Hotel Cateys 2024: Hotelier of the Year 2024 – Gareth Banner, the Ned

Since leading the Ned’s ambitious launch in 2017, Gareth Banner’s vision has propelled the iconic hotel into a beacon of luxury, blending heritage with innovation.

The scale of his remit hits home as soon as you walk into the grand, busy, buzzing ground floor of this luxurious City of London hotel. Under his watch, the reimagined Grade I-listed former bank – which retains many of 1920s architect Sir Edwin Lutyens’ original features – has become a successful multi-faceted business. With 250 rooms,
10 restaurants, multiple bars, a spa, a late-night lounge within the original bank vault and a daily entertainment line-up, Banner has established the Ned as a one-of-a-kind experience.

At this truly epic site Banner was encouraged by Nick Jones (a former Hotelier of the Year himself) to heavily edit the rule book, and he has certainly been big, bold and ambitious.

Meanwhile, Banner’s success in evolving the brand to keep it relevant and attractive to high-net-worth customers triggered an opportunity for international expansion. Ned NoMad launched in New York in 2022, Ned Doha at the end of 2022 and a fourth is about to open in Washington DC, while others are also slated for the Cotswolds, Europe and North America.

From his early days at Swallow Hotels, through the Cavendish, the Hempel, and the St Pancras Renaissance hotels, Banner has been no stranger to awards. He was an Acorn winner in 2004, awarded a Master Innholders scholarship to Cornell University in New York in 2012, and became a Master Innholder in 2016. He can now add Hotelier of the Year to the trophy cabinet.

The judges recognised his solid performance in both independent and corporate business environments throughout a consistent career journey. Each one shared their admiration for the work he has done, managing and growing such a multi-faceted and complex business.

Gordon Campbell Grey said: “There are so many wonderful and outstanding hoteliers but few can claim to oversee such an amazing array of complex operations as the Ned. Gareth has done so with aplomb and dedication, contributing hugely to its current success at so many levels.”

Sally Beck added: “Regardless of how busy he is, how much pressure he has in running his complex business, he has time for colleagues, industry associations and, in fact, everyone. He is down to earth and not at all tied up with ego and personal status. His energy is infectious and he works hard to lift people up and find solutions for the greater good.”

Daniel Pedreschi said: “Gareth never stops and Gareth never compromises. His outstanding leadership was sufficient merit for the award. However, when coupled with his additional responsibility of rolling out other Neds across the globe, it was clear that he was this year’s deserving winner.”

The 2023 Hotelier of the Year, Conor O’Leary, said: “Gareth manages one of London most successful hotel operations, delivering creativity and fun alongside continual high levels of service in a hugely busy environment. That he also manages to do this with kindness and humility is doubly impressive.He personifies the modern day hotelier.”