The Celtic Manor Resort has created a new senior position in its management team as business continues to go from strength to strength at the venue for this year’s NATO Summit.
Matthew Lewis is promoted from Director of Golf, Spa and Leisure to the new post of Operations Director, where he will oversee a number of other departments including the resort’s restaurants, front office, concierge and guest relations teams.
The promotions come on the back of a fourth consecutive year of growth for Celtic Manor in 2013, which saw record occupancy of 85 per cent and record revenues, up 5.5 per cent on the previous year. Profits were also at a record level, up 3.5 per cent on 2012.
Mr Lewis has worked at Celtic Manor since 2006, when he arrived from Gleneagles in Scotland to manage The Lodge golf clubhouse. He was swiftly promoted to Director of Golf and Leisure when the Twenty Ten course and clubhouse opened in 2007 before staging the 2010 Ryder Cup.
He has been a driving force behind sustained growth in the golf side of the business ever since and assumed additional responsibility for the spa and retail operation in 2011.
Mr Lewis said: “The hospitality industry is all about people. Our guests have a great time if our teams are having one too, so my focus is to develop teams across the Resort with a great attitude and passion for making a difference to our guests each and every day.
“This is another very important year for the resort with the opening of the new Hunter Lodges and the NATO Summit in September, and it is our role to ensure the expectations of all our guests are not only met, but exceeded.”
Mr Lewis’s promotion has led to the appointment of Will Hewitt as the Resort’s new Director of Golf, Spa and Leisure. Mr Hewitt joins from Marriott International Hotels where he held senior posts in golf, leisure, sales and marketing.
Another new recruit, Kevin Green, takes over as Rooms Division Director having held managerial roles at the Belfry, the Millennium Hilton in New York and most recently the Hilton Birmingham Metropole.
Celtic Manor Resort www.celtic-manor.com