ON THE MOVE
ULTAN COOKE
PATRICK DEMPSEY
BRENDAN CURTIS
NEW POSITION HEAD CHEF
NEW POSITION NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
NEW POSITION CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
EMPLOYER BALLYNAHINCH CASTLE
EMPLOYER STAYCITY
EMPLOYER WINDWARD MANAGEMENT
Aniar’s former Chef Ultan Cooke has begun his new role as Head Chef at Ballynahinch Castle Hotel, taking over from Xin Sun, who has worked at the hotel since 2007. “I would like to thank Xin for his outstanding contribution to Ballynahinch Castle and wish him every success,” says General Manager Patrick O’Flaherty. “The ethos that has always guided Ballynahinch will remain the same under its new chef – using the finest ingredients Connemara can offer and preparing them with a lot of love and imagination – but the delivery will differ in novel and interesting ways now that there is a new creative force in the kitchen.”
Patrick Dempsey, former Managing Director of Whitbread Hotels & Restaurants, is to become a Non-Executive Director of Staycity. During his 10 years with Whitbread, Patrick was credited with doubling the size of its Premier Inn brand to 60,000 rooms. His career in the hotel business began at Forte where he became Managing Director of the Posthouse chain, as well as the London Forte hotels division. In 2001 he was appointed CEO of Compass-owned Restaurant Associates UK & Ireland. In 2004 he joined Whitbread as Managing Director of Marriott in the UK, becoming Managing Director for Premier Inn in 2005. In 2009 he was appointed Managing Director of Whitbread Hotels and Restaurants, as well as joining the main board as Executive Director.
Windward Management recently announced the appointment of Brendan Curtis as its new Chief Operating Officer. Brendan joins Windward from Vanquish Hotels, a company he founded and directed since 2008. He has previously held the positions of CEO and COO of Choice Hotels Ireland and regional management positions with Forte Hotels in the UK. “Recognised as one of the best performing hotel managers in Europe, and with past experience of managing a hospitality company with 23 properties and a combined turnover of 160m, Brendan’s arrival ensures that Windward remains well-resourced as we continue to develop in Ireland and abroad,” said CEO and Founder of Windward, Patrick Coyle.
OCTOBER 2015 | HOTEL
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29/10/2015 16:46