Russell Kett

Russell Kett, chairman of the London office of global hospitality consultancy HVS, has been appointed as special adviser to the board of hotel and leisure investment company, Northern Powerhouse Developments (NPD).

Kett, one of the most respected names in the hospitality industry, brings 45 years of experience within the international hotel sector to this northern-based UK company. His reputation and experience have helped advise and steer the fortunes of many of the world's biggest hotel companies. He has an unrivalled knowledge and global understanding of guest expectations along with investors' requirements and those of lenders, owners, operators and brands.

He joins two other formidable hotel and leisure heavyweights at NPD: Peter Moore - who introduced Center Parcs to the UK - is Chairman of NPD Leisure, and Richard Lewis, who is CEO of NPD Hotels.

Founded in 2016, Northern Powerhouse Developments now owns and operates 12 hotels located in clusters of four around England and Wales, all of which have or are undergoing a programme of refurbishment and rebranding. By 2020 NPD aims to have in excess of 40 hotels within the UK. Each hotel collection: Manor House, Premier, Boutique and Classic makes up a cluster and all service a different demographic providing operational efficiencies across the cluster and the total estate. Acquisitions are funded by individual private and institutional investors as an alternative to the residential buy-to-let market by offering the ability to buy a room and then sub-letting it back to NPD's own operator. NPD also signs an option to buy the property back at any given point, thus maintaining control of its operations and property estate.