The recent appointment of Paul Nisbett as chief operating officer of Principal Hayley Hotels and Conference Venues will “drive the strategic development of the group as it increases its presence across the UK and Europe”, according to a statement from the company.

Principal Hayley Hotels and Conference Venues is a company of the Permira Funds, with 20 properties throughout the UK and Europe, including the St David's Hotel & Spa in Cardiff, the George Hotel in Edinburgh, the Met in Leeds and Beaumont House in Windsor. The company's first two European properties, Château Saint Just in Paris and La Mola in Barcelona, are scheduled to open in September this year.

"The ambition of the business in terms of both its existing products and its expansion was a strong attraction to me,” said Nisbett. “Principal Hayley has an excellent proposition with two well-known and respected brands within one company. We're looking to take these models to a wider customer base and into new destinations."

Commenting on the appointment, Principal Hayley chief executive officer Tony Troy  said: "Paul's approach is very much in sync with the aspirations of the business. His experience of developing hotel brands is well known, and we believe he will contribute significantly to the success of the group."

Nisbett comes with a wealth of experience within the hotel sector, most recently as commercial director for Malmaison and Hotel Du Vin. He was instrumental in the expansion of the group from just six properties to a current portfolio of 23 hotels.