Robert Cook elected first HOSPA president

Cook's position was revealed at the newly-named organisation's official launch at the Radisson Edwardian Mayfair hotel last night. He will replace David Cook who has been BAHA president since 2004.

Speaking at the event Cook said: "I am immensely proud and honoured to have been chosen to lead this prestigious and influential association at such a momentous time in its history, and look forward to nurturing its aims and objectives.

"The future success of British hospitality lies in the growth of real talent – people are the very lifeblood of our hotels; and HOSPA’s highly regarded Education and Training Programmes, together with its events and workshops, play a vitally important role in helping hospitality finance, revenue management and IT professionals become even more effective in achieving success for their businesses.”

Outgoing president​

BAHA chief executive Carl Weldon said Robert Cook's experience in the industry would be a major benefit to HOSPA's 'rapidly growing membership', but also praised David Cook for his dedication to the association and for helping it to grow in a range of ways.

“Whilst the election of Robert Cook is extremely exciting for the future of HOSPA, there is also obvious sadness at saying goodbye to a truly great servant to the association in David Cook. He joined BAHA only two years after the association’s formation in 1969, as member number 54. Sixteen years later, he became a Fellow and soon moved up the BAHA ladder," he said.

BAHA announced in June that it would be changing its name and rebranding to better reflect the changing nature of financial management in the hospitality industry.