We inherit a lot from our parents — their habits, humour, attitudes. Perhaps the greatest gift my parents instilled in me was their love for hospitality.
My journey to becoming the results-oriented, entrepreneurial-minded international hospitality, travel and business leader that I am today began when I was 12, working in my mother and father’s hotel in the seaside town of Torquay.
This formative, hands-on experience gave me the opportunity to see the inner-workings of a thriving hotel business first-hand and spurred me to complete a degree in Hospitality Management. Since then I've gone on to enjoy a diverse career as a hotelier within multiple global territories, holding various executive and NED positions within hotels and resorts, online travel companies, asset holdings, estate management, and real estate development.
The past 35 years have yielded many professional highlights. I’ve increased the profitability of a luxury country estate in Tuscany fivefold. I’ve led a farm-to-table restaurant to Michelin star acclaim. I’ve spearheaded the growth of an eco-friendly, carbon neutral hotel chain across India. I’ve developed holiday properties all the way from Jamaica to Thailand and run yacht charters, cruise aggregators, beach clubs, and more in between.
At the heart of everything I do is a love for travel and people. Wherever in the world a project may take me, my mission is to raise hospitality standards across the board and foster a harmonious synergy between locals and holidaymakers. I believe the key to my success has been my proclivity to immerse myself in new cultures. I've lived in Spain for over 30 years and have called Dubai and Thailand home for a stretch of time. I speak English, Spanish, and Italian, and am fully-fluent in hospitalit-ese, a language that knows no boundaries.
I've been lucky to learn from industry legends, including Mr Willy Bauer OBE, and have had the privilege to collaborate with renowned chefs. I've gained transferable expertise in all facets of the business and have the know-how to unleash the full potential of any hospitality project great or small. Get in touch with me today and let’s discuss how we can reach your goals efficiently and cost-effectively.
Integrity, Trust & Honesty
Integrity means telling the truth even if the truth is ugly. I’m not one for sugar-coating harsh realities. I always endeavour to build respectful and ethical relationships with all my business partners in order that we find practical and actionable solutions together to build highly-successful, highly-profitable hospitality brands that are respected the world over.
Eco-minded
I approach every new hospitality project with an eco-minded focus to establish future-proof businesses that leave a long-lasting positive impact on the planet. I implement cost-effective ecological, organic, and sustainable solutions during every phase of development, from construction through to FFE, operation, and beyond.
Food Sustainability
The catering and hospitality industry is responsible for a huge proportion of the world’s food waste, a lot of which is easily avoidable. Reducing kitchen waste is not only better for the environment but it also helps a restaurant’s budget. I make it a priority to source local, seasonally fresh produce to efficiently minimise harmful food miles in every F&B project I manage.
Cultural Respect
Wherever in the world a project may take me, I make it my mission to raise hospitality standards across the board by fostering harmonious synergy between locals, the workforce, and holidaymakers. I strive to create inclusive workplaces that exemplify the hospitality industry’s responsibility to be a driving social force for equality, diversity, and change.
Cost Conscious
Any hospitality business is there to make money and I am here to get the best possible job done for the best possible price. I achieve this by never compromising my guiding values and through the help of a vast network of close associates who I have worked with on many successful projects over many successful years.
Food & Gastronomy
Food is storytelling and as with all the best storytellers, a great eatery should fire the imagination and satisfy a desire for adventure.
My global career has been a culinary odyssey that has imbued me with an intimate understanding of the cultures, philosophies, and ingredients behind some of the world’s most popular cuisines. Across various projects, I have experience in overseeing restaurants specialising in Spanish, Tuscan, Sicilian, Indian, and Thai food.
Whatever the territory, I understand that an organisation’s reputation can stand or fall on the quality of its F&B offering alone. Similarly, I recognise that a company’s workforce must be engaged and energised by the standards of the food it produces. I can help you develop a world-class restaurant with a tantalising menu that never ceases to delight. With the right talent on board, a little bit of luck, and a lot of hard work, we may even set your restaurant on its way to Michelin stardom.
More than 35 years experience as a hospitality professional
ECO HOTELS
Non-Executive Director of this carbon neutral hotel brand with properties across India.
CASTELLO DEL NERO
Executive Vice President of the Board of this luxury country estate hotel in Tuscany, Italy.
EWATERWAYS
Non-Executive Director of this online aggregator of smaller vessel cruises from around the world.
INTERNATIONAL RESORT MANAGEMENT
Chair of the Board for this holding company that is responsible for Excel Hotels and Resorts.
8 OVER 8
Non-Executive Director in both the Thai and Singaporean branches of this holding company for Dream Phuket.
OFFSHORE HOLDING COMPANIES
Non-Executive Director and various other board roles for on- and off-shore companies based in the British Virgin Islands and Dubai.
HOLIDAY CLUBS
Held overall responsibility for five holiday properties in Tenerife, including their F&B outlets, supermarkets, gyms, salons, and spas.
SUNSEEKER FLEET
Oversaw Sunseeker fleet charters and vacation rentals located in the Puerto Colon marina, Tenerife.
CARPARKS
Monetised space within grounds of various resorts I managed by turning them into pay carparks.
PALM BEACH COMMERCIAL
General and Leasing Manager of commercial centre in Playa de las Americas, Tenerife.
QUICK SERVICE RESTAURANTS
Responsible for two standalone restaurants located in Los Cristianos, Tenerife.
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
Manager and administrator for various office and resort community assets in Tenerife.
GOLF COURSE
Served as General Manager at the internationally renowned El Bosque golf course in Valencia.
CASTELLO DEL NERO
Manager of this Tuscan estate’s assets, including agricultural department and rental properties.
ASH HOTELS
Advisor for the Apart-Hotel sector as a member of the Canary Islands’ ASH Hotels advisory board.
PHUKET HOTEL ASSOCIATION
Sounding board member of this regional hotel association in Phuket, Thailand.
WINNOW
Advisor for this UK company developing tech to track, monitor, and reduce waste in the food service and hospitality industry.
CARBON TRUST
Through a joint venture with Winnow, I was advisor for this UK government sponsored body tackling food waste reduction across the hospitality industry.
JACOBS MEDIA GROUP
Member on the advisory board for Connections, an international private community for trusted decision makers in high-end travel.
CASTELLO DEL NERO
Oversaw the high-end restoration of five 15th century farmhouses located on the estate grounds.
DREAM BEACH PHUKET
As principle director, I oversaw this resort project from initial design and concept development through to opening.
CELEBRATION JAMAICA
Developed various phases of the resort, including over 1,000 rooms across three hotels, various bars, restaurants, and nightclubs.
DORRA BAY TOWER
Oversaw the development of this high-end 22-storey tower in the much sough-after Dubai Marina.