Hotel owner in running for entrepreneur of the year title

The 30-year-old boss of the Nine Group, which owns and operates 18 hotels in the UK, has been named as a rising star for London and south in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year.

Vivek Chadha founded the Nine Group in 2012 and has gone on to grow the business into a company of franchised hotels, operating under global brands and employing 800 people. The company is based in Watford, but Chadha is now looking to expand across mainland Europe, following the addition of a hotel in Malaga, Spain.

Hotels within the portfolio include the Mercure St Albans Noke hotel, Crowne Plaza Basingstoke and the Novotel London Heathrow Airport. The company also owns residential and commercial properties.

Chadha said: "It's a privilege to represent Watford, Hertfordshire and Greater London, where several of the hotels from Nine Group portfolio are located."

The regional winners of the awards will now progress to the UK final held in London in October to compete for the title EY UK Entrepreneur of the Year.

The UK winner will then attend the EY World Entrepreneur of the Year Forum in summer 2018, alongside individuals from more than 60 countries.

Nine Group buys Best Western Plus Reading Moat House off £12.5m guide price >>

Nine Group buys St Albans Noke hotel for £9m >>

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