Wivenhoe House Hotel general manager welcomed to Master Innholders

General Manager of Wivenhoe House Hotel, Oliver Brown, has been welcomed into the Master Innholders in recognition of his contributions and achievements within the hospitality industry.

Oliver will be made a member of the prestigious organisation at a special ceremony in June in the City of London.

As part of being a member of the Master Innholders, Oliver will support the next generation of hoteliers, and he knows how important that can be. In 2004, he won the Master Innholders' Acorn Award and received a Scholarship.

Oliver has spent his career supporting the development of the hospitality industry and new talent. The Edge Hotel School, the first of its kind in the UK, is based at Wivenhoe House hotel, and he has led a number of campaigns, including the #laststraw campaign, which promotes sustainability issues.

Oliver said: "Becoming a Master Innholder is the proudest time in my career." But, he added: "This is not where I slow down. There is still much to do".

Oliver said that going into a hospitality career offers great prospects and the sector has rapidly changed for the better in the last 30 years. He says with more opportunities and the appealing options of travelling while working, hospitality has never been better to develop, thrive and learn.

For those interested in going into the hospitality industry, Oliver advises: "Start building relationships and getting to know the properties that members of the Master Innholders run."

And for Oliver sustainability is becoming more and more important. The #laststraw campaign will continue to push for the elimination of the use of plastic straws in hospitality. Oliver believes every hotel has a responsibility to endorse sustainable methods. He said: "Not just Master Innholders, but everybody has a responsibility to do their bit".

Oliver is one of four leading hoteliers being welcomed into the Master Innholders. Members must have at least five years in a significant hotel general or senior manager role, be based in the UK, and are expected to contribute to industry organisation or training initiatives. The Master Innholders was founded in 1978 and champions the development and education of the next generation of hospitality professionals.

David Morgan-Hewitt FIH MI, chairman of the Master Innholders, said: "I am immensely proud to welcome these four new members to the Master Innholders.

"Each has shown overwhelming passion and dedication for hospitality and are making valuable contributions not only to their own hotels, but to the industry as a whole. Congratulations to each of our new Master Innholders!"

This article was written by Neranjana Elapatha during a placement with the Communications Team