Carnival Cruise Line taps hotel veteran Peter Clarke as COOCarnival Cruise Line taps hotel veteran Peter Clarke as COO

This follows the long-planned move of COO Lars Ljoen to Carnival Corp. & plc to become corporate chief maritime officer, succeeding Bill Burke, effective in February.

IHG, Shangri-La, Four Seasons, Jurys

At IHG Clarke is VP of luxury and lifestyle hotel operations, Americas. He previously held similar roles responsible for various US and international regions, including for brands such as Hotel Indigo, Crowne Plaza, EVEN Hotels and Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts.

Earlier he had property-based assignments in food and beverage, front office and rooms management.

And he was area manager for Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts based in Shanghai, and worked at Four Seasons Hotels in the US, Asia and Europe. A native of Ireland, he began his career at Jurys Hotel Group in Limerick and London.

Broad knowlege

'I am excited about Peter’s addition to an already-strong team that delivers business results along with the great guest experience that Carnival is known for,' Carnival President Christine Duffy said. 'We will benefit from his broad knowledge in managing the many complexities of the hotel business with different owners across multiple properties and brands delivering world-class customer service, while also building and maintaining a strong culture that allows our team members to take pride in their work, enjoy their jobs and build a career with Carnival.'

Related:Lars Ljoen to succeed Bill Burke as Carnival Corp.'s chief maritime officer

Importance of culture

Duffy continued: 'We talked a lot about the importance of our culture during the interview process and Peter’s reputation as a strong leader will help us continue to excel as we continue to grow with new ships and new destinations in an increasingly competitive industry.'

For his part, Clarke cited Carnival's 'reputation for delivering great service to their guests and building a strong culture amongst its employees — priorities I share.'