Robin Sheppard, the Chairman of successful hotel management group, Bespoke Hotels, has been presented with the Outstanding Contribution award at the Hotel Cateys 2016.
Sheppard has been in the hotel industry for over 40 years and in 2000, formed Bespoke Hotels with his business partner Haydn Fentum. It has subsequently grown into the UK's leading independent hotel group, boasting over 170 hotels with 8,000 employees in the UK and abroad.
However, since December 2004, Sheppard's greatest achievement has been to fight back from Guillain-Barre Syndrome, an auto-immune illness which completely paralysed him from the neck down.
Following a two-year recovery period, Sheppard has played an instrumental role in launching the Bespoke Access Awards with the Royal Institute of British Architects. This international design competition seeks original ideas to improve access and provide an enhanced experience for hotel guests, particularly for those with disabilities.
Sheppard is a classically trained hotelier with an eye for innovation. By the age of 27 Robin was installed as General Manager of Bodysgallen Hall, the best hotel in Wales, before moving on to be the GM of several outstanding hotels, including The Lygon Arms, The Royal Berkshire, as well as The Bath Spa.