Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top London based Director operating in the Hospitality space. If you think a Director is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Abel Campos
Director of Franchising of McDonald’s
Abel was appointed Head of Franchising for McDonald’s UK in October 2016, following a successful 20 year career with the brand spanning Operations and Franchising. He joined the business in 1997, progressing from a local restaurant team to overseeing a number of restaurants as a Consultant in the region. Abel worked in a number of roles throughout the southern region before being promoted to the position of Director of Franchising responsible for ensuring high standards of operational excellence across his group. Abel now heads up the UK franchising strategy and is also responsible for the recruitment of new franchisees.
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About McDonald’s: McDonald’s is a global foodservice retailer generating revenue through company-owned restaurants, franchise royalties, and licensing pacts.
Robert Milton
Chairman of the Board of Directors of United Airlines
Robert Milton is a Member of the Board of Directors at United Continental Holdings Inc. since April 2016. Robert was Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of ACE Aviation Holdings Inc. and was Chairman of the Board of Directors, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada. Having joined Air Canada in 1992 in a consulting capacity, Robert moved from the role of Senior Director of Scheduling to Vice President of Scheduling and Product Management, Senior Vice President of Marketing and In-Flight Service and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Robert became President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada in 1999. Robert is currently the Lead Director of Air Lease Corporation, a Member of the Board of Directors of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and a Trustee of the Georgia Tech Foundation Inc. Robert was a past Member of the Board of Directors of US Airways, Inc., and was also a past Chairman of the Board of Governors of IATA (The International Air Transport Association). Robert graduated in 1983 from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Industrial Management.
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About Air Canada: United Airlines and United Express operate approximately 5,000 flights each day to more than 370 destinations throughout the world.
Toby Horry
Brand and Content Director of TUI Group
Toby Horry is the brand and content director at TUI.
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About TUI Group: TUI Group is an international tourism and hospitality organization that offers a range of tour, flights, cruises, and more.
Siobhan Thomas
Global Talent Acquisition Director of Intercontinental Hotels Group
Siobhan Thomas has worked with several high-profile companies such as Credit Suisse, Sky, and Taleo optimizing, implementing programs, tools, and capability to attract the right talent. Currently, she is the Global Resourcing Director at IHG overseeing the Global Resourcing Centre of Excellence working with key stakeholders to scope future resourcing needs/priorities and deliver recruitment technologies, policies, processes, and training.
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About Intercontinental Hotels Group: IHG is one of the world’s leading hotel companies
Lewis Hamilton
eCommerce Director of Soho House
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About Soho House: Soho House is a private members’ club for people in the creative industries.
Mark Elwig
Co-Founder and Commercial Director of Staff Heroes
Proven Commercial leader with a track record of driving growth through technology sales with Enterprise customers across multiple sectors including Hospitality, Retail, Travel and Entertainment. Experienced go-to market strategist and sales leader. Deal brokering at a global level. International experience within EMEA and US. Focus, drive and great people skills having lead several sales, business development and client account teams for both Fortune 500 and start-up organisations. Experience in setting up and building out sales and marketing teams from scratch and most recently co-founding and running the commercial arm of an innovative staffing marketplace start-up, operating within the Hospitality sector in the UK. Specialties: Business development, Sales, business strategy, account management, client services, licensing, white label, B2B partnerships, European & Global sales, SaaS software sales, launching a start-up.
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About eBay Advertising, mydeco, Staff Heroes: Staff Heroes is an on demand & AI technology marketplace reinventing the world of work, connecting businesses and workers more efficiently.
Mark Gretton
Director of Crave Interactive
Mark is the former CTO at TomTom and was a Director of Psion Computers. Mark is highly respected as a leading technologist.
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About Crave Interactive: Crave Interactive is the leading provider of cutting-edge in-room tablets designed for hotels of any size.
Colin Stacey
Finance Director of Kleek
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About Kleek: Kleek offers access to high-end venues, clubs and events.
Amanda Langford
Founder Director of Blue Badge Style
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About Blue Badge Style: Blue Badge Style provides a retail merchandising system offering style guides for less physically-abled users.
Remi Lefevre
Director, Luxury Brands of Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group
With 15 years of experience in travel & hospitality, Remi Lefevre is a brand & commercial marketing pro with a flair for growth stories. From kitchen to HQ, he has built his reputation as the ever-curious achiever, leading brand, digital and country marketing efforts for hundreds of hotels, thousands of home rentals and fast-growing food disruptors. Specialised in brand identity, product positioning and growth, he most recently headed acquisition for scale-ups Farmdrop and Hostmaker wherehe revisited their approach to new customers around reduced CAC, maximised LTV and systematic messaging.
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About Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group, The Growth Works: Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group is the largest independent boutique hotel and restaurant business in the US.
Tom Williams
Co-founder & Director of Business Development of Rota
Tom Williams is a co-founder of Rota, a mobile app that connects a variety of hospitality venues with trained and vetted staff, offering better working conditions, value and quality to all stakeholders.
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About Rota: SAAS Mobile and desktop Apps to provide Total Workforce Technology for the whole workforce (internal and external)
Rafael Bejerano
Director of AB Hotels
Rafael (Rafi) Bejerano is a Director at AB Hotels, UK.
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About AB Hotels: AB Hotels is a collection of three family-owned unique hotels.
Emma Howe
Sales Director of The Advanced Sales Network
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About The Advanced Sales Network: The Advanced Sales Network is a recruitment agency and consultancy that provides a practical sales solution.
Daniel Yates
Managing Director and Founder of Pitchup.com
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About Pitchup.com: Making it a doddle to book campsites in 65 countries. Member of Financial Times FT1000 fastest-growing companies in Europe 2018/19/20.
Chris Webster
Group Transformation Director of Hand Picked Hotels
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About Hand Picked Hotels: Hand Picked Hotels is a collection of country house hotels including with spa & health clubs.
Marc Werter
Director of The Foodfellas
Marc has been involved in food importation and distribution for many years, with a leading national importer distributor. He manages the operational and logistics functions of the business and is also involved in all commercial aspects, including sales.
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About The Foodfellas: The Foodfellas is supplies innovative, authentic, high quality food products from around the world to the foodservice market in the UK.
Sean Parry
Director of Neat Services
Sean Parry is the director at Neat Services.
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About Neat Services: London’s premium domestic cleaning service.
Terry Blake
Business Development Director – EMEA of LEMON Mobile LLC
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About LEMON Mobile LLC: Location Enhanced Mobile Opt-In Network
