Tuesday, 4th March 2008

DUBLIN HOTELIER ELECTED NEW PRESIDENT OF IHF

Mr Matthew Ryan, Managing Director, Grand Hotel Malahide and Marine Hotel Sutton, Dublin, was today elected President of the Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) for a two year term at its 70th Annual Conference in Kilkenny. With over 25 years experience as a businessman and entrepreneur, Mr Ryan is the 32nd President of the Federation and succeeds Annette Devine. The IHF is the premier representative tourism body in Ireland, and the national organisation representing over 1,000 hotel and guesthouses that employ over 57,000 people.

Mr Ryan is a native of Dublin and a graduate of the Shannon College of Hotel Management. He has worked in senior management positions for the Stand Palace Hotel, Covent Garden (774 bedroom) and the 4 star Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington D.C. (900 bedroom). Mr Ryan took up the position of Managing Director at the Grand Hotel Malahide in the early 1980s and successfully led a series of redevelopment programmes transforming the premises from a 48 bedroom hotel into one of Dublin’s finest hotels, offering a full four star service with extensive accommodation, leisure, conferencing and banquet facilities.

For the last seven years, Mr Ryan has been a member of the IHF National Council, serving twice as Vice President. He served on the IHF’s Classification Committee and oversaw this new system being devised and rolled out. For the past three years, he has been Chairman of the Association Conference Committee and the Fáilte Ireland Business Tourism Forum. He served as a Board member of ILAM for five years overseeing the white flag redevelopment initiative. He is a founding member of the Dublin Convention Bureau and EIQA (Excellence Ireland Quality Association), which sets standards for leisure centres in Ireland.

During his presidency, Matthew plans to give priority to; the cost of doing business in Ireland; attracting overseas visitors to the regions; a healthy family menus initiative targeting children and environmental issues in the hospitality sector.  

In his spare time, Matthew is a vintage car enthusiast with a keen interest in restoring classic cars.

ENDS

FOR INFORMATION:
Siobhan Molloy / Eoin Quinn                          
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