Virgin Hotels appoints Bryan Davern vice-president of operations in Europe ahead of Scotland openings

Sir Richard Branson's lifestyle hotel brand Virgin Hotels has appointed Bryan Davern as vice-president of operations, Europe, to spearhead its operations in the region as it gears up to open two hotels in Scotland this year.

Virgin Hotels Edinburgh will launch first this spring, followed by Virgin Hotels Glasgow in the summer, marking a return to the UK market for the brand.

Davern joins the company from Press Up Hospitality Group, where he was head of hotels for more than five years. He started his career with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, holding various management roles in both the US and Ireland, before moving to manage a range of both independent and branded hotels, including the Delphi Resort in Connemara and Dean Dublin as general manager.

He said: "I am delighted and honoured to be joining Virgin Hotels during this exciting time of growth. I am confident together we can exceed the high expectations of both our team and guests as we continue to build upon the success of the brand and launch in Europe for the first time."

James Bermingham, chief executive of Virgin Hotels, said: "We are thrilled to welcome Bryan to the Virgin Hotels family. His passion and expertise in luxury and lifestyle hotels in Europe and North America make him the ideal candidate to lead our team and champion the brand as we launch in Europe."