Premier Inn Owner Appoints Stuart Hookins Estates Director for UK & Ireland

Premier Inn owner Whitbread has appointed Stuart Hookins as Estates Director for the UK & Ireland.

Mr Hookins joins Whitbread following the decision of Simon Hobbs to retire after nearly 20 years with the business. He takes over responsibility for one of the UK’s largest hospitality property portfolios, comprising more than 845 Premier Inn hotels and over 86,000 trading bedrooms across the UK and Ireland.

The appointment comes at an important time for Whitbread as it works to unlock further value from its predominantly freehold hotel and restaurant estate.  

As part of its Five-Year Plan, announced on 30 April 2026, Whitbread intends to recycle £1.5bn of freehold property by FY31 while continuing to support the growth of Premier Inn and create additional value through redevelopment, asset intensification and the active management of its property portfolio.

Mr Hookins brings more than 25 years of experience in senior property leadership and corporate finance roles. Most recently, he served as Group Property Director at Royal Mail Group, where he was responsible for a nationwide estate of more than 1,800 properties and led major programmes of investment, acquisitions and disposals.

Prior to joining Royal Mail, he spent 17 years at The Co-operative Group, progressing through a series of senior property roles before being appointed Managing Director of Property.

Mark Anderson, MD for Property and International at Whitbread, said: “Simon [Hobbs] has played a hugely important role in shaping and managing Whitbread’s property estate during his time with us. He has led the management and development of our hotel and restaurant portfolio, overseen significant transactions, and helped the business navigate significant challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

“His contribution to the company over nearly two decades has been exceptional, and he leaves a legacy to be proud of.  I want to thank him for everything he has done for Whitbread and wish him a long and enjoyable retirement.

“As Simon prepares to step down, I’m pleased to welcome Stuart Hookins to Whitbread.  Our property estate is one of Whitbread’s competitive strengths and as we continue to invest in growth and generate additional value from our portfolio, Stuart’s experience in leading large-scale property programmes and delivering value from major national estates will be an important asset to the business. I’m looking forward to working with him.”

 Stuart Hookins, Estates Director for Whitbread, said: “Whitbread has one of the strongest and most distinctive property portfolios in the UK hospitality sector, underpinned by hugely successful hotel brands, a predominantly freehold estate and a clear long-term growth strategy.

“The opportunity to join Whitbread at such an important point was incredibly attractive. I look forward to working with colleagues across the business to maximise the value of the estate, support Premier Inn’s continued expansion and help deliver the ambitions set out in the company’s five-year plan.”

During his time with the business, Simon Hobbs played a key role in Whitbread’s transformation from a diversified leisure company into a pure-play hotel business focused on Premier Inn. He also helped shape and deliver initiatives to generate value from the company’s estate, including its asset intensification programme, sale and leasebacks of select trading hotels, and the active management of under-utilised land assets.