IHG Hotels & Resorts has appointed Wei Manfredi as Senior Vice President – AI and Architecture, strengthening the company’s technology leadership as it advances its digital capabilities across a global portfolio of more than 6,700 hotels.
Manfredi brings over 25 years of experience in enterprise architecture, data systems and artificial intelligence to the role. She joins IHG from McDonald’s, where she served as Vice President of Global Architecture, Data and Generative AI. Her career spans senior technology positions at Google Cloud, where she worked as Chief Architect for Retail and Consumer Packaged Goods, alongside leadership roles at Lululemon, Visa and Nordstrom.
At Lululemon, Manfredi served as Head of Architecture and Senior Director of Data and Integration Platforms from 2017 to 2021, leading strategic planning and multi-year digitalisation roadmaps. Prior to that, she held the position of Chief Systems Architect at Visa, where she oversaw technology evolution and platform development. Her background also includes principal architect roles at Nordstrom and Intellectual Ventures.
In her new position, Manfredi will guide IHG’s AI strategy while strengthening the company’s technical and data architecture. She will also foster partnerships with technology organisations to ensure the company’s approach to innovation remains grounded in operational excellence and data security. The role reports to Jolie Fleming, Chief Product and Technology Officer.
IHG operates 20 hotel brands across more than 100 countries, having surpassed one million open rooms worldwide in August 2025. The company’s portfolio includes luxury and lifestyle brands such as Six Senses, Regent Hotels & Resorts and InterContinental, alongside premium offerings including Crowne Plaza and voco, and essentials brands such as Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express.
The appointment reflects IHG’s continued investment in technology-driven transformation. Recent initiatives include the rollout of a new Revenue Management System across more than 6,700 hotels worldwide and the launch of a Property Management System in over 2,000 properties. The company has also introduced machine translation across more than 20 brands and expanded AI-powered automations in contact centres and guest service operations.
Manfredi has been recognised as a top AI leader for 2026 and named among the 100 most influential AI leaders in America. She holds advisory positions with technology boards and brings franchise-sector expertise that aligns with IHG’s owner-centric operating model.
IHG’s development pipeline includes over 2,200 hotels, representing potential system growth of 34 per cent. The company recorded a record number of room openings in the first half of 2025, adding 207 hotels and signing 324 properties into its pipeline. Key milestones include reaching 4,000 open hotels in the United States and 800 properties in Greater China, where IHG is marking its 50th anniversary in the region.
