Paula Lacey, formerly managing director distribution for Tui’s sport division, is to join easyHotel as global franchise director this week.
Lacey, who previously worked for Thomas Cook and TV Travel Shop, will join on Wednesday as easyHotel looks to grow its portfolio.
EasyHotel currently has 21 properties – three which are fully-owned and the rest franchised.
Lacey said the brand’s strategy was to grow in city centres where hotel accommodation was “naturally expensive”.
“We will open hotels anywhere where there are predominantly four and five-star hotels and where a cheaper option is required. Dubai is a great example of that.
“We have only one hotel there but we could open more. But we’ll only do it if it’s right and I will be dealing with people wanting us to open anything from one or 10 hotels,” she said.
Lacey added: “Following the IPO, there was a need to boost the very small management team and I’m extremely excited to be joining easyHotel as there is such a lot of potential. It’s also a very commercial role which plays to my strengths and experience.”
EasyHotel management team consists of chief executive Simon Champion, formerly of Deutsche Bank, and chief financial officer Darren Mee, formerly of Tui.
Stelios Haji-Ioannou is a 51% shareholder but with only 49% voting rights and doesn’t sit on the easyHotel board.