Renowned international hospitality and leisure industry manager, finance director and City executive Paul Dukes F.C.A., FIH, FBHA, FTS has been elected Chairman of the British Association of Hospitality Accountants (BAHA) for 2008 to 2010 at its recently held Annual General Meeting in London.

Paul has taken over the chairmanship of BAHA from Martyn Levitt, Finance Director of London-based Seafood Holdings, who has held office for the last four years – following his re-election in 2006.

“We owe Martyn a great debt of gratitude for his immense contribution over the past four years in helping develop and firmly establish the strong foundations from which BAHA can now prosper and grow – his legacy to BAHA has been invaluable,” said BAHA Chief Executive Carl Weldon. “We are, however, fortunate to have a very worthy successor in Paul Dukes, who brings a vast wealth of knowledge and experience to BAHA as one of the hospitality and leisure industry’s most respected professionals in the field of finance and management.

“Like his predecessor, Paul is totally committed to BAHA’s priority objective of promoting financial management excellence at all levels of the hospitality industry; and it gives me great pleasure to welcome him as the Association’s new Chairman.”

Paul’s impressive career has spanned over 35 years – during which time his many achievements have included eleven years (1974 to 1985) with Trusthouse Forte (THF) where ultimately he was appointed Financial Controller of THF worldwide, in charge of 800 hotels; and later as Directeur of one of the world’s most famous hotels – the Hotel George V in Paris. In 1985, he joined Grand Metropolitan plc as Finance and Corporate Planning Director of its Retailing Division. A year later, he became Managing Director of La Manga Club Ltd – the renowned golf, leisure and property resort, owned by P&O in Spain. From 1992 to 1995, Paul headed the finance function of Ciga Hotels SpA in Milan, Italy.

Following 20 years as an executive involved directly in the hotel sector, he then changed career path and joined James Capel (now HSBC Investment Bank plc) as Director of Hotels & Leisure for the global banking group. Paul later consolidated his ‘City’ experience when, in 1997, Close Brothers Corporate Finance Ltd. appointed him as a part-time Director of its dedicated Hospitality & Leisure sector team – specialising in mid-market corporate finance transactions.

Currently, Paul continues to maintain a direct foothold in the hospitality and leisure sector and is, and has been, a non-executive director of several leisure-related companies, which include: Timecreate Ltd. and Active Hotels Ltd. Between 1997 and 2002, he was a non-executive director of LHM plc (+ Alias Hotels); my hotels Ltd; Green Globe Ltd., Extramini Ltd; Premier Hotels Ltd., and Premier Hotels (Management) Ltd. Until very recently, he was also the Non-Executive Chairman of Tri Hospitality Consulting Ltd and Golden Tulip (UK) Ltd. Since April 2007, Paul has been a member of the advisory board for the Arbuthnot Latham UK Regional Hotel Fund.