Member Spotlight: Doireann Hicks, Director of Sales & Marketing at The Clayton Hotel

Hi, I’m Doireann Hicks, the Director of Sales & Marketing at The Clayton Hotel on Portland Street. Originally from Cork in Ireland I moved to Manchester 6 years ago and have been working with Dalata Hotel group ever since. I studied Politics in University and have a Master’s in Public Affairs, I started my hospitality career in Dublin 14 years ago and I’ve never looked back.

When I moved to Manchester, I spent several years at the Clayton Hotel at Manchester Airport before moving into the city centre in 2021, where I joined the preopening team for Portland Street.

I’ve got two young daughters who keep myself and my husband very busy and I can safely say that for now, Manchester is home!

Career highlight: Working for 6 months on preopening for the new Clayton must be up there, I’d never done a preopening before which was challenging but also very rewarding. There is a great feeling of achievement when you see the hotel opening and doing so well. This year I was also asked to be part of the Dalata Brand Campaign which is due to launch this month, which was a great opportunity.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myyCj5XT4Bw

Name three words that describe your personality: Proactive, organised and personable

What’s the best thing about pro-Manchester? I love how the events are always so varied. One week I can go to a hospitality specific event and meet lots of my industry colleagues and the next week it could be a retail event where I’m getting the chance to meet people I’d never normally meet. I always come away from a pro-Manchester event feeling my time was well spent.

What are your priorities for 2024? Professionally I’m excited to see how far I can take the hotel, it has come on leaps and bounds in the last 12 months (since I returned from maternity leave) and currently the skies the limit!  Personally, I’m excited and nervous to send my eldest daughter off to primary school, a big milestone for any parent.

What do you think are the most important things going on in Manchester at the moment? It has got to be the opening of Co-op Live. For us in the industry we’ve all been eagerly awaiting this for a few years now so to see it finally open this summer is very exciting. I’m going to see The Killers there in June

Favourite meeting place in Manchester: The Jane Eyre on Cutting Room Square.

Get In Touch 

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 01614337580