Sir Rocco Forte honoured as Hotels Magazine's 2009 Corporate Hotelier of the World
(November 10, 2009 – New York, NY) - Sir Rocco Forte, Chairman of The Rocco Forte Collection, has been named by readers of HOTELS magazine as the 2009 Corporate Hotelier of the World. As the leading luxury hotel group in Europe, Sir Rocco is the second member of his famed family to accept the award since his father Lord (Charles) Forte was bestowed the honour in 1982. This news comes on the heels of the recently announced management contract with The Shepheard Hotel in Cairo, which The Rocco Forte Collection plans to reopen as a five-star hotel in 2013.
Sir Rocco founded The Rocco Forte Collection in 1996 with the aim of creating a Collection of luxury hotels in key European destinations. Currently, the Collection is comprised of 13 highly individualised hotels, each reflecting its location and nationality while sharing a high priority for stylish design and attention to detail, exemplary levels of service, and the latest technology. The Rocco Forte Collection continues to grow at a rapid pace: in 2009 alone Sir Rocco opened The Augustine in Prague as well as his first golf resort, Verdura Golf & Spa Resort, in Sicily. The company will additionally expand into the Middle East and North Africa with hotels opening in Abu Dhabi and Jeddah in 2010 and a resort in Marrakech in 2011.
“I am very honoured to receive this prestigious award and it is especially significant to me as my father received the very same award in 1982. I am proud of what our team has built over the last 13 years since we created The Rocco Forte Collection, and I am looking forward to our continued expansion both within Europe and into the Middle East,” stated Sir Rocco.
Sir Rocco was formerly Chairman and Chief Executive of Forte Plc, a company founded by his father, Lord Forte, in 1934. During his time at Forte, Sir Rocco had responsibility for more than 800 hotels, 1,000 restaurants and almost 100,000 employees in 50 countries around the world. As Chairman, Sir Rocco transformed Forte from a UK operation to an international hotel player based on the Meridien chain and a collection of luxury hotels including the George V in Paris, the Sandy Lane in Barbados, the Ritz in Madrid and the Plaza Athénée in New York. Forte Plc was sold in 1996 following a hostile take-over bid and has since been broken up.
Sir Rocco was knighted in December 1994 for services to the UK tourism industry and received the highest Italian accolade, the Gran Croce dell’Ordine al Merito della Republicca Italiana, for his entrepreneurial merits and strong links with Italy in March 2005. Sir Rocco married Lady (Aliai) Forte in 1986. They have three children: Lydia, Irene and Charles.
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Press Information
Anna Martin/Natasha Berg
The Rocco Forte Collection
Tel. +44 20 7766 3137
Email. pressinformation@roccofortecollection.com
NOTES FOR EDITORS
The Rocco Forte Collection
The Rocco Forte Collection was established in 1996 to create a group of luxury hotels in Europe. The hotels have individual styles, with each hotel reflecting its nationality and location. The properties are linked together under The Rocco Forte Collection brand, which guarantees attention to detail, quality and service delivery.
The Rocco Forte Collection comprises 13 hotels and resorts: Hotel de Russie, Rome; Hotel Savoy, Florence; The Balmoral, Edinburgh; The Lowry Hotel, Manchester; Hotel Astoria, St Petersburg; Hotel Amigo, Brussels; Brown’s Hotel, London; Villa Kennedy, Frankfurt; Hotel de Rome, Berlin; The Charles Hotel, Munich; The Augustine, Prague; Verdura Golf & Spa Resort, Sicily.
Future openings: Abu Dhabi – 2010; Jeddah – 2010; Marrakech – 2011
For further information and online reservations, please visit The Rocco Forte Collection website: www.roccofortecollection.com.
HOTELS Magazine is a monthly business publication published by Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.