Declan Austin has joined hotel consortium Best Western Hotels as director of operations.

Austin joins the group, which supports over 300 UK hotels, from the Airport Systems Group, which he headed – part of international ground services company Penauille Servisair.

At Best Western, Austin will be responsible for handling all of the business’s operational functions at it head office in York.

In December 2005, the company appointed a new chief executive, David Clarke, who had previously worked with Portland Hotels in Edinburgh as managing director.

Beacon, the purchasing division of Best Western, provides purchasing services for the group’s hotels as well as 1,800 other UK independents.

By Chris Druce

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