The Panel of JudgesThe judging panel of the HRS Hotel Excellence Awards is made up of some of the biggest names in the UK's hotel and tourism industry as well as associations representing the corporate and business sector. David Taylor, Sales Director, Q Hotels 
QHotels Sales Director, David Taylor has worked in the hotel industry since 1990. A North-East lad, Taylor started his sales career selling advertising space in a local newspaper, before moving onto directory advertising sales in London.This experience provided a valuable insight into creative thinking and engaging the customer. Something that has stayed with him throughout his career. Taylor joined the hotel industry with Metropole Hotels as Conference Sales Executive and stayed with the group for ten years seeing successful career moves and experiencing dramatic change with subsequent acquisitions of Metropole by Stakis who were also subsequently acquired by Hilton Hotels. In 2000 he joined the Paramount Group of Hotels as Sales Director teaming up with Michael Purtill and Ian Goulding. This partnership went on to found Quintessential Hotels in 2003, acquiring their first hotels, The Queens in Leeds and Chesford Grange near Warwick in February 2003, later rebranding to QHotels. QHotels is now a portfolio of 21 four star hotels throughout the UK, spending over £360 million acquiring hotels in the past four years and investing over £120 million in their subsequent improvement. Mark Jones, Group General Manager, Macepark Hotels 
Mark Jones is Group General Manager of Macepark Hotels. Mark has previously been Operations Director at the Eden Project and Director of Operations Center Parcs UK - Three Forest Resorts, managing a turn over of £110M and 3,200 staff. As well as being a fellow of the Institute of Hospitality, Mark is also a member of the Institute of Directors and Freeman of the City of Tennessee. Tony Pilcher of Pilcher Associates Ltd 
Tony Pilcher retired from the HSBC Group at the end of June this year just short of attaining the grand young age of 60 in September. As Head of Business Travel and Expense Management for HSBC he was responsible for the development and implementation of strategy, policy and procedures and supplier arrangements. Directing, co-coordinating and liaising with HSBC's regional/territorial travel managers, Tony acted as the focal point to drive strategic business travel and expense initiatives. In addition to HSBC Group Travel, Tony was the business owner of HSBC's UK Travel Services, Fleet Services, Chauffeur Services, Mobile Telephony and Expenses Management. In January 2007 of this year Tony received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the prestigious Business Travel World Awards ceremony in London and in February was named as one of the top 25 most influential Business Travel Executives in the USA by Business Travel News (BTN) for his work in raising the profile of the impact of business travel on the environment. Peter Lederer is President of the Institute of Hospitality and is committed to improving quality, educational standards and training opportunities within the hospitality and tourism industries. 
Peter is also Patron of the Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland, a trustee of the Springboard Educational Trust and a board member of People 1st. Peter was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration by Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. In addition he is a Master Innholder and Freeman of the City of London, as well as a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Innholders. Peter Lederer joined Gleneagles in 1984 as General Manager and was appointed Managing Director in 1987 and became Chairman in November 2007. Previously he held operational, administrative and senior management positions in Canada for ten years with the Four Seasons hotel group in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, and with Plaza Hotels in Toronto. Peter is Chairman of VisitScotland and a board member of The Leading Hotels of the World. In 1993 he won the Tourism 'Catey' award and in 1997 was honoured as Hotelier of the Year. In her 1994 Birthday Honours List, Her Majesty The Queen appointed him an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his services to the industry. This was followed by the honour of CBE in 2005. Peter Bramich FIH 
Until recently Director and General Manager of the 36-bedroom Deans Place country hotel and restaurant in Alfriston, East Sussex Past President of the Institute of Hospitality. Peters entire career has been spent in the hotel conference, exhibition and banqueting sector. He was Conference and Banqueting Manager in London at the Inn on the Park Hotel and the Inter-Continental Hyde Park. This was followed by an 18-year period with Metropole Hotels, where he ended up as General Manager of the Brighton Metropole for eight years. In 1997, Peter purchased the Deans Place Hotel in Alfriston, which has become a successful 36-bedroom conference and banqueting operation. Peter Phillipson, Chairman - Best Practice Forum Board 
Succeeded Lord Marshall as Chairman of this subsidiary of the British Hospitality Association. The Forum seeks to improve the competitiveness of the UK hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industry. Since its inception in 2001, the Forum has attracted funds from the private and public sector (DTI) totalling £9m. 12,015 businesses have completed the benchmarking process achieving over £24m of productivity gains.
Non-Executive Chairman, Merlin Entertainments Group Attractions include Madame Tussauds, The London Eye, Chessington World of Adventures, Thorpe Park, Alton Towers, Warwick Castle, Sealife Centres, London Dungeon, Legoland, Heide Park and Gardaland. Employing 13,000 staff in 9 countries, Merlin is a major British based leisure company valued at about £3 billion.
Deputy Chairman, Advisory Board, Kings Park Capital Other Activities
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