Sub-budget hotel brand easyHotel has appointed Lawrence Alexander, formerly commercial director of Jarvis Hotels, as CEO to oversee the expansion of the company’s worldwide franchise business.

The first easyHotel, which is still owned and operated by the company, opened in London’s Kensington in the UK, in August 2005, with the first franchised site opening in Switzerland the following month.

Two further London properties are currently being converted to the concept – in Victoria and Earls Court – and Dubai-based investment house Istithmar has been granted a master franchise licence to open 38 easyHotels over the next five years in the Middle East, India and North Africa with a combined value of US$400m (£217m, 314m euro).

As CEO, Alexander will be responsible for overseeing the existing agreements as well as finding and managing further franchisees.

The company, of which easyGroup founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou is chair, aims to float on the stock exchange in the next three to five years.