Five senior hires at The Doxford Group as its growth continues

The hires by The Doxford Group follows the successful opening of its new hotel, The Tempus, in May.

Darren McErlain has been appointed to the role of group financial controller. The promotion will see him support the group’s significant growth – which includes expanding upon its portfolio of two wedding venues and a boutique hotel, all located on the 550-acre country estate near Alnwick.

He will apply his extensive knowledge of the hospitality industry to develop the company’s financial controls and systems.

As well as the launch of The Tempus, The Doxford Group attracted a £7million investment from Natwest earlier this year.

Vaida Cesnelyte has joined the group as revenue manager for all three of its venues and brings more than 15 years of hospitality experience to her role. Valda is committed to continuous improvement and raising the bar in every area of the business.

Marcus Klemm has been appointed to the new position of hotel manager at The Tempus. He brings over 17 years of experience to his new role and will be responsible for driving exceptional guest experiences.

Katherine Goodwin joins the team as executive assistant to the directors, Richard Shell, and Mark Gubbins.

She said: “Joining The Doxford Group is a rewarding place to work and I am delighted to join a high-growth business with a strong focus on providing fantastic hospitality across their multiple venues, as well as supporting the directors who are ideal examples of leaders innovating within hospitality.”

Joanne Percival has been appointed to the role of venue manager for Doxford Barns, the group’s barn wedding venue located on the 550-acre country estate.

Doxford Barns is continually evolving its offering and she will play a significant role in creating memorable experiences for guests at every touch point.

Darren joined The Doxford Group in March 2022 as a management accountant.

He was instrumental in implementing several new systems that have contributed towards enabling the business to grow, whilst delivering impressive returns across all sites. He will now lead a team of four.

Darren said: “I am thrilled with my appointment and the career progression opportunities, enabling me to support the company’s ambitious growth plans further with a dynamic and driven team.”