CarMax, Inc. on February 12, 2026 announced that Keith Barr has been appointed Chief Executive Officer, effective March 16, 2026. David McCreight, current Interim CEO of CarMax, will transition to his prior duties as an independent Director of the Board. Mr. Barr, age 55 is a proven leader who has driven transformational growth and operational excellence across large-scale, consumer-centric businesses.
Most recently, he served as Chief Executive Officer at InterContinental Hotels Group, where he led one of the large hospitality companies with 345,000 people working across more than 6,000 properties in over 100 countries. During his tenure, Mr. Barr reimagined IHG?s customer experience, modernized IHG's technology to support large-scale growth, and delivered substantial improvements in operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and brand loyalty. Notably, Mr. Barr oversaw the development of an innovative digital reservation system that enhanced the booking experience and empowered guests to personalize their stays, setting a new standard for the industry.
Under Mr. Barr?s leadership, IHG grew market share across geographies and created significant value for shareholders. Mr. Barr also currently serves on the Board of Directors at MGM Resorts. Mr. Barr has more than 25 years of executive leadership experience in global hospitality, consumer marketing, and brand-led growth across highly competitive and fast-evolving markets.
His leadership experience includes large-scale brand portfolio management, loyalty and digital transformation initiatives, operational improvement, and global expansion. Mr. Barr served as Chief Executive Officer of InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (?IHG?) from 2017 to 2023. During his tenure as CEO, Mr. Barr led the expansion of IHG?s global portfolio of brands spanning luxury, premium, and essential segments, advanced IHG?s digital and loyalty value propositions, and oversaw significant growth in the company?s global footprint.
Prior to becoming CEO, Mr. Barr served as Chief Commercial Officer, where he held global responsibility for brands, sales, marketing, revenue management, loyalty functions and the consumer digital strategy. He joined IHG in 2000 and has held senior leadership positions in IHG?s Americas, Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA), and Greater China regions, including four years as CEO of IHG?s Greater China business. Prior to joining IHG, Mr. Barr held several senior positions at Bristol Hotels and Resorts, which was acquired by IHG in 2000.
