Valor Hospitality, the management company behind Hilton Garden Inn (HGI) Birmingham, has appointed Jessica Kelly as the new general manager at the city centre hotel.
Jessica, who has worked within the Hilton brand for almost nine years, began her career as part of the graduate management programme and her role has taken her to varied locations around the world, including London and Istanbul.
Following the appointment, Jessica moved to Birmingham from Hilton Leeds, where she was interim general manager, having previously been director of operations for over three years at Hilton London Canary Wharf.
The move comes as Valor celebrates its nomination for being a best place to work in the hospitality sector for the third time in five years, cementing the firm as a leading name in the industry.
Commenting on what attracted her to the HGI Birmingham role, Jessica said: “If you work in hotels, you must have a natural interest in people and Valor’s values focus on developing and looking after its people. There are such diverse roles within hospitality and so, finding, nurturing and holding onto passionate team members is the most important and most fun part of the job for me. The development opportunities in Valor are brilliant and I want to be part of driving that culture and watching people grow in their careers.
“I’m also excited to get nestled into Birmingham. The hotel is in such a fantastic location with a varied business mix and it’s an exciting year, with the Commonwealth Games and the return of large events in the ICC and arena just next door.”
Moira Laird, global HR director at Valor Hospitality, said: “Jessica is an accomplished hotel leader, having worked in some of Hilton’s largest venues in Europe and gaining impressive experience across various roles, widening her knowledge of the industry along the way. Her passion for people and for developing teams, match with Valor’s core values and made her the perfect choice for the role.
“Jessica understands our ethos and believes that looking after people is the most important part of what we do, and we’re excited to see what she will bring to the role and to Hilton Garden Inn Birmingham.”
In 2021, Valor experienced significant growth, with the addition of 18 properties to its UK portfolio, taking its global hotel count to over 80.