Hospitality company Carlson announced the formation of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, a new brand designation designed to allow Carlson and its Rezidor Hotel Group brand to “pursue the global alignment and management” of the brands, according to a joint statement issued Wednesday. Under the arrangement, the legal status and ownership structure of Carlson and Rezidor remain unchanged. Carlson is the majority shareholder in Rezidor.

Commercial activities will be conducted under the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group name, irrespective of geographies, according to the statement. The new brand designation will also assist the companies in “ambitious development of revenue generation engines, global purchasing opportunities, and people development on a global basis.”

Additionally, the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group aims to “generate more than $400 million in additional revenue and a revPAR index increase of more than nine points by 2015, through a number of concrete revenue-generation initiatives,” said Hubert Joly, Carlson’s president and chief executive officer.

The initiatives include “a reinforced global sales team, unique revenue optimization tools, partnership projects with travel intermediaries, including Carlson Wagonlit Travel” and growth of the Club Carlson loyalty program. A global steering committee, co-chaired by Joly and Kurt Ritter, Rezidor’s president and chief executive officer, will oversee the companies’ “value creation areas.” The brand’s new website will launch on Feb. 1.

"Carlson and Rezidor have a long, common history and have grown together over the past 17 years," said Joly. “We are leveraging the strengths of two great companies to create value for all our stakeholders." The combined Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group features more than 1,300 properties in 80 countries and includes the Radisson Blu, Radisson, Country Inns & Suites By Carlson, Park Inn by Radisson, Hotel Missoni and Park Plaza brands.