Anthony Lee appointed as CEO of Great Northern hotel

11 March 2016 by Janet Harmer

He will also play a strategic role as chief operating officer of Aries Hotels, a new collection of boutique properties being launched by Jeremy Robson of asset management company Ram Group, the owner of the 91-bedroom Great Northern.

Launched in King's Cross in 2013, the Great Northern became the first hotel in Europe to join the Tribute Portfolio, the new collection of independent properties from Starwood Hotels & Resorts, in September 2015.

Lee has been appointed to his new role, alongside two other senior appointments. Iain W Duncan joins as group marketing director and Andrew Wheal as â€Žgroup rooms revenue director, both working across the Great Northern and Aries Hotels.

Aries Hotels is currently developing a hotel in the French ski resort of Courchevel, creating a 75-bedroom property out of two adjacent hotels, The company has also made offers on two other properties, one in Europe and the other in a tropical location.

With regards the three new appointments, Robson said that they mark a deliberate plan "to bring extremely strong operational and strategic expertise to Great Northern hotel and the wider Aries Hotels group, as we strive to become a leading developer and operator of upscale boutique hotels."

Funding for the growth of Aries Hotel, which will be used as a holding company name not as a brand, is currently being secured via a boutique investment bank.

Lee left the Café Royal in December 2015, nearly two years after joining the hotel. He had previously spent three and a half years as general manager of the May Fair hotel and before that was at the Connaught for 31 years.

Prior to joining the Great Northern, Duncan was director of sales and marketing at the One Group, where he was involved in establishing STK and the Radio rooftop bar at the ME Hotel London.

Wheal was previously a senior associate at Hamilton Hotel Partners, asset managers for a portfolio of Marriott, Holiday Inn and boutique properties. He has also worked for the Shangri Hotel at the Shard, South Place hotel and the Maybourne Hotel Group, all in London.

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