Morethanhotels appoints new chief executive and finance officer

Morethanhotels, operators of 11 Express by Holiday Inns in the UK, has recruited general manager of a five-star London hotel to head up the group.

Clifford Grauers becomes the new chief executive at Morethanhotels and is joined by Brendan Gillespie as the new chief financial officer.

Grauers joins from London’s five-star Great Eastern Hotel where he was general manager.

He has spent 20 years at Hyatt including general manager positions at Hyatt Regency Birmingham, the Park Hyatt Tokyo and Hyatt Regency Saipan.

Gillespie was previously company secretary at Macdonald Hotels.

US private equity company JER bought the Morethanhotels portfolio in October last year.

Following the deal former managing director Richard McKevitt and former finance director Barrie Dunne left to pursue other projects.

Morethanhotels has also added the 129 room Express by Holiday Inn Stevenage to its portfolio.

The deal brings the total number of rooms in the group’s portfolio to 1,399 and was handled by property agent Christie & Co.

Grauers said of the deal: “We have ambitious plans to grow the company and this acquisition will provide a platform for further developments.”

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By Christopher Walton

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