Pictured Alexandra Zubko and Sean Hennessey — Photo by ISHC

International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) in partnership with the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) presented the Young Leader award to Alexandra Zubko, Vice President Global Strategy for InterContinental Hotels Group. Jonathan Worsley, conference organizer and Sean Hennessey, ISHC Chairman, presented the award during the 16th annual IHIF conference held in Berlin, Germany on 5 - 7 March 2012.

Lori Raleigh, Executive Director ISHC, noted "this year we had a record number of nominations---including many outstanding candidates with a variety of backgrounds and areas of expertise. We are delighted to recognize Alexandra Zubko, as this year"s most deserving award winner" An elated Zubko sincerely thanked both the IHIF and ISHC for this distinct honor and special recognition.

In its fourth year, the Young Leader Award was created by ISHC, in collaboration with IHIF, to celebrate the excellence of young emerging leaders in the hospitality industry and to reward an outstanding individual with the title of IHIF Young Leader of the Year. The IHIF Young Leader must be 35 years of age or younger, currently work in a hospitality-related field, have completed a significant project for his or her hotel or organization and be recognized by leaders of his or her own hotel or organization as an emerging leader. Candidates must also be based in a European country.The judging panel for the 2012 Young Leader Award included several prominent industry leaders.

 

International Society of Hospitality Consultants (www.ishc.com) is a professional society of leading hospitality industry consultants. Membership is by invitation only and members are required to abide by the ISHC Code of Professional Conduct. Some two hundred members who, collectively, have expertise in over 40 different specialty areas and work experience in 65 countries represent ISHC. A complete listing/directory of members and specialty areas of expertise represented within ISHC is available under "Consultant Search" on the ISHC web site at www.ishc.com.

Questex Media Group LLC (www.Questex.com) is a global, diversified business-to-business integrated media and information provider, headquartered in Newton, MA. Questex serves multiple industries including technology, telecommunications, beauty, spa, travel, hospitality, leisure, home entertainment, landscape design, building services and natural resources through a range of well-established, market-leading publications, events, interactive media, research, information and integrated marketing services. The company's media properties include over 100 print and digital media publications, 45 conferences, tradeshows and events, as well as a range of research, data and information products. The company's businesses are managed through operating companies including Questex Media Group; InfoTrends Inc., Imaging Networks and McLean Events International, Ltd, a world-leading producer of appointment-based events. The company's combined operations include more than 400 employees in offices throughout North America, South America, Asia and Europe.

Bench Events (www.benchevents.com) as organisers of top conferences for the hotel and investment industry, Bench Events is a growing entity which, currently hosts hotel investment conferences in Berlin, Dubai and Moscow in partnership with other leading providers. Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of Bench Events, is one of the organisers and founders of the International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) held each year in Berlin. In 2005, he was responsible for launching the successful Arabian Hotel Investment Conference (AHIC) in Dubai and in October 2008, the Russia & CIS Hotel Investment Conference (RHIC) in Moscow alongside Questex Media. Worsley is also Chairman of Bench Event's sister company, JW Bench, a benchmarking company that has successfully launched the Conference Bench and the Productivity Bench.