Macdonald Hotels and Resorts have recruited retail specialist John Murphy, a former G.M of House of Fraser Jenners and essential Edinburgh board member, as director of retail.
Mr Murphy, who has helped shape retail strategy previously at House of Fraser, TK Maxx and within sporting retail, will oversee the expansion of the retail offering throughout the hotel chain and manage the growth of their planned department store at the prestigious Aviemore Resort.
Following an impressive 20 year management career, Mr Murphy comes to Macdonald Hotels and Resorts with a track record in driving sales and securing brands. Speaking of his appointment he says: “I am hugely excited about setting the agenda for the retail offering of the group, especially given developments here at the Aviemore Resort as it moves to 4 star. Here we have a burgeoning department store, with 18,000sq ft. of sales potential, on the doorstep of Inverness. My focus now is to ensure Macdonald Aviemore Resort becomes a destination shopping experience. The opportunities to operate in synergy with the luxury hotel offering are numerous and we are already in talks with a significant range of premium brands.”
Alluding to the possibilities of expanding this approach across the chain, Mr Murphy comments: “With regard to the Macdonald portfolio, many of those hotels are in particularly good retail areas, and offer significant potential - but the changeover at Aviemore is our current priority - we need to ensure that we are doing what we do well, before we move on the next stage.”
Macdonald Aviemore Resort Chief Executive, Christopher Wayne-Wills said: “To have someone of John’s calibre on board is a massive boost in our move to enhance the reputation of Spey Valley shopping as an attraction in its own right.”
“His experience, insight and success in retail are almost without parallel in the UK and offer the ideal skills and relationships with key brands, for continuing to build on the successful base we have established with our retail portfolio.”