Brendan Gillespie - Vice President Finance

Brendan is a Scottish Chartered Accountant and has 20 years experience in the Hotel sector in the UK and Europe. He has worked as a Finance Director with both private and quoted companies having been heavily involved in the flotation of Macdonald Hotels plc on the London Stock Exchange.

He has worked with a number of award winning hotel companies in the UK and Europe as well as multi-nationals including Intercontinental Hotels Group.

He holds an MBA from Strathclyde Graduate Business School and recently attended Wharton Business School.

Amandio Martins - Vice President Revenue

Amandio Martins has over twelve years experience in the hospitality industry where he has established a reputation for creating, organising and delivering pragmatic strategic plans that deliver successful commercial results. His forte lies in the re-organising of regional and hotel level reservations teams to enhance and improve hotel revenues and operating profits. He is fluent in 4 languages and his vast experience includes positions as Regional Director of Distribution and Revenue Management at Sofitel Asia, Group Reservations and Revenue Manager at Six Senses Resorts and Spas and Revenue and Reservations Manager of the Al Murooj Rotana Hotel & Suites in Dubai. As a qualified and proven hotel professional, he brings a wealth of customer focused experience to Lonrho Hotels.

Simon Davey - Group Executive Chef

Simon Davey - award winning progressive culinary Executive Chef – has extensive multinational and cultural experience within 5 star hotels and Michelin referenced establishments. Currently a member of several internationally recognized culinary Associations, Simon is well known for improving service whilst preserving the highest levels of quality.

Simon, originally from Britain and bilingual in French, showcases a signatory style that is French classical/modern with Asian fusion and has a natural ability to create an enthusiastic and productive working environment. His approach to hotel guests is one that delights rather than impresses. He thrives under pressure and is extremely motivated, always eager to adapt to cultures and cuisines, tending to create his own individual signatory style, with his favorite being Asian fusion which mixes well with most countries. “Asian cuisine is healthy, fresh and cooked a la minute ” he says.

Simon holds numerous accolades with his international experience in Britain, France and Bahrain including being a UK Finalist for two years running in the prestigious Prix Tattinger, winner of Master Chef Grand Prix, Stoke on Trent, Winner of the International Salon Culinaire Master Chef Grand prix London and gold medallist of the Northern Chef Of The Year in Manchester. He has enjoyed more than 150 printed articles in local, national and international publications

John Elliott - General Manager and Director, Hotel Cardoso

John Elliott was educated in the United Kingdom and has been working in the Hospitality Industry for over 25 years. Having obtained a Higher diploma in Hotel and Institutional Management his hotel experience includes working in London, Switzerland, Ghana and Mozambique, for companies including Sheraton Hotels, Holiday Inns and Accor Hotels. He joined Lonrho in 1991 and after spending four years at the Labadi Beach Hotel, Accra Ghana he moved to Maputo Mozambique to manage Hotel Cardoso.

Fungai Makani, General Manager, Leopard Rock

Fungai is a hotelier by profession and holds a diploma in Hotel Management from The Bulawayo Hotel School he graduated in 1990. Immediately after college he joined Zimbabwe Sun Hotels as a trainee manager and rose through the ranks. His first hotel as a full flagged general manager was Hwange Safari Lodge. He then went on to manage The Kingdom at Victoria Falls and The Victoria Falls Hotel. In 2007 he moved to Botswana to manage the Cresta President Hotel in the heart of Gaborone.

Denis Wollner

Denis Wollner has over 20 years of international experience in Senior Operations and General Manager roles, in 5 star hotels across the world. He has worked for various Leading Hotels of the World and several “Relais & Château” properties – including Marbella Club Hotel and the Ritz Madrid. He has led feasibility studies, overseen hotel construction projects, been involved in the pre-opening and opening of hotels, the renovation of properties, operational turn-around and hotel repositioning projects.

His vast experience and meticulous attention to detail is evident in everything he does – from planning and co-coordinating state dinners for international dignitaries and royalty - to making sure beds are turned down perfectly every evening. His thorough knowledge of the hospitality industry, his international experience and multi-lingual proficiency – he speaks German, Spanish, French, English and Italian – means that he will ensure service and accommodation exceeds the expectations of the most exacting of guests.

Rupert Elliott

Rupert spent some of his early years living in Nairobi, Kenya while his father ran Block Hotels. On their return to the United Kingdom he grew up working school holidays in jobs as diverse as gardener, pot washer, luggage porter and cook at his father's country house hotel. After A levels and a world cruise as a waiter on the Queen Elizabeth II cruiseliner, Rupert then spent 8 years with the world renowned five star luxury Savoy group.

He worked his way through the ranks at the Connaught, Claridge's, The Berkeley and finally The Savoy before moving on to Buckingham Palace. Here he was second in charge of all things "food" for the Queen. He was appointed to his first general manager role at 29 when he ran Hambleton Hall, one of the UK's top country house hotels. With experience in France at Le Martinez in Cannes and Bahrain with Banyan Tree he is very excited to come to Lansmore Masa Square Hotel and to Lonrho Hotels.