Whitbread announced earlier this month that, after ten successful years with the company, Patrick Dempsey, Managing Director of Whitbread Hotels & Restaurants (WHR), will be stepping down from the Board and leaving the company on 28th February 2015.
Paul Flaum, currently head of Whitbread Restaurants, will become the new MD WHR on 1st March 2015. Paul has worked for Whitbread for 11 years and was Chief Operating Officer for WHR prior to becoming MD Restaurants.
Reporting to Paul will be Simon Jones, who becomes MD Premier Inn UK and hub by Premier Inn (currently Marketing & Strategy Director) and Mark Anderson who will add responsibility for Premier Inn Germany to his existing responsibilities for Property, Procurement and Logistics.
Andy Harrison, CEO said:
“I would like to thank Patrick for his tremendous contribution to Whitbread over the last decade. During this time we have transformed Premier Inn into the UK’s biggest and best hotel chain and developed exciting new growth opportunities with the launch of hub by Premier Inn, and our recently announced entry into the German hotel market.
“We have very ambitious growth plans which, combined with the strength of our current performance, makes it a good time to implement our succession plans. The changes announced today broaden the leadership of WHR, provide more focus on our growth opportunities and bring on the next generation of talent. Whitbread has laid out clear five year growth milestones and we have the strength and depth of leadership to successfully deliver those goals.”
Richard Baker, Chairman said:
“Patrick is an outstanding hotelier, and under his leadership Premier Inn has grown rapidly from 32,600 rooms in 2007, when the brand was launched, to 57,000 rooms today. His personal passion for a great guest experience and high team motivation are evident across Premier Inn. On behalf of all my Board colleagues, I’d like to thank Patrick for all he has done, and wish him every success for the future.”
Patrick Dempsey said:
“I am enormously proud of my team’s achievements with Premier Inn and Whitbread Restaurants. With the Premier Inn brand growing so successfully over the last eight years we believe that now is the right time for me to hand over the baton. I am particularly delighted to see so many internal promotions and have every confidence in the new team.”
