Navigating Change in Hospitality: Trends, Challenges, and Triumphs

I have been in the hospitality industry since 2004, I started off my career as front of house at one of the craziest nightclubs in Leeds. Spending 10 years working for Luminar Leisure moving around the country, developing a passion for the hospitality industry. In 2014, I left Luminar to take on a General Management position in Manchester City Centre and then Leeds, going back to where it all started. In 2016, I moved into a Business Development Management role where Sales, Marketing, Creative, Business Models and Moving Businesses into a profit was always a strength.

Most recently I was Area Corporate & Business Development Manager for Tokyo Industries looking after multiple venues across Manchester, York and London. In May this year I took on the role of Business & Corporate Development Manager for one of the most well known event spaces in Manchester, Victoria Warehouse.

“Manchester is different to most cities, the hospitality industry is huge and forever growing.

In 2019 I co founded Manchester Hospitality Network, which is currently growing and going from strength to strength.

Manchester Hospitality Network is there for support and to help bring key people throughout the industry together. Sitting on the board is an absolute privilege and I will certainly do my utmost to go above and beyond for anyone, whether it’s business, personal or a shoulder, wherever I can be, I will be.”

Nick Brooks-Sykes is Director of Tourism at Marketing Manchester and Vice Chairman of the national Tourism Alliance.

He was educated at the University of Stirling and the Scottish Hotel School, having spent his formative years immersed in the hospitality industry at his parent’s 52-bedroom hotel. His early career began at Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and, as a fluent French and German speaker, he has spent time working for tour operators in both Paris and Germany.

Nick has over thirty years’ experience in the tourism sector, having previously held a number of senior management roles at the North West Tourist Board and North West Regional Development Agency. Until 2014, he was Chief Executive of Bath Tourism Plus, recognised as one of the country’s leading destination management organisations.

Nick leads the tourism and convention team at Marketing Manchester, the agency charged with promoting Manchester on the national and international stage and the official Local Visitor Economy Partnership for the city region.

Adrian Ellis is a hotel executive with 25 years’ experience of managing luxury international properties in the UK, Europe and Asia. In February 2015, he returned to Manchester to become the General Manager at The Lowry Hotel. He joined The Lowry Hotel from his role as General Manager of the 318-bedroom Fairmont Baku Hotel in Azerbaijan where he spent more than three years initially responsible for pre-opening operations of the iconic hotel which forms part of the prestigious Flame Towers complex.

Prior to his position in Baku, Adrian was General Manager at Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal in Budapest, Hungary, Le Royal Meridien Bristol in Warsaw, Poland, Le Meridien Changi, Singapore, Manchester V&A and Dunston Hall Hotel, Norwich.

Adrian, who hails from Norwich, was named one of the top hoteliers in the world by the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences in 2008 and won an Acorn Award in 1993 as one of the top 30 hoteliers under the age of 30 in the UK

Melanie has been in the hospitality industry since the age of 15 working in hotels and restaurants. A graduate in International Hospitality Business Management, she has then had a career as a Restaurant Manager, Conference & Banqueting Manager, Front Office Manager and managed a Conference & Reservation Office before moving into proactive sales. Melanie’s experience has been with Hand Picked Hotels, InterContinental Hotels Group in many single site and area roles across Yorkshire, the North West, the Midlands and also at The Lowry Hotel and Hyatt Hotels.

In Manchester, Melanie was part of the opening team for Crowne Plaza Manchester City Centre, was Director of Sales at Crowne Plaza Manchester Airport, Director of Sales & Marketing at the Lowry Hotel and more recently opened Crowne Plaza & Staybridge Suites Manchester Oxford Road and then was part of the team that rebranded them to Hyatt Hotels.

Since redundancy during COVID, Melanie joined her husband in their own restaurant, bar and retail business in Halifax, West Yorkshire which they have had since 2018. They have been driving the business to survive throughout and post COVID and she now has returned to hotel sales whilst her husband still runs their business.

Melanie now is Cluster Director of Sales for the North West for Leonardo Hotels looking after Manchester Central, Manchester Piccadilly, Liverpool and Chester.

Alexa Cherry is a seasoned hospitality professional with over 20 years of expertise in independently owned bars, restaurants, and hotels, both in the US and the UK. Relocating to Manchester in 2013, she has held various roles with establishments such as Eclectic Hotel Group and Living Ventures including positions across operations management, events and business development.

In 2017, Alexa took on a pivotal role at Dakota Hotels, as Sales Director for the flagship opening in Manchester city centre. Her success in this role has led to her current position as Group Marketing Director, overseeing the marketing strategies for five hotels across England and Scotland within the Dakota Hotels portfolio.