Diago, a 27-year veteran of Inter-Continental, will oversee the integration and day-to-day operations of the 26 Inter-Continentals and Crowne Plazas in Latin America. In his role as President he is also responsible for owning company relationships, operations, and product quality.

"The integration of Inter-Continental and Crowne Plaza will enable us to dominate the upscale market in Latin America well into the new millennium," says J.T. Kuhlman. "Alvaro understands Latin America as well as any executive I've ever met. I'm confident in his ability to position this new upscale division and its two distinct brands."

Most recently Senior Vice President Latin America for Inter-Continental Hotels and Resorts, Diago has overseen dramatic growth in the region during his tenure. He was responsible for the recent joint venture with Camino Real Hotels in Central America and a joint venture with Brascan in Brazil, in addition to the recent takeover of the new Inter-Continental in Santiago, Chile, with another four hotels under construction.

"I look forward to the challenge of developing two readily identified and successful upscale brands in Latin America," adds Diago. "With Inter- Continental at the top of the upscale market and Crowne Plaza positioned as the value brand in the same market, we see numerous synergistic opportunities to the benefit of both companies, and more importantly, to the benefit of our guests."

A native of Cartagena, Colombia, Diago has served Inter-Continental in various managerial positions in Latin America, Europe and the United States. Educated in the United States, he is a graduate in hotel management of Miami- Dade Community College. He was twice awarded by the company with the Scholar of the Year Program, attending business studies at Cornell and Columbia University. He is fluent in English, Portuguese and Spanish, and resides in Miami with his wife, Carmen, and two children, Roberto and Carolina.

Bass Hotels Resorts, the hotel business of Bass PLC of the United Kingdom, operates or franchises more than 2,600 hotels and 450,000 guest rooms in more than 90 countries and territories. The recent acquisition of Inter- Continental Hotels Resorts vaulted the company into a five-star upscale market offering a variety of first-class hotels in major markets around the world.