Crerar Hotels CEO named Master Innholder
The award was created by the Worshipful Company of Innholders and is given to those who have proven themselves as industry leaders
The CEO of Crerar Hotels Group, Chris Wayne-Wills, has been awarded the title of Master Innholder as the only Scottish-based hotelier to be awarded this year.
He received Master Innholder status along with a selected group of hoteliers in the UK from companies such as Four Seasons, The Goring, and Hand Picked Hotels.
The award was created by the Worshipful Company of Innholders and is given to those who have proven themselves as industry leaders, having set the standard for the next generation of hospitality talent.
The Master Innholders is a leading force within the hotel industry and champions the education and development of the next generation of hospitality. Its scholarships are also recognised as the most desirable industry placements, known for professionalism and excellence.
Crerar Hotels Group, which operates seven four and five-star hotels and inns in Scotland, is currently the Scottish chair of UK Hospitality, the country’s largest hospitality trade body, and was most recently awarded the title of the UK’s ‘Most Influential Hotels Group CEO of the Year’ 2023 by CEO Monthly Magazine.
He is also a trustee of HIT Scotland, a fellow of the Institute of Hospitality and sits on the Institute of Hospitality Scotland committee.
Being part of the Master Innholder community means hoteliers will be providing opportunities to give back to the industry and support the next wave of talent. The organisation is committed to promoting education and development within the hotel sector through programmes including the Master Innholders Aspiring Leaders Diploma, the Innholders Scholarship, the Hotel Leadership Conference, MIDAS and its mentoring scheme.
Wayne-Wills said: “It is a true honour to be the only Scottish-based hotelier to be accepted as a Master Innholder this year. The title is nationally recognised as a prestigious force for good and a standard bearer across the industry. It’s also a proud moment as this has been a career-long ambition for me.
“We have made significant investments in our iconic hotels over the last few years and have driven forward when others held back investment plans. I have huge faith in our hotels, the guest experience we offer and in the locations in which we operate, but it is our wonderful people that make it all come to life and the prestige of the Master Innholder title will allow me to push forward with inspiring and driving opportunities for the next generation.”
