I have been in Hospitality Finance and Operations for 30 years. Starting with Forte Hotels in 1978 I worked for Holiday Inns International for 12 years from Financial Controller for Holiday Inns Birmingham and Leicester (500 rooms) to the UK Head Office, European and EMEA corporate positions. Bass acquired Holiday Inns International in 1987 and I was appointed Financial Planning Manager in the new Brussels HQ.
Periquito Hotels was formed in 1990 where I joined initially as Financial Controller – progressing to Financial Director during a time when the company reached twelve hotels including Management Contracts. Subsequent positions include Financial Director at Virgin Hotels and Group Financial Controller with Regal Hotel Group with 120 hotels at its peak. I subsequently moved into the Pub and Restaurant business with Noble House Group (260 Pubs/Restaurants) where I specialised and developed the Financial Planning process.
I have operated CW Hospitality since October 2004 and have assisted a number of clients during this time with my consultancy services – including Sodexho Prestige, Allied Pharmacy, Bridgehouse Capital Hotels, easyHotel, DeVere and Folio Hotels where work included a nine-month project management exercise for a
17 Hotels Acquisition and new office. I was involved with the complex financial modelling for a very famous Golf Club that enabled it to be acquired by its Members and I also supported a family owned restaurant group and brand with Non-Exec type commercial services and advice.
BAHA appointed me as CEO in March 2005. We lightly re-branded and updated the Association and then launched its major Conference and Exhibition in 2006. Since then we have re-organised and re-energised the association with a complete re-brand as HOSPA in September 2011 (see www.hospa.org) .We also re-launched the Conference as HOSPACE (HOSPA’s Conference and Exhibition) - also in 2011 which has continued to grow and since been recognised as a major Hospitality Industry event.
See www.hospace.net.
I am very interested in technology and the future of technology (IoT etc) and its use in Hospitality (I was one of the first to acquire an iPad and see its uses in business). I used to regularly visit the US based Hospitality Show HITEC (www.hitec.org) to stay up to date with the latest trends and recently happy to have worked on/in HITEC since 2016 and also run the European equivalent HITEC Europe for three years in Amsterdam and Palma, Mallorca.
I am asked regularly to speak on the future of Technology in the Industry and also chair technology and commercial panels at events within the Hospitality industry - and have done so at events such as HIT Scotland (Emerging Talent), Emerging Business Leaders Group, Hotelympia (now HRC Show) and various others.
I am on Linkedin and Twitter as CarlWel.
