Helen Parker, director of national accounts, Best Western Hotels GB

Helen Parker has joined hotel marketing consortium Best Western Hotels GB in the newly created role of director of national accounts. She was previously area director of sales for Scotland, Ireland & Northern England at Thistle Hotels, and has also worked for Paramount Hotels as operations director. She will report to Hannah Tiitola, who joins the company in January as its first director of distribution, revenue, sales and marketing. Tiitola is currently chief executive of Best Western Finland. Best Western Hotels has also appointed Mark Smith as its new director of travel trade and leisure sales. Smith previously headed the travel trade section at Swallow Hotels, where he was responsible for more than 150 properties and handled over 70 major leisure accounts.