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Lodge at Gulf State Park,
a Hilton Hotel, Gulf Shores, Alabama, USA

We Are   
Hotelitarians®

We’re hotel people—Hotelitarians—a team of curious, courageous thinkers and doers dedicated to helping your business thrive. As Hotelitarians, we have strategically built our reputation on relationships.

Our relationships with our guests are emotional.
Our purpose is for guests to feel better about themselves when they leave our property than they did upon arrival. We provide our guests with a spectacular place to sleep and eat, and strive to ensure every service interaction is handled with warmth, care, passion, and excellence, bringing a real sense of belonging to anyone crossing our threshold.

Our relationships with our Hotelitarians are cultural.
Our corporate and property level culture is comprised of dedicated, compassionate, enthusiastic people who take ownership and act in the best interest of our guests. We treat every team member with dignity, respect and equal opportunity, and we are proud to be as widely recognised for our industry-leading culture as we are for our commercial expertise.

Our world-class global partners continuously share best practices, so everyone gains insight into the cultures, styles, and trends of countries in which we work, live and play. By leveraging expertise across the globe, our entire global team becomes more inquisitive, more imaginative, and more innovative than they ever believed possible.

Meet our team. We are HOTELITARIANS.

Global Partners

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Euan McGlashan

Global Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer

Following an award-winning career in luxury, resorts, independent and branded hotels, Euan formed Valor Hospitality Partners in 2012 with longtime friend and business partner Steve Cesinger. Since then, Euan and his dynamic team have executed on many distressed property turnarounds, new builds and re-brandings, resulting in a highly-regarded reputation for the quality of the Valor execution both commercially and culturally.

In 2013, Euan and Steve purchased a U.K. operating platform, which today operates 36 hotels and resorts throughout Great Britain. Utilizing their unique brand of culture and results delivery, highlights of the U.K. work includes taking an IHG portfolio of underperforming U.K. hotels to the number one operated franchise portfolio in Europe and throughout the entire estate; project managing multi-million pound renovations, upgrades, rebranding; and the concepting and development of ‘High Street Retail’ themed restaurants within select Hilton Hotels. In 2013, Euan formed PMR Hospitality Partners in Cape Town, South Africa with lifelong friends, Tony Romer-Lee and Michael Pownall, creating a bespoke, unique, full-service management company targeted at filling a huge need gap in the Sub-Saharan African hospitality market. In 2018, PMR became Valor Africa & Middle East turning Valor into what is now referred to as Valor Global with new office openings in Bangkok, Thailand and Dubai.

Euan’s vision for a truly bespoke global management company sharing resources, skills, and strategic thinking, as well as internally-created operating systems, procedures and guidelines which Reimagine Hospitality has come to life with Valor Global now managing, asset managing advising, or consulting on over 80 projects around the world.

emcglashan@valorhospitality.com

Euan McGlashan

Global Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer

Steve Cesinger

Global Co-founder & Chief Capital Officer

Steve Cesinger has over 40 years of experience in private equity, corporate finance, investment banking, distressed/workouts, treasury and operations, including a principal focus over the last 20 years in commercial real estate and hospitality. Since forming Valor with long-time friend and colleague Euan McGlashan, Steve has advised on client portfolio acquisitions and financings for more than twenty hotels representing over $1.5 billion in transaction value.

Previously, Steve oversaw treasury, asset management and private equity operations for the Dewberry Capital, an Atlanta based firm whose $500 million+ investment portfolio included hospitality, office, retail, and multi-family properties. Steve’s extensive investment banking experience encompasses a variety of industries, with notable transactions involving leading consumer facing companies such as Little Tykes, MGA Entertainment, Bumble Bee Seafoods and Whole Foods Markets. Steve has arranged mergers, acquisitions and public and private debt and equity financings, both as principal and agent, representing over $4 billion in aggregate value, including over $1 billion of debt restructuring and distressed transactions.

scesinger@valorhospitality.com

Steve Cesinger

Global Co-founder & Chief Capital Officer

Brandon Hatfield

Global Principal & Chief Investment Officer

Brandon has over 20 years of corporate finance, treasury and operations experience, including a principal focus over the last 15 years in commercial real estate and hospitality.

Prior to joining Valor Hospitality, Brandon was Senior Vice President, Finance with Dewberry Capital Corporation, where he oversaw all asset management functions and was directly involved in the proposed conversion of a historic office building in downtown Charleston, SC into a 155 room independent luxury hotel.

Previously, Brandon served as Senior Financial Analyst with Lend Lease Real Estate Investments, where he was responsible for the preparation of equity fund returns and fund composites for the U.S. equity business, which had approximately $17 billion in assets under management.

bhatfield@valorhospitality.com

Brandon Hatfield

Global Principal & Chief Investment Officer

Tony Romer-Lee

Co-founder & Managing Partner, Africa & Middle East + CIS

Since graduating in Hotel Management, Tony held General Manager positions with several industry icons such as Singita, Cape Grace; One & Only Cape Town; and most recently, serving as CEO for the Collection by Liz McGrath, with responsibility for three Relais and Chateaux Hotels in Cape Town, South Africa. After more than 25 years in luxury hospitality, Tony is known as one of the leading independent hoteliers in Southern Africa.

Now in a partnership with his old friends and colleagues Euan and Michael, Tony leads Valor Hospitality Africa with the goal of becoming one of Africa’s most well respected and highest performing hospitality development, consulting and management companies. Tony has three daughters and lives in Cape Town with his family.

tony@valorhospitality.com

Tony Romer-Lee

Co-founder & Managing Partner, Africa & Middle East + CIS

Michael Pownall

Co-founder & Managing Partner, Africa & Middle East + CIS

After receiving his Hotel management degree and growing his early management career within several of the UK's leading luxury hotels, Michael first emigrated to Cape Town in 1995, joining Southern Sun hotels.In 1998 he became General Manager of the iconic Mount Nelson Hotel, owned by Orient Express Hotels.

Staying with Orient Express, Michael moved to the USA in 2001 to become Managing Director of the recently aquired Keswick Hall Estate. Following a successful repositioning of the acclaimed hotel, golf club and luxury residential estate, Michael was offered the highly prized role of Chief Executive of Sandy Lane Resort, Barbados in 2005, overseeing many property initiatives and the hosting of the World Cup of Golf Championships. Late 2008 the family returned to Capetown when Michael was recruited to became the regional Managing Director for Taj Hotels, Palaces and Resorts, opening the Taj Capetown in 2010. Michael was a founding partner of Valor Africa (formerly PMR Hospitality) with Tony and Euan in 2013, seeking to be the leading hospitality management company in the region. Michael is based in Capetown, happily married to Caroline with three children, Tom,Hannah and Rebecca.

michael@valorhospitality.com

Michael Pownall

Co-founder & Managing Partner, Africa & Middle East + CIS

Julien Bergue

Co-founder & Managing Partner, Middle East + CIS

Originally from Mauritius, Africa, Julien has been in the hospitality industry for 20 years and has dedicated his career towards hotel project development for the past 17 years. During this time, he has been part of the development of various internationally recognized luxury hotels and mixed-use developments, which are some of the most iconic properties in the world.

Julien has over 17 years of international expertise directing significant mixed-used development, new hotel development and refurbishment projects for both new and established luxury projects in countries across the Middle East and Europe, including the One & Only Hotel & Resort, Armani Hotels, the Address Hotels & Resorts, Nikki Beach Hotels & Resorts, and SLS Hotels Dubai.

Julien is a driven leader with exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, creating value through ensuring adherence to operational and functional guidelines and brand standards during development, accelerating project deliverables, maximizing asset design development, mitigating investment cost and optimizing return on investment whilst accomplishing project objectives. Julien is an accomplished hotel individual poised to lead Valor Middle East.

jbergue@valorhospitality.com

Julien Bergue

Co-founder & Managing Partner, Middle East + CIS

Brian McCarthy

Managing Director, UK & Europe

Brian has over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Educated in Ireland, he is a graduate of the Galway Hotel School. Brian spent many of his formative years with Millennium and Copthorne Hotels, including time as General Manager of the Copthorne Hotel Cardiff. He then took a change in direction and spent several years in the health and fitness industry, which included the role of Operations Director for Esporta Health Clubs. From there he went to De Vere and was COO of De Vere Hotels and Village Urban Resorts.

Brian has experience in both public and private equity funded companies and most of his career has been spent in multi-site roles with lots of experience in new openings and repositioning projects. Brian is the first Managing Director of Valor Hospitality Europe and shares the same desire as its founding partners and his European team, to create and maintain a leading management company, recognized for the quality, energy and engagement of its employees.

brian.mccarthy@valoreurope.com

Brian McCarthy

Managing Director, UK & Europe

McLean T. Wilson

Global Partner

McLean T. Wilson is a principal of Kemmons Wilson Companies, and in that role he provides oversight to the company’s hotel and real estate development interests.

He is President of Valor Hospitality Partners, our hotel management company based out of Atlanta, as well as the Chief Investment Officer of Kemmons Wilson Hospitality Partners, a hotel fund. And for the better part of the past decade, McLean co-led the redevelopment efforts of the 1.5 million square foot and $250 million Sears Crosstown Redevelopment Project in Memphis, now known as the award-winning Crosstown Concourse.

McLean’s professional board involvement includes Valor Hospitality Partners, Kemmons Wilson Hospitality Partners, as well as Billy Reid. He is also a former board member of the InterContinental Hotel Groups Owner’s Association, and was previously a chairman of the Revenue Performance Committee and Holiday Inn Committee (IAHI).

mwilson@kwilson.com

McLean T. Wilson

Global Partner

Kem Wilson III

Global Partner

Kemmons ‘Kem’ Wilson, III joined KWC in 2005 as a Principal. He is currently the President of Kemmons Wilson Hospitality Partner Funds.

After college Kem grew his investment experience as a research analyst for a hedge fund of funds and as a financial analyst for an investment consulting firm.  He then spent two years working with the disabled community at a 501(c)(3) where he gained some invaluable life skills.

For his first couple years at KWC, Kem’s primary focus was on the company’s private investment endeavors.  He then transitioned to help build out KWC’s wealth preservation  functionality by focusing on the individual marketable securities portfolios for the family and a selection of Wilson-related corporate & charitable entities. With over 20 years of investment experience, Kem’s expertise in private equity initiatives and hospitality investment opportunities is instrumental throughout the KWC portfolio.

In addition to his seat at KWC, Kem serves on the Boards of Holiday Inn Club Vacations, Valor Hospitality Partners, Kemmons Wilson Hospitality Partners, Peak + Energy Solutions and Wilson Investment Management. He is actively involved in philanthropy as Chairman of the Board for Repairing the Breach and serves on the Board of Trustees for Furman University where he is the current Chairman of the Investment Committee.

Kem holds a BA in Business Administration from Furman, a Master of Management in Hospitality from Cornell and an MBA from the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell.

kwilson3@kwilson.com

Kem Wilson III

Global Partner

Tapan Piplani

Partner & Chief Operating Officer

Tapan's hotel management studies were completed at the world-renowned Oberoi Centre of Learning & Development in India, followed by Certification in Hotel Real Estate and Revenue Management from Cornell University (USA) & the Revenue Academy UK. His successful hotel management career has demonstrated his very strong leadership abilities, with proven expertise in managing all aspects of various luxury hotel operations, training and developing staff, overseeing annual budgets, and implementing successful sales strategies.

Tapan has won numerous awards for hospitality assets under leadership including a "Best Hotel in the World" honour whilst with Oberoi Hotels. He has successfully opened two international hospitality projects on-schedule, working closely with asset owners, operators, licensing authorities, and various contractors.

Tapan is an accomplished and goal-orientated professional. He joins the Valor team as Regional Operations and Business Development Director in the Middle East. He is based in Dubai with his wife and two young children.

tpiplani@valorhospitality.com

Tapan Piplani

Partner & Chief Operating Officer

Regional Team

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Sahiti Gaddam

Regional Commercial Director

With over 20 years in luxury hospitality in the Middle East, Sahiti has deep knowledge of all things Sales, Marketing, Revenue, Brand management, Commercial repositioning, Distribution and Public Relations.
Senior executive roles included 14 years with Jumeirah group, including 2 strategic postings at the flagship Burj Al Arab. Between 2014-2021, in her role as Area Director- Middle East, with Taj hotel group, Sahiti launched and established the brand in the region and led the properties to market-leading commercial success and multiple F&B outlets awarded each year for best in category.

Sahiti received her degree in hotel management from IHM New Delhi. She completed ‘Revenue Management’ and ‘Strategic Leadership’ programs from Cornell University, Ithaca. In 2020 she completed a program in ‘Strategic Innovation’ from Said Business School, Oxford University and ‘Creative Thinking’ from Imperial College, London.

Sahiti was awarded “Top 10 Extraordinary minds in Sales, Marketing & Revenue” by HSMAI Middle East in 2017. Hotelier Middle East magazine placed her 3rd on the ‘Top 25 Women’s Power List’ for the Middle East in 2020.

sgaddam@valorhospitality.com

Sahiti Gaddam

Regional Commercial Director
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Americas

3200 Windy Hill Road SE, Suite 750 

Atlanta, GA 30339

Phone: +1 404 846 0700

Email: info@valorhospitality.com

UK + EUROPE

St. James House 

3rd Floor, South Wing

27 – 43 Eastern Road

Romford, Essex RM1 3NH

Phone: +44 (0)1708 730 522

Email: info@valorhospitalityeurope.com

Africa

Suite 004 The Yacht Club

2 Dockrail Road

V&A Waterfront

Cape Town 8002, South Africa

Phone: +27 21 4614587

Email: infoafrica@valorhospitality.com

Siège Casablanca

Angle avenue de la Côte d’Emeraude & rue de l’Ile de Timor

Anfa – Casablanca | Maroc

Phone : +212 (0) 5 22 799 790

Middle East + CIS

Valor Hospitality Middle East DMCC

Platinum Tower, Level 6

DMCC Jumeirah Lake Towers

P.O. Box 181921 Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Phone: +971529230820

Email: middleeast@valorhospitality.com

8, Mehrjon Street

Mirabab District

Tashkent Uzbekistan

Office : Tel: +998 934752246

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Modern Slavery Statement - DTP Hospitality
Modern Slavery Statement - HICP LTD
  • Valor Culture
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    • Meet Our People
    • Our Story + Values
    • Join Our Team
    • Back
  • Services
    • Hotel Management
    • Asset Management
    • New Development + Rebranding
    • Investments + Acquisitions
    • Dine, Design + Curate
    • Specialties
    • Back
  • Case Studies
    • Operations Value Add
    • Asset Management
    • New Development + Expansion
    • Rebranding + Renovations
    • Conversions
    • Environmental, Social, Governance
    • Back
  • Global Portfolio
    • Properties Americas
    • Properties UK + Europe
    • Properties Middle East + CIS
    • Properties South Africa
    • Properties North + West Africa
    • Back
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  • Contact

We Are Hotelitarians