Claire Burgess jets in as group CFO

The Inn Collection Group has named Claire Burgess as its chief finance officer as its growth journey continues to more than double its portfolio by 2022.

A former lead advisor with KPMG’s corporate finance team in Leeds, Claire has held senior key growth roles in the Unites States.  She set up leading white marble producers TBGS Holdings and JB Processing in Alabama and was part of the senior management team at cutting-edge construction design and manufacturing giant Blox PLC, with clients including some of the largest healthcare operators in the US.

Claire said: “I am excited to be joining The Inn Collection Group and share their buy and build growth strategy vision. It’s the people who make a business and I was struck by the ethos and mentality of the group from the top down, with people just rolling up their sleeves and getting on with it, taking ownership and responsibility.

“I want us to be able to grow the business efficiently and effectively while preserving our ‘pubs with rooms’ identity which is what the group does so well. You feel you have a quality, value for money, personalised product that is so much nicer than a faceless chain. It’s about growing at a rate that makes a difference not growth for growth sake.

The Inn Collection Group – named as Best Pub Employer (up to 500 employers) in the recent Publican Awards – has further added to its leadership team with new appointments

including property and developments manager Graeme Wood and finance controller Chris Sheldon and has promoted Chris Moor to southern operations manager and Richard Moore as group development chef.

The Inn Collection Group’s managing director Sean Donkin said: “I am delighted to welcome Claire to the team. Her experience drive and character will make a significant contribution to our growth plans. Along with our newly strengthened leadership team and with strong revenue investments in place, we are on track to continue building our portfolio with sites that fit our blueprint of pubs with rooms providing high-quality accommodation, service, food and beverage.”

The Alchemy-backed group will continue to seek out new build and acquisition opportunities to grow in the Lake District and Yorkshire and across the north east of England.

Claire succeeds current CFO Ian Stein who will step down from the board in May.