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Alan Parker CBE, Chief Executive of Whitbread plc, has been chosen as the 2011 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 14th annual International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF), scheduled for 7-9 March 2011, at the InterContinental Berlin, Germany. The IHIF Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an individual who, over his or her lifetime, has made a significant difference in the hospitality industry by their actions, deeds, and great accomplishments.
Parker joined Whitbread in 1992 as Managing Director of Whitbread Hotel Company and has been the chief executive of Whitbread plc since 2004. He has had previous experience as Managing Director of Crest Hotels Europe and Senior Vice-President of Holiday Inn Europe, Middle East and Africa. His external appointments include Jumeirah Group LLC (Non-executive director), British Hospitality Association (Director), University of Surrey (Visiting professor), World Travel & Tourism Council (Director) and West Buckland School Foundation (Trustee & Director).
“IHIF is delighted to add Alan Parker’s name to the prestigious list of previous Lifetime Achievement Award winners. The theme of the conference is ‘Stand Out from the Crowd’ and he certainly fits the bill as one of the chief executives who has been leading from the front. We are proud to recognize his achievements during IHIF 2011,” said Gideon Dean, EVP of Questex Media Group LLC, co-organiser of IHIF.
“We feel that his valuable experience in the industry and status as an extremely respected individual validates him as a true winner of the award. He led Whitbread through a hugely successful restructuring and also has been lauded for having made Whitbread ‘priced for the credit crunch before the credit crunch’. His strategy of focusing on recession-friendly budget hotels, coffee bars and pub restaurants has paid off with increasing revenues and profitability in arguably one of the most challenging trading conditions for a generation. He will be sorely missed when he retires later this year,” stated Jonathan Worsley, co-organiser of IHIF.
The Lifetime Achievement Award recipient is selected by the IHIF Advisory Board comprised of IHIF’s Patrons, Sponsors, Hosts, and Organizers.
Previous Lifetime Achievement Award winners, in no particular order, include: Isadore Sharpe, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts; Lord Forte, Forte Hotels; Gabriel Escarrer, Sol Melia; Paul Dubrule & Gerard Pellison, Accor; Georg Rafael, Rafael Hotels; Marilyn Carlson Nelson, Carlson; PRS Oberoi, Oberoi Hotels; Kurt Ritter, Rezidor; Jim Sherwood, Orient-Express; Sir David Michels, Hilton International and Michael Hirst OBE, CB Richard Ellis Hotels.
The Lifetime Achievement award presentation will take place on 9th March at the InterContinental Berlin luncheon.
IHIF is Europe’s largest gathering of hotel industry leaders, drawing a impressive crowd of nearly 1,600 in March 2010.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
