Stephen CarterFormer Hotelier of the Year Stephen Carter has been appointed general manager of the five-red-AA-star Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa in St Andrews. He joins the hotel today, just over a year after leaving Cameron House on Loch Lomond, where he oversaw a £50m refurbishment and expansion of the resort during his seven-year tenure as managing director. Carter recently undertook an interim role as general manager of the Royal hotel in York, leading the renovation of the property during its transformation to a new urban lifestyle brand being created by Starwood. His extensive experience in leading major development projects will stand him in good stead as he heads the team at the 144-bedroom hotel, owned by Kohler Co, as it too undergoes major improvements. The appointment marks a return to St Andrews for Carter who opened and ran the St Andrews Bay Golf Resort & Spa (now the Fairmont St Andrews) from 2000 to 2006. Previous roles include operations director at Cliveden in Taplow, Berkshire, and general manager at the Caledonian hotel, Edinburgh. Carter’s illustrious career of nearly 40 years includes being named Hotelier of the Year by The Caterer in 2011, having been awarded an OBE for services to the hospitality industry in 2007. His work beyond his day job includes appointments as trustee of the Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland and director of both the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and VisitScotland.