Tim Seward is the new Chair of the Institute of Hospitality’s Southern Branch.

He takes over the reins from hotelier-turned-real estate operator, Antonio Lopez.

His election, at the branch’s annual meeting yesterday at the Balmer Lawn Hotel & Spa, has been welcomed by Robert Richardson, CEO of the Institute of Hospitality (IoH), pictured left.

He said: “In Tim, the Institute of Hospitality – Southern Branch has a fantastic new chairman with enormous passion and experience.”

The IoH is the leading international professional body for current and aspiring leaders and managers in the hospitality industry.

Tim – who was profiled in our ‘Heroes of Hospitality’ feature earlier this year – is a well-known figure in the BCP tourism and hospitality community.

He’ll remain Chair of the BH Area Hospitality Association, the network for hoteliers and other accommodation providers in BCP, a role he has held since March 2020.

As the new IoH Southern Branch Chair, which covers Hampshire and Dorset, Tim will lead the way in supporting members via a combination of educational and social events, seminars, webinars and other activities designed to encourage networking, lifelong learning and continuous professional development.

Under his leadership, the branch will be looking at ways to support hospitality teams as the regional economy, heavily reliant on tourism, tackles labour and skills shortages associated with the resumption of business post-lockdown.

There are plans to further strengthen links with colleges and universities in the region, as well as to bestow recognition – via a Hospitality Heroes Award — on businesses and individuals that have acted in exemplary ways during the pandemic.

Two charities have already been selected to benefit from the proceeds of a charity dinner planned for February 2022, the Crumbs Project and Room to Reward.

Tim was previously General Manager of the boutique Cliff House Hotel in Bournemouth and is now Operations Manager of the Holiday Inn, Bournemouth.

He was an active executive board member of the Bournemouth Chamber of Trade for several years and, in 2016, was named an Unsung Hero in the Boutique Hotelier Power List.

Tim said: “I am delighted to become Chair of the Southern Branch of the Institute of Hospitality.

“I look forward to carrying on the great work of the branch but, at the same time, relish the opportunity to bring what I hope will be seen as fresh energy and vision.

“We want to support our members as they emerge out of lockdown and build or rebuild their careers with the right education and training resources and opportunities.

“Hopefully we will be able to attract new talent into the industry and new members into the Institute through our work.”

Robert Richardson, IoH CEO, said: “In this stage of our evolution as a professional body, the Institute needs leaders like Tim who understand the challenges and are great at building bridges and see collaboration as essential for our industry to move forward as one hospitality family.

“I look forward to working closely with him in the years to come.”

• instituteofhospitality.org