Macdonald Hotels names former Jamie Oliver Group board member as CEO

Scottish hospitality operator Macdonald Hotels & Resorts has named its new chief executive.

Macdonald Hotels & Resorts has announced the appointment of Tara O’Neill as chief executive officer, who is pictured at the Macdonald Holyrood Hotel, Edinburgh. Picture by Lesley Martin

Tara O’Neill will assume responsibility for the group’s 30 luxury hotels and five holiday resorts in Britain, as well as four resorts in Spain.

The appointment follows group managing director Gordon Fraser’s decision at the start of the year to retire from an executive role. However, he remained in position to guide the business through the challenges presented by the pandemic and to secure a new finance facility with Lloyds Banking Group.

Fraser will work alongside O’Neill for “several months” to ensure a smooth handover, while retaining his board position as group deputy chairman.

A qualified chartered accountant, O’Neill worked in professional practice in both Ireland and the UK with Arthur Andersen and KPMG before moving into the hospitality sector, with senior roles at Luminar Leisure and the Jamie Oliver Group, where she served on the board for several years.

Macdonald Hotels founder Donald Macdonald said: “This is a pivotal appointment at an extremely important time for the group.

“I am very confident that, in Tara, we have recruited someone who can provide the necessary leadership and ambition to help us build upon the very solid foundations which Gordon has helped to create over many years.

“During the recruitment process, Tara impressed everyone involved with her vision for the group, and her track record gives us real confidence that the business will continue to prosper and grow, despite the obvious current challenges which Covid-19 has brought to our industry.”

O’Neill said: “The enormous impact of Covid-19 on the hospitality sector underlines the challenges which face us in the months and years ahead, but I believe the Macdonald portfolio of assets represents a unique and exciting opportunity to capitalise on the changing face of the hospitality sector and the evolving needs of our customers.

“I look forward to working with the wider board in securing the long-term stability of the business to ensure that we strengthen our position as one of the country’s leading hospitality groups.”

Macdonald added: “I am very pleased that Tara will have access to Gordon in the months ahead to facilitate a smooth exchange of knowledge about the business and that Gordon will thereafter assume a formal role as non-executive deputy chairman.”

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