Hilton Int'l To Retool With New CEO

Hilton Group plc this week announced that Black & Decker executive Ian Carter, beginning Feb. 1, 2005, will take the helm of Hilton International Hotels as chief executive officer.

Carter, president of Black & Decker Corp. EMEA, will report to Hilton Group CEO David Michels and will hold a seat on the Hilton Group board. The post has been vacant since the death of Anthony Harris in 2003.

Hilton International is the U.K.-based operating division of Hilton Group and owns rights to the Hilton brand outside of the United States, where it operates 405 properties.

The move from Black & Decker represents Carter's entrée into the travel industry. "Clearly, the industry has faced some real challenges in the past few years, but I hope to be able to bring a fresh look to the business whilst at the same time continuing to build upon the strengths already in place," he said in a statement.