Grant Campbell joins Nobu Hotel London Portman Square as general manager

The soon-to-open Nobu Hotel London Portman Square has appointed Grant Campbell as general manager.

Campbell has joined the 249-bedroom property, which is due to open in July, from the Sanderson hotel in London, where he spent six years, including three years as general manager.

In his new role, he will oversee the opening of the L+R-owned hotel, which will feature a Nobu restaurant, bar, ballroom for up to 600 guests, gym, wellness facilities and meeting spaces.

Earlier in his career, Campbell worked as hotel manager at the DoubleTree by Hilton – Tower of London and as group operations manager at Mint hotel.

He said that he was “thrilled” to join the hotel, which is being transformed from the former Radisson Blu Portman Square. “The talent and expertise of both L+R Hotels and Nobu Hospitality coming together to launch this hotel is sure to make it a hallmark opening. I very much look forward to welcoming our first guests this summer.”

Following the appointment of Campbell, Matthew Beard (pictured below), the pre-opening general manager for Nobu Hotel London Portman Square, has been promoted to managing director, located at another L+R hotel, the 785-bedroom Strand Palace on the Strand, London.

Beard, who has been with the group for more than three and a half years, previously worked as a cluster general manager for DoubleTree by Hilton in London and as general manager of various Holiday Inn properties for InterContinental Hotels Group.

He has replaced David MacRae, who is retiring after 21 years with Strand Palace, which is currently nearing the end of a major refurbishment.

Desmond Taljaard, managing director of L+R Hotels, said: “We are thrilled to have Grant join us. He brings with him the right combination of operational, brand and commercial experience and extensive knowledge of the London hotel landscape. His strong leadership skills will also be invaluable in making the launch of Nobu Hotel London Portman Square a success. We congratulate Matthew on his much-deserved promotion and continuing his career with us at Strand Palace.”

Nobu Hotel London Portman Square is the second Nobu hotel to open in London, following the launch of a property in Shoreditch in 2017. It marks a collaboration between L+R and Nobu Hospitality, the lifestyle brand founded by Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro and Meir Teper.