Head of Brands Luxury & Lifestyle EMEAA

Head of Luxury & Lifestyle Brands, EMEAA

Regional brand strategy and stewardship  |  UK-based, Windsor HQ

This is a role for a brand leader who believes luxury only matters when it feels relevant, alive and genuinely human, everywhere it shows up, and who can turn that belief into commercial results across a diverse region.

We are seeking a Head of Luxury & Lifestyle Brands for EMEAA to shape how IHG's celebrated brands come to life across one of the world's most diverse, dynamic and opportunity rich regions.

Reporting to the VP Global Luxury Brands, this is a brand strategy and stewardship role, and the regional guardian of our luxury and lifestyle brands. You will be accountable for how they are positioned, how their equity is built and protected, and how they perform commercially, translating our global brand promises into powerful, locally resonant experiences, market by market, hotel by hotel, guest by guest.

Why this role matters

Across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, luxury means different things. Guest expectations shift. Owner needs evolve. Markets mature at different speeds. Your role is to ensure IHG's luxury and lifestyle brands remain distinct, relevant and consistently exceptional wherever they operate, without losing what makes each brand special, and to do so in a way that grows equity and returns.

This is where global ambition meets regional truth. You will lead regional brand strategy and delivery, working within global brand frameworks while shaping the localisation, innovation and execution models that truly work for EMEAA. In doing so, you will influence the future direction of our brands, drawn from lived market experience rather than theory.

What you will lead

Bringing global brands to life locally

• Shape and lead regional brand strategies that honour global intent while embracing local culture, guest expectations and operating realities

• Ensure our brands are clearly differentiated and compelling across markets at very different stages of growth

Driving performance through brand

• Translate brand strategy into commercial outcomes, driving topline growth, guest satisfaction, brand equity and owner returns

• Use insight, data and instinct to continuously sharpen positioning and performance

Embedding brands in the field

• Partner deeply with Operations, Commercial, Development and New Hotel Openings to ensure brand strategies are executable, adopted and lived

• Champion quality and consistency, ensuring brands are felt in the guest experience, not just expressed in guidelines

Innovation with impact

• Lead the regional innovation agenda, localising, piloting and rolling out brand hallmarks, products and service experiences

• Measure what matters, tracking the real commercial and experiential impact of innovation

A powerful global partnership

• Act as a trusted EMEAA counterpart to Global Brand Heads, feeding regional insight into global strategy and ensuring global priorities land with clarity and conviction in the region

• Help shape the evolution of our brands by bringing the voice of EMEAA to the table

Leading people, not just plans

• Build and inspire a high performing regional brand team

• Create a culture where ambition, creativity and accountability coexist

• Develop future brand leaders who balance craft with commerciality

What you bring

• Senior brand leadership experience gained within luxury or premium hospitality, luxury goods, fashion, or premium travel and experiences. 

• A track record of owning brand positioning, differentiation and equity across a portfolio of brands and multiple markets, rather than communications for a single brand

• Strong commercial and financial acumen, with genuine credibility in front of owners and senior stakeholders

• A proven ability to turn brand strategy into real-world delivery across markets at different stages of maturity

• Deep understanding of brand equity, how it is built, protected and measured over time

• Experience thriving in complex, matrixed organisations, balancing global consistency with regional relevance

• International leadership experience, ideally having lived and worked across multiple geographies

• A leadership style that is confident, inclusive and inspiring, with the presence to influence at the highest levels

The opportunity

The brands you help lead are experienced by millions of guests across EMEAA every year. The strategies you shape will influence how those brands grow, perform and remain meaningful for years to come.

If you are energised by brand truth, disciplined localisation and leadership at scale, this is a rare opportunity to leave a lasting mark on some of the world's most admired hospitality brands.

Closing date for applications Friday 10th July 2026

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