Travelodge, Britain’s first budget hotel chain which presently operates more than 580 hotels across the UK, Ireland and Spain, announced on 10th May, the appointment of Craig Bonnar as its new Chief Executive. Bonnar’s vast experience within the retail and hotel sector, his understanding of the Group and strong management skills are all assets to effectively lead the on-going transformation of Travelodge and to make it a world class business within its sector.
Since the beginning of the year, Bonnar has been serving as interim chief. He has been a member of the group operating board since his appointment as chief operating officer in 2017. Bonnar had made substantial contribution to the running of the company and its financial and operational performance during this time.
While serving as chief operating officer, Bonnar held the direct management responsibility for leading operations across its hotels in the UK, Ireland and Spain.
Preceding his employment at Travelodge, Bonnar worked at Asda for more than twenty years, having started on the shop floor he joined the graduate programme and progressed through the business holding a variety of senior roles.
Travelodge Chairman, Martin Robinson, commented on the appointment, “I am delighted to confirm the appointment of Craig as our permanent Chief Executive, which comes at an important and exciting time for the brand. In the short time I’ve been with Travelodge I have been extremely impressed by Craig’s energy, strategic insight and exceptional leadership qualities. He has led us through a critical period of recovery and with his in-depth knowledge as COO and passion for the brand; Craig was the natural choice to lead the business on the next leg of its journey. I look forward to working with Craig, both professionally and personally, as we embark on our next phase of growth.”
Craig Bonnar said, “I take on this new role with great ambition for the group and I am looking forward to working with the leadership team to build upon the brand’s strong foundation with Travelodge being well positioned to benefit from recovery as restrictions are lifted and demand builds. Our immediate priorities are to reopen all our hotels and resume full trading, continue to rebuild relationships with our landlords and plan for the future.”
