Taylor, who has been in the role for five months, recently convened the group’s senior leadership team to define priorities and direction for the business. Reflecting on the meeting, he said it provided clarity on both current positioning and future ambitions.
“The conference helped us to reset where we are today and clarify how we want to be better and the direction we want to be travelling in. I drew on the Lewis Carroll quote: ‘If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there’. In the absence of a particular direction, we will all find ourselves on different roads wandering aimlessly, but we presented a plan that everyone in the team can aim towards over five years. How do we go for growth and when we’ve got that growth, how do we use it?
“I wanted to understand what the team thinks and how they wanted to see growth in the company. Having the opportunity to hear from them and understand their concerns means that our strategy has a better chance of working. It was the moment where we were precise about our purpose and we’re now very explicit about the direction we want to go in. It is ambitious and ultimately it will lead to better performance and profitability.
“We want to be the brand of choice amongst management companies and as long as we work as a team, we’ve got the chance to be one of the best hotel management teams in the UK. We’ll be able to sit in front of investors with proven abilities.
Taylor also highlighted recent operational progress, including improvements in energy procurement across the portfolio, with new contracts secured at favourable rates through to the end of 2027.
“We have made significant progress in recent months, including securing considerable improved energy contracts across our portfolio, with favourable rates locked in through to the end of 2027. In the current uncertain global environment, we are pleased that both our owned and managed hotels are well positioned to benefit from this proactive approach to cost management.
As part of his leadership approach, Taylor emphasised direct engagement with properties, stating his intention to visit all hotels in the portfolio within six months.
“We have to support the hotels, which means getting out of the office and being on the road. I don’t want to miss this momentum; I’m on a mission to visit all our hotels within six months. The hotels want the leadership to be in touch, to see what needs to be done and help with solutions.
The company has also introduced a performance-based framework, with Taylor positioning himself as the first executive to be assessed under the system.
“It’s not lip service, we have invested considerable time developing a performance-based framework for the business. As the sponsoring executive, I lead by example as the first to be assessed within that framework.
“When you’re setting out a goal and a vision, it must be accountable. When everybody gets into the spirit of focusing on their personal goals and company goals, it feeds into strategy.
Taylor concluded by underlining the importance of accountability and a growth-focused mindset across the organisation.
“There is no point just turning up as CEO and taking a salary every month, I want to see change. We need to have a growth mentality in the business. We can do a great job, we’ve got some excellent talent. We have the intellect, the capability and the experience to really make something of this company and we are all looking forward to that.”
Tags: David Taylor, Kew Green Hotels
