Gareth Banner, the group managing director of The Ned in the City of London, has been awarded the prestigious title of Hotelier of the Year 2024.
He was commended by the judges for his exceptional leadership and ability to manage one of the most intricate hotel and members' club operations in the UK.
The Ned opened in 2017 after a £200 million redevelopment of a Grade I listed former City bank, making it one of the year's most anticipated openings.
Since the Ned's high-profile launch, Gareth Banner has transformed the venue into a successful, multi-faceted business projected to generate £100 million in gross revenue this year, with occupancy rates exceeding 80%.
In his role, Gareth Banner oversees a team of 900 members who support the Ned's various operations, including its 10 restaurants, 17 bars, 250 bedrooms, pool, spa, late-night lounge, and barbershop.
The success of the London opening has led to international expansion for the brand, with the Ned NoMad in New York and the Ned Doha both launched in 2022. A fourth location is set to open in Washington DC, with additional sites planned for the Cotswolds and other locations across Europe and North America.
Banner received his Hotelier of the Year 2024 award at a celebratory lunch held yesterday (30th October) at Gleneagles in Perthshire.
The judging panel, composed of industry experts and former Hotelier of the Year winners, commended Gareth Banner as “a modern hotelier” adept at managing multiple roles.
Gordon Campbell Grey, 2002 Hotelier of the Year, said: “There are so many wonderful and outstanding hoteliers, but few can claim to oversee such an amazing array of complex operations as the Ned.
“Gareth has done so with aplomb and dedication thus contributing hugely to its current success at so many levels.”
Sally Beck, 2019 Hotelier of the Year, said: “His energy is infectious, and he works hard to lift people up and find solutions for the greater good of the whole. He is an inspiration and a thoroughly good bloke!”
Around 20 former Hoteliers of the Year, including Jonathan Raggett (2009), Patrick Elsmie (2004), Peter Lederer (1997), and Harry Murray (1986), were present at the celebratory lunch hosted by the 2023 winner Conor O’Leary, managing director of Gleneagles Hotel.
