{{Short description|British businessman}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}} {{Infobox person | name = Andy Cosslett | honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CBE}} | image = | caption = | birth_name = Andrew Peter Cosslett | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1955|04|14}} | birth_place = Whalley Range, Manchester, England | death_date = | death_place = | education = University of Manchester | occupation = Businessman | title = Chairman, ITV | term = June 2022 | predecessor = | successor = | known_for = Chairman, Rugby Football Union | boards = | spouse = | children = | parents = | relatives = | website = }}

'''Andrew Peter Cosslett''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|CBE}} (born 14 April 1955) is a British businessman and chairman of ITV.<ref name="itvboard">{{Cite web |title=ITV Board of Directors |url=https://www.itvplc.com/about-itv/board-of-directors |access-date=July 10, 2024 |website=itvplc.com}}</ref> He is former chairman of Rugby Football Union<ref>{{cite web|title=Cosslett new Chairman of the RFU Board|url=http://www.englandrugby.com/news/cosslett-new-chairman-the-rfu-board/|website=England Rugby}}</ref> and Kingfisher plc.<ref name="kingfisher stepdown">{{cite web | url=https://www.kingfisher.com/en/media/news/kingfisher-news/20241/directorate-changes.html | title=Directorate Changes }}</ref>

He is also a former operating partner at Advent International,<ref>{{cite news|title=Andrew Cosslett joins Advent International's Operating Partner Program|url=http://www.privateequitywire.co.uk/2015/11/17/233870/andrew-cosslett-joins-advent-international%E2%80%99s-operating-partner-program|publisher=Private Equity Wire}}</ref> and former Trustee of Shooting Star Chase,<ref>{{cite web|title=Shooting Star Chase Trustees|url=https://www.shootingstarchase.org.uk/about-us/trustees/|website=Shooting Star Chase}}</ref> a children's hospice charity. Previously he was the CEO of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), and was succeeded by Richard Solomons.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gee |first=Powla |date=2011-03-16 |title=Cosslett stands down as InterContinental's CEO |url=https://www.hotelmanagement.com.au/2011/03/17/cosslett-resigns-as-intercontinentals-ceo/ |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=Hotel Management |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Early life== Andrew Peter Cosslett was born in April 1955<ref>{{cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/officers/SUpOYvJ0x-UH7YCAryG7JmA6RRo/appointments |title=Andrew Peter COSSLETT - Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House) |publisher=Beta.companieshouse.gov.uk |date= |accessdate=16 June 2017}}</ref> in Whalley Range, Manchester and grew up in Withington.<ref>{{cite web |title=Andy Cosslett steps down as CEO of InterContinental Hotels |url=http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/business/s/1411049_andy_cosslett_steps_down_as_ceo_of_intercontinental_hotels_ |newspaper=Manchester Evening News |date=16 March 2011 |accessdate=18 October 2012}}</ref> He earned a bachelor's degree in economics and a master's degree in European Studies from the University of Manchester.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leadersinlondon.com/lil/speaker_biographies.php |publisher=Leaders in London 2008 |title=2008 Speaker Biographies: ANDY COSSLETT, CEO, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) |accessdate=29 November 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081230164953/http://www.leadersinlondon.com/lil/speaker_biographies.php |archivedate=30 December 2008 }}</ref>

==Career== Cosslett began his business career in 1979 as a graduate trainee selling Wall's ice cream and spent 11 years with Unilever becoming a marketing director, before joining Cadbury Schweppes<ref>{{Cite web |date=2013-08-02 |title=A fresh health kick for Fitness First boss Andy Cosslett who's flexing |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/business/markets/a-fresh-health-kick-for-fitness-first-boss-andy-cosslett-whos-flexing-his-corporate-muscle-8743387.html |access-date=2024-03-19 |website=Evening Standard |language=en}}</ref> in 1990. He then spent 14 years at Cadbury Schweppes in a number of senior roles, including chairman, Cadbury Schweppes Australia; CEO of the Asia Pacific confectionery business; managing director, Great Britain & Ireland; and president, Europe, Middle East and Africa.<ref name="IHG">{{cite web |url=http://www.ihgplc.com/index.asp?pageid=35&boardselect=cosslett |title=IHG: Our main board: Andrew Cosslett |publisher=InterContinental Hotels Group |accessdate=29 November 2009 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091119061950/http://www.ihgplc.com/index.asp?pageid=35&boardselect=cosslett |archivedate=19 November 2009 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

Cosslett joined InterContinental Hotels Group as CEO in 2005.<ref name="Independent Nov 2009">{{cite news |first=Sarah |last=Arnott |title=Andrew Cosslett: Suite dreams for the future |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/andrew-cosslett-suite-dreams-for-the-future-1827601.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/andrew-cosslett-suite-dreams-for-the-future-1827601.html |archive-date=7 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=The Independent |date=26 November 2009 |accessdate=29 November 2009}}{{cbignore}}</ref> As CEO of IHG, he oversaw the launching of the midmarket boutique hotel brand Hotel Indigo, and a focus on further expansion into the Chinese market.<ref>{{cite news |first=Abigail |last=Townsend |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/andrew-cosslett-emotional-contracts-at-his-hotels-the-shareholders-arent-disturbed-468572.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090709122240/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/andrew-cosslett-emotional-contracts-at-his-hotels-the-shareholders-arent-disturbed-468572.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 July 2009 |title=Andrew Cosslett: 'Emotional contracts': at his hotels, the shareholders aren't disturbed |work=The Independent On Sunday |date=5 March 2006 |accessdate=29 November 2009}}</ref> An additional change includes IHG selling most of the hotels the company owned and reaffirming their business model as mainly a manager and franchisor of hotels.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kerry |last=Capell |url=http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/may2007/db20070521_843548.htm |title=How Andy Cosslett Restyled IHG |work=BusinessWeek |publisher=McGraw-Hill |date=21 May 2007 |accessdate=29 November 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090917134743/http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/may2007/db20070521_843548.htm |archivedate=17 September 2009 }}</ref> During the late 2000s, he oversaw a $1bn (£603m), four-year relaunch of the Holiday Inn franchise.<ref name="Independent Nov 2009" />

Between 2005 and 2011, Cosslett was a board member of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), a member of the presidents council of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and a board member of the International Tourism Partnership.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jemima |last=Bokaie |url=http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/news/844760/Marketing-Profile-Andrew-Cosslett-chief-executive-InterContinental-Hotels-Group |title=The Marketing Profile: Andrew Cosslett, chief executive, InterContinental Hotels Group |work=Marketing |publisher=Haymarket |date=9 September 2008 |accessdate=29 November 2009| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20100107215025/http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/news/844760/Marketing-Profile-Andrew-Cosslett-chief-executive-InterContinental-Hotels-Group| archivedate= 7 January 2010 | url-status= live}}</ref>

Cosslett stood down as the CEO on 30 June 2011 stating that he has been considering his situation for quite a while: “I’m into my seventh year, but it does feel like the right time to hand over the reins. ... The business is in great shape, and that really helps my exit.”<ref name=HNN>{{cite web|accessdate=2018-01-02 |url=http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/articles/9843/ihg-chief-resigns-cfo-to-step-up |title=IHG chief resigns, CFO to step up |date=16 March 2011 |work=Hotel News Now|first1=Stacey Mieyal |last1=Higgins |first2=Jason Q. |last2=Freed}}</ref>

In June 2017, Cosslett succeeded Daniel Bernard as chairman of Kingfisher plc.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theretailbulletin.com/news/kingfisher_chairman_daniel_bernard_to_step_down_and_be_succeeded_by_andy_cosslett_22-03-17/ |title=Kingfisher chairman Daniel Bernard to step down and be succeeded by Andy Cosslett |publisher=The Retail Bulletin |date=22 March 2017 |accessdate=16 June 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=The Sunday Times |url=https://www.thetimes.com/business-money/article/cosslett-to-scrum-down-atkingfisher-06mxh655g |title=Cosslett to scrum down at Kingfisher &#124; Business &#124; The Times & The Sunday Times |work=The Times |date=26 March 2017 |access-date=16 June 2017}}</ref> He stepped down from this role in April 2024.<ref name="kingfisher stepdown" />

In June 2022, Cosslett was appointed Chairman of ITV.<ref name="itvboard" />

==Rugby Football Union== Coslett became chair of the RFU in October 2016, succeeding Bill Beaumont. He himself played rugby for 25 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrugby.com/news/cosslett-new-chairman-the-rfu-board/|title=Cosslett new Chairman of the RFU board|author=|date=|website=RFU|accessdate=20 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.englandrugby.com/news/cosslett-proposed-next-rfu-chairman/|title=Cosslett proposed as next RFU Board Chairman|author=|date=|website=RFU|accessdate=20 March 2019}}</ref> He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to the Rugby Football Union.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=63571|supp=y|page=N9|date=1 January 2022}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20081230164953/http://www.leadersinlondon.com/lil/speaker_biographies.php Cosslett Biography] * [http://www.ihgplc.com/index.asp?pageid=35&boardselect=cosslett Videos: InterContinental Hotels Group's Andy Cosslett ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091119061950/http://www.ihgplc.com/index.asp?pageid=35&boardselect=cosslett |date=19 November 2009 }} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070529032541/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1612712,00.html On the Road with Cosslett] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090917134743/http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/may2007/db20070521_843548.htm Business Week]

{{InterContinental Hotels Group}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cosslett, Andy}} Category:1955 births Category:Alumni of the University of Manchester Category:British hoteliers Category:Businesspeople from Manchester Category:Chairmen of ITV Category:Chief executives in the hospitality industry Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:English businesspeople in retailing Category:English chief executives Category:Hotel executives Category:InterContinental Hotels Group people Category:Living people Category:Mass media people from Manchester