How I got here

Hotel man Simon Willetts, 36, has a new challenge. In February he took over the reins of the newly built £15m Centaur venue at Cheltenham racecourse. The multipurpose centre and auditorium has presented Willetts - for the first time in his career - with the opportunity to "get in on the floor" and make his mark.

The venue can seat 2,280 and host 4,900, making it far and away the biggest facility of its type in the South-west. It's been an adventurous undertaking for owners Racecourse Holdings Trust, and Willetts is no less bold in his goal for the future. "This is an opportunity to put Cheltenham on the map," he says. It's a huge opportunity for the local area and business. The Cheltenham Festival brings in £40m to the region each year over the three days it's on. I expect Centaur to be taking half of that amount itself annually within a year."

Willetts says his big career break came when he took on the role of conference and banqueting manager at the Grosvenor House hotel, London, in 1995. By January 1999 he had worked up to deputy director of conference and banqueting at the famous London hotel. "Fairly early on in your career you have to take a decision to specialise or generalise," says Willetts of his choice to work in food and beverage. "There's no right way or wrong way. With hindsight I may have been more marketable as a generalist, but having got through that career wise I'm happy that I did specialise."

In 2000 Willetts became director of meetings and events before stepping into the role of general manager at the Roof Gardens venue in London's Kensington. One of his biggest challenges in his first general management role was taking a step back and learning to consider the big picture, making sometimes hard decisions for the good of the entire team and not just one department.

Having been head-hunted for Centaur, Willetts has few regrets about his latest move. "I miss the variety and grandness of the Grosvenor, which was very special," he says. "However, I see it as something I can recreate at the racecourse and I fully intend to aim for the same high profile."

Career highlights
1995
Conference and banqueting manager at the Grosvenor House

2002
First general manager role at the Roof Gardens

2004
Joins Cheltenham racecourse to head up new Centaur venue