartered in Uxbridge, London, United Kingdom, the company operates in more than 50 countries worldwide....
in 1990. He then spent 14 years at Cadbury Schweppes in a number of senior roles, including Chairman, Cadbury Schweppes Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
; CEO of the Asia Pacific confectionery
Confectionery
Confectionery is the set of food items that are rich in sugar, any one or type of which is called a confection. Modern usage may include substances rich in artificial sweeteners as well...
business; Managing Director, Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
& Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
; and President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
.
Cosslett joined InterContinental Hotels Group
InterContinental Hotels Group
InterContinental Hotels Group plc is a global hotels company headquartered in Denham, United Kingdom. It is the largest hotels company in the world measured by rooms , and has over 4,500 hotels across over 100 countries...
as Chief Executive Officer in 2005. As CEO of IHG, he oversaw the launching of the midmarket boutique hotel brand Hotel Indigo
Hotel Indigo
Hotel Indigo is a chain of boutique hotels, part of the InterContinental Hotels Group. It is promoted as being "the industry’s first branded boutique hotel experience." The concept includes a retail-inspired design concept with changes throughout the year. Guestrooms feature murals, area rugs,...
, and a focus on further expansion into the Chinese market. An additional change includes IHG selling most of the hotels the company owned and reaffirming their business model as mainly a manager and franchisor of hotels. During the late 2000s, he oversaw a $1bn (£603m), four-year relaunch of the Holiday Inn franchise.
Cosslett is a Board member of the World Travel and Tourism Council
World Travel and Tourism Council
The World Travel & Tourism Council was conceptualized in the early 1980s when a group of CEOs came to the realization that although Travel & Tourism was the largest service industry in the world and the biggest provider of jobs, nobody knew it...
(WTTC), a member of the Presidents Council of the Confederation of British Industry
Confederation of British Industry
The Confederation of British Industry is a British not for profit organisation incorporated by Royal charter which promotes the interests of its members, some 200,000 British businesses, a figure which includes some 80% of FTSE 100 companies and around 50% of FTSE 350 companies.-Role:The CBI works...
(CBI) and a Board member of the International Tourism Partnership.
He is married with two teenage children.
Cosslett stood down as the CEO on the 16th of March 2011 stating that he has been considering his situation for quite a while: “I’m into my seventh year, but it does feel like the right time to hand over the reins. ... The business is in great shape, and that really helps my exit.”
Media coverage
VideosCNN – 16 October 2008
Hotels ride out financial storm
CNN - 8 October 2008
Interview with Andy Cosslett
Bloomberg - 12 August 2008
Interview with Andy Cosslett
CNBC - 7 May 2008
Interview with Andy Cosslett
CNBC -19 February 2008
Interview with Andy Cosslett
CNBC - 14 August 2007
Interview with Andy Cosslett
Bloomberg - 14 May 2007
Interview with Andy Cosslett
CNBC - 28 March 2007
Interview with Andy Cosslett