Yotel appoints first finance director

Simon Woodroffe's Yotel has appointed its first finance director, Hugo McNesty, as it prepares to launch its first airport hotels.

McNesty joins from leisure giant Whitbread where he has worked as director for business development for Travel Inn (now Premier Travel Inn) and Marriott Hotels, as well as director of finance for Travel Inn.

He has also worked as financial controller for ILG Travel, a £600m-turnover tour operator.

McNesty said: "I look forward to helping to grow this project to become a significant player in the global hotel market."

Yotel recently recruited London Eye head of marketing Jo Berrington as its first sales and marketing director.

Yotel's first hotels will launch at London's Gatwick and Heathrow airports later this year.

The concept is inspired by Japanese capsule hotels - cheap, mini hotel rooms located at train stations specifically for the Japanese businessman crossed with the luxury of British Airways First Class cabins.

Yo! Sushi founder Simon Woodroffe to sell stake in the business >>

By Chris Druce

Get your copy of Caterer and Hotelkeeper every week -