Solihull hotel appoints new general manager

A SOLIHULL hotel has appointed a new general manager. Darren McGhee will have the responsibility for turning the St John’s Hotel into a major conference centre.

Mr McGhee joins the four-star hotel from the Met Hotel in Leeds – one of St John’s sister hotels – where he was also general manager.

The 40-year-old said he was looking forward to building on the hotel’s already buoyant conference and events business, which attracts thousands of delegates to the venue every year. The hotel’s recently-refurbished Park Suite is the largest conference room in the Solihull area.

Mr McGhee, a conference and facilities expert, has 25 years’ experience in the hotel industry, having started his career at the age of 15, when he joined The Grand Hotel in his hometown of Brighton while still at school.

He was offered a place on the De Vere Hotels fast track management programme and worked in a number of high profile, four and five-star hotels, including The Belfry in Wishaw, where he assisted with The English Open and Ryder Cup; De Vere University Arms in Cambridge, and helped to open Oulton Hall, Leeds.

He joined the Principal Hayley group, a collection of upscale hotels and conference venues that include the Grand Connaught Rooms, London and Chateau Saint Just, Paris, in 2009 as general manager, heading up Wotton House, in Dorking, and The Met Hotel.

“St John’s Hotel is a great venue in the heart of Solihull and I am excited about developing its already established reputation as one of the leading conference, meeting and wedding venues in the area,” he said.

“From the front of house to the kitchens, the staff are already bursting with great ideas on how we can make St John’s even better and I’m very much looking forward to harnessing their passion for customer service and excellence.

Fuel company keeps up the Pace with new appointment

FUELS and lubricants distributor Pace Fuelcare has appointed a new Regional Manager to oversee its business in the Midlands, which covers an area extending from Telford to Peterborough and from Nottingham to Reading.

Adam Kerbes brings a wealth of industry experience to the role, having held senior managerial positions within the LPG and Retail Divisions at BP UK before settling in the Midlands and joining Pace Fuelcare five years ago.

As part of his new role, he will be responsible for managing activities in the East and West Midlands. He will oversee oil distribution depots in Bilston, Kingsbury, Evesham, Banbury and Northampton, as well as the new office in Coleshill, which is currently under construction and scheduled to open before the end of the year.

His primary objectives will be to stimulate organic growth and position the business as the first choice for customers across the region.

Philip Wharton, General Manager for Pace Fuelcare, said: “Adam was the natural choice for this position as he has extensive business and oil industry knowledge to bring to the role.  His knowledge of the area and our customers’ requirements in this region are also vital qualities which will assist him to deliver the exceptional standards that our customers have come to expect.”

Defence company aspires for growth with new appointment

BIRMINGHAM-based defence consultancy Aspîre has expanded its service offering with the appointment of a New Business Manager to head up the company’s Decision Support Service (DSS) Business Area.

Terry Child will manage Aspîre’s current portfolio of DSS contracts, including the production of a Generic Rotary Wing Availability Model for the Ministry of Defence, as well as the development of the firm’s tools and techniques.

His role will also include managing the rapid growth in demand for Aspîre’s DSS Business, continuing the on-going development of Aspîre’s core capability and developing the twin concepts of the ‘Total System thinking’ and ‘Systems Terology’ at the heart of the company’s methodology.  

With a strong background in the RAF, Child brings a wealth of specialist and management experience to the role, including 24 years of experience in the rectification and support of complex systems and 12 years in logistics modelling and simulation.

Peter Stuttard, Aspîre’s Managing Director, said: “Recruiting Terry is key stage in the development of the company, in doing so we have strengthened both the management and the technical capability of Aspîre.  This is part of a greater strategic initiative which will enable Aspîre to deliver a broader, and ever more effective, set of services to our clients.”