L+R restructuring tech stack to maximize share

LONDON – London-based owner-operator L+R Hotels continues to transform itself under the leadership of Cody Bradshaw, who became CEO on October 1 and recently appointed Joe Pettigrew as group chief commercial officer to restructure the group’s commercial platform.

With a portfolio of over 115 properties with 23,000 rooms across the U.K., Europe, the U.S., and the Caribbean, including destinations like Monte Carlo, Ibiza, and Palm Beach, this strategic shift is designed to supercharge performance, innovation, and guest experience, according to an L+R statement.

The restructure introduces a tech-enabled, specialist-led commercial platform that is intended to anticipate change, harness data intelligently, drive agile, and scalable growth across the group’s directly managed properties.

L+R's Gran Marbella Resort & Beach Club in Spain

The move is backed by a wave of high-profile hires from brands like Marriott, IHG, Raffles, and Firmdale Hotels, bringing deep expertise in revenue, sales, brand, and IT. Joining as Cluster Directors of Revenue, Cheryl Kanarens and Ante Salapic bring experience in pricing, distribution, and multi-market performance shaped by roles at IHG, Melia Hotels and more. Sabine Kern, appointed global sales director, brings international experience from Marriott, Raffles and Salt Hotels.

The appointments follow the recent additions of Clinton Campbell, commercial operations director, previously working across Firmdale Hotels, Apex Hotels and independent brands; Gemma McAloon as director of brand and communications, formerly SVP of Global Communications agency W Communications; and Rayner Bauer, group director of IT, who brings experience from his previous roles at Generator Hostels and Marriott International.

The new London-based commercial HQ will lead go-to-market strategy and cross-property collaboration, with active recruitment underway to support the group’s ambitious growth.

Hotel Investment Today reached out to L+R and Pettigrew to get more details about the commercial platform restructuring that is rolling out in phases starting this month.

Hotel Investment Today (HIT): What is the investment being made into the new commercial platform?

Joe Pettigrew: We’re investing in building a new commercial platform that will future proof our operations and accelerate performance across the business. This includes consolidating our entire tech stack so that every hotel operates on the same robust systems and data standards, enabling consistency and smarter decision-making. We’ve also established a new flagship headquarters at 55 Baker Street, bringing our central commercial team together under one roof to foster stronger collaboration and alignment. To support this transformation, we’re recruiting specialist talent to deepen our expertise and complement our existing teams. Additionally, we’re investing in cutting-edge tools that will enhance collaboration, automate key processes, and drive greater efficiency across all functions.

HIT: What is the stated goal of top and bottom-line revenue growth?

Pettigrew: The goal of driving both top and bottom-line revenue growth is to maximize market share in the most cost-effective way, by delivering guest-centric experiences and continuously evolving our offering. By unlocking the power of specialist knowledge and leveraging the scale of our platform, we’re able to achieve efficiencies and insights that individual hotels couldn’t realize on their own. At the same time, we’re reducing costs through centralized buying power and more streamlined ways of working.

HIT: Most important tech component of the new platform?

Pettigrew: The most important technology component of the new platform is the automation of repetitive yet business-critical tasks. By streamlining these processes, we’re freeing up our teams to focus on higher-value activities that drive growth and innovation. Underpinning this is a future-proofed tech infrastructure, purpose-built to integrate emerging AI capabilities as they evolve, ensuring we stay ahead and continuously enhance performance across the business.

We’ve already used our scale to negotiate single master service agreements (MSAs) for core systems, which has driven both efficiency and cost savings across the portfolio. We’ve also standardized our data structures, so whether it’s market segments or transaction codes, every property is speaking the same language. This shared foundation is enabling smoother collaboration and faster decision-making.

Joe Pettigrew

Share this quote

HIT: What was lacking the most in the old platform?

Pettigrew: The old platform limited our ability to scale effectively. Teams operated in silos, which meant we weren’t fully leveraging the power of our collective scale. The new platform has been purpose-built to directly address these challenges, bringing greater cohesion, deeper integration, and more focused capabilities across the board.

HIT: What aspect of the guest experience is being addressed, and how?

Pettigrew: We’re elevating the entire guest experience by identifying and enhancing key moments of impact, both digitally and in hotel. This means creating a more seamless and personalized journey, from booking through to post-stay engagement There’s also a strong focus on nurturing repeat guests and driving advocacy, with efforts supported jointly by HQ and hotel teams to ensure consistency and excellence at every touchpoint.

HIT: What is the biggest challenge/concern as L+R rolls out the platform?

Pettigrew: The biggest challenge we anticipate is the cultural shift that comes with rolling out the new platform. It represents a new way of working for everyone across the organization, from hotel teams to central functions. As with any transformation, we expect a period of learning, adaptation, and refinement.

HIT: What has been the biggest surprise during the rollout to date?

Pettigrew: The biggest surprise so far has been the overwhelming level of enthusiasm and alignment across the business. The mission behind the new platform resonated almost immediately. While there have been healthy debates around how best to execute certain elements, the shared sense of purpose and momentum has reinforced our confidence in the direction we’re heading.

HIT: What are you doing to make sure cross-property collabs actually take place, and can you offer an example?

Pettigrew: We’re taking deliberate steps to ensure cross-property collaboration is not just encouraged, but embedded into how we operate. For example, we’ve already used our scale to negotiate single master service agreements (MSAs) for core systems, which has driven both efficiency and cost savings across the portfolio.

We’ve also standardized our data structures, so whether it’s market segments or transaction codes, every property is speaking the same language. This shared foundation is enabling smoother collaboration and faster decision-making.

Looking ahead, we’re ramping up joint sales missions, participating in group trade shows, and launching cross-hotel marketing campaigns under a unified L+R brand to further strengthen our collective impact.