Travelodge hunts for new head as CEO quits
Travelodge has announced the departure of its chief executive, Grant Hearn, following a financial restructuring programme at the budget hotel brand.
Hearn was invited by the Travelodge board to oversee this process in April 2012 after a seven year stint at the chain from 2003 to 2010 when he led the company as chief executive officer.
Travelodge have now begun the process of finding a new CEO with Hearn remaining in post for a transitional period until this external search concludes.
Brian Wallace, chairman of Travelodge, said: “Grant has been an outstanding leader for Travelodge. Under his leadership, the brand has been repositioned from a roadside hotel operator to being one of the UK’s leading hotel brands. The Company’s portfolio has more than doubled in size and today Travelodge is a household name with an exceptional digital presence. Grant leaves behind an extremely capable team, one which is already working on building the next exciting growth phase for Travelodge.”
Explaining his decision to leave Hearn, commented: “Travelodge has been an integral part of my life over the past ten years and this has been an incredibly tough decision for me to make. It has been a real privilege to lead the Travelodge team and work alongside some of the most talented people in the industry. Together we have built Travelodge into one of the UK’s best hotel brands and made staying away in a hotel an everyday concept.”