By Karen Peattie
Apex Hotels has appointed Averil Wilson as its new managing director.
A chartered accountant, Ms Wilson has a strong background in finance, having worked with KPMG in Auckland and London – specialising in hotels, leisure and media entertainment – before moving into finance roles with Lionsgate Films and Lloyds Banking Group.
Her promotion to the newly-created role at Apex comes after eight years as finance director of the Edinburgh-based group, the UK’s largest independent hotel operator.
The appointment comes after Apex Hotels announced a year of strong growth, with turnover up to £75.4 million and pre-tax profit rising to £11.7m.
Second in seniority to chief executive Angela Vickers, Ms Wilson will lead the executive team at family-owned Apex, overseeing all business operations, resources and ventures.
Ms Vickers said that Ms Wilson had "excelled as finance director and has been a valuable member of the Apex board over the years, accumulating a wealth of knowledge and understanding of all aspects of the business and the wider industry".
She added: “Introducing the new role puts Apex in an ideal position for further growth through acquisition and diversification, ensuring that we are agile enough to make the most of any available opportunities."
The Apex group currently operates 10 hotels in London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Bath.
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