Spencer Yeo takes over from Christine Hodder at London's Stafford hotel

The Stafford London has appointed Spencer Yeo as general manager, taking over from Christine Hodder, who has been in the role for two years.

Yeo arrived at the five-red-AA-star, 105-bedroom Stafford in St James in from the US-based Viceroy Hotel Group. He was general manager of the Viceroy in Santa Monica, having previously opened the group's property in Istanbul.

After starting his career in London 25 years ago with Radisson Edwardian, Yeo was director of sales and marketing at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park before moving abroad, where he worked in the US, Middle East and Africa for Mandarin Oriental and Peninsula, as well as for Viceroy.

At the Stafford he will oversee the running of one of London's most quintessentially British hotels which includes the Lyttelton restaurant headed by executive chef Carlos Martinez, the American bar and the 380-year-old wine cellars used for private functions.

Founded in 1912, the Stafford was bought in September 2009 by Britannia Hospitality, owned by Egypt's El Sharkawy family, for a reported £77.5m from pubs and hotel firm Daniel Thwaites. The hotel is now operated independently having ended a four-year management agreement with Kempinski in August 2014.

Stafford London and Kempinski Hotels terminate management agreement >>

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Christine Hodder appointed new general manager of the Stafford London by Kempinski >>