June 2, 2011 3.41 pm This story is over 152 months old

New Hilton hotel hires first employees

Workforce: The Hilton in Lincoln has employed the first of its managerial staff.

The DoubleTree Hilton Hotel has hired its first employees, who will join the senior management team.

The employees are Philip Walker, who will be the General Manager and Niki Shepheard, who will be Sales and Marketing Manager.

Philip Walker

Walker has previously worked for big hotel names such as Intercontinental Hotels Group and Guoman Hotel Management.

Shepheard used to work in travel, events and conference sectors across the globe, and was the Media Executive at Lincolnshire Tourism.

Walker said: “I worked in my last job for six years during which time I helped to transform the hotel into an award-winning business, I felt as though my work there was done and I needed a new challenge.

“Lincoln is a bit of a hidden gem so we need to raise the profile of the city as well as the hotel.

“We’re here to do a job but we want to enjoy ourselves doing it and it’s about recruiting people with the right personality as well as the right skills.”

Shepheard added: “I am absolutely thrilled to have been given the opportunity to be part of this exciting project!

Niki Shepheard

“Lincoln has long needed a hotel like the DoubleTree by Hilton which promises to offer both visitors and residents a contemporary, chic yet welcoming place to sleep, meet, work, eat and play.”

The DoubleTree is aiming to open by November, and will create around 70 jobs for the city.

A director of Brayford Hotels, the company behind the development, Richard Farrar said: “I’m delighted to welcome Philip and Niki to the team.

“Getting a GM and a Sales and Marketing Manager in place was crucial as, although the hotel won’t be welcoming guests for another six months, when it does open we want to hit the ground running.

“Our aim is to create a contemporary and aspirational hotel which will boost the city’s offering to tourists and provide a world-class hotel facility for both residents and businesses to enjoy.

“There’s a lot of work to do before November, however, both back and front of house, but with our key staff now in place we’ll be able to make real progress towards achieving that aim.”

Source: Shooting Star PR | Photo: Samantha Fisher for The Lincolnite, insets: Shooting Star PR