Experience

The Hotel Management Company

• United Kingdom
• Hospitality
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Hotel Director for Scotland

  • Jul 2021 - Present

  Delighted to be working with The Hotel Management Company as Director for Scotland, providing management services for a growing selection of unique and independently owned hotels.The Hotel Management Company provides a unique approach to hotel management and asset management, delivering an integrated service to hotel owners, operators, investors, developers and banks. The Hotel Management Company has unrivalled expertise from some of the most knowledgeable hoteliers across the sectors, with a wealth of experience within the UK and the wider global Hotel and Hospitality industries. If you are looking to optimise the performance and value of your assets and make the most of your hotel business, The Hotel Management Company is well positioned to assist you with a highly personalised approach, experience and knowledge.Current projects in Scotland include Cromlix House Hotel, already a wonderful 5 red star hotel, but working closely with the owners to reposition Cromlix to a more contemporary country house hotel offering, to transition the hotel to a self-manage independent operation, and to produce feasibility studies for future development including eco-lodges and additional dining facilities, and to assist generally with helping the current team and advisors to get from A to B with the required change management.Other recent projects include The Haymarket Hotel Edinburgh (70 bedrooms), carrying out a full repositioning and rebrand, new website launch, new digital marketing strategy to focus on driving more direct business, introducing a new PMS and EPOS, smartening up some visual aspects including the intro of lovely new special touches including Victorian lighting and planters along the cobbled street, new F&B menus, and the list goes on. Great team to work with and a pleasure to be involved with this project over the last year.



Heritage Hospitality Consulting Ltd

• United Kingdom
• Hospitality

• Director/Owner

  • Aug 2020 - Present

  Heritage Hospitality Consulting has been established to work with independent hotels, private estate and exclusive use venues across all areas of the business.Hands on and bespoke consultancy support across all areas of the business, from identifying initial opportunities and creating a business development plan, to carrying out full project management.As an example of recent work, for the last 20 months I have closely worked with the Scottish charity CHAS who were gifted the beautifully located Ardoch Loch Lomond 130 acre estate in early 2020. My remit was to provide a hospitality consultancy covering all areas of the handover of ownership, and to develop Ardoch into a unique profit with purpose exclusive use venue. This involved the creation of feasiblity studies, strategic planning, working very closely with both the Ardoch venue team and senior CHAS personnel, and overseeing a full marketing project including a rebrand, sales and business development planning.



Kinross House Estate

• United Kingdom
• Hospitality
• 1 - 100 Employee

• General Manager

  • Jan 2017 - Jul 2020

  General Manager of Kinross House Estate and Coach House Spa. My remit was to develop Kinross House into Scotland's most prestigious exclusive use country house estate, available to hire for luxury five star events, vacations, parties, weddings, incentives and product launches. The estate comprises 100 acres of formal gardens, a private island complete with Loch Leven Castle, 24 rooms and incredible marquee events for up to 450. We also created a luxury boutique day spa facility on the estate, open to the public and private clients to book. Personally responsible for creating strategy across the business, developing budgets, bringing on board a new team and implementing quality standards, and personally carrying out all business development and sales & marketing for the estate.



The Green Hotel Golf & Leisure Resort

• United Kingdom
• Hospitality
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Head of Sales, Revenue and Marketing Consultancy Role

  • Nov 2015 - Dec 2016

  The Green (Kinross) comprised 2 hotel properties with 93 bedrooms, 3 restaurants, numerous event rooms catering for up to 250, leisure club, 2 x 18-hole golf courses. After years of distressed trading, I was recruited by The Hotel Management Company who had taken over the management contract of The Green to instigate a period of significant change, in order to turn the business around for new investment. This resulted in the positive outcome of Crieff Hydro Hotel Group securing a new management contract. Full responsibility to oversee and lead a new team across all revenue generating areas of the business, including revenue management, reservations, sales, marketing and events.



Balbirnie House Hotel

• United Kingdom
• Hospitality
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Co-Proprietor and Company Director

  • Sep 1999 - Feb 2015

  Balbirnie is one of Scotland's top privately-owned small luxury country house hotels. The hotel is fortunate to enjoy a diverse business mix with strong corporate and leisure markets. During my time working hands on at the hotel, we held 4 AA red stars for 15 years, attained Scottish Wedding Hotel of The Year for 9 out of 10 years at the time, and were also awarded Events Hotel of The Year.Responsibilities included overall director role, the assistant general manager role, development and implementation of the sales & marketing strategy, business development, corporate account management, full event planning for different event areas catering for up to 250, overseeing front office management and implementation of Investors in People award scheme.



Malmaison

• Hospitality
• 300 - 400 Employee

• General Manager Programme

  • 1998 - 1999

  Bespoke future general manager training programme based in Glasgow & Edinburgh. Bespoke future general manager training programme based in Glasgow & Edinburgh.



Conran Restaurants

• Restaurants
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Sales and Marketing Manager

  • Mar 1997 - Nov 1998

  Employed as the group’s first Sales and Marketing Manager at a very exciting time of expansion. Employed as the group’s first Sales and Marketing Manager at a very exciting time of expansion.



The Berkeley

• United Kingdom
• Hospitality
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Events Co-Ordinator then Events Manager, The Savoy Group

  • Oct 1994 - Mar 1997



IHG Hotels & Resorts

• United Kingdom
• Hospitality
• 700 & Above Employee

• Bar Supervisor La Belle Otero, 2 michelin star restaurant

  • Mar 1993 - Sep 1993



Chateau d'Esclimont, Relais & Chateaux

• Chef de Rang

  • Oct 1992 - Mar 1993