Our People, Our Culture

it’s just our way

Our People, Our Culture

At FBD Hotels & Resorts, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We are proud to foster a culture built on respect, collaboration, and shared purpose — one that empowers individuals to grow, contribute meaningfully, and thrive. Our values shape how we work together, support one another, and deliver exceptional experiences for our guests. From our leadership team to every member of staff, we are united by a passion for hospitality and a commitment to creating a positive, inclusive workplace where people feel valued and inspired.

Our Core Values

Value	What it means	Behaviours
Think about the Guest	We will ensure that our guests get a consistently great service every time and at every touchpoint – by thinking about the guest in everything that we do	– We greet all our guests in a professional manner – Make eye contact and smile – Put the guest first, every time – Act urgently on guest promises, delivering on time or earlier – Before making any changes or decisions, ask ‘what will the impact be on our guest?’ – Ensure everything you do makes life better for our guests & customers – Be courteous, efficient and adaptable to guest needs and requests – Spend time building great relationships so that you really understand what our guests want – Always treat guests at least as well as you would wish to be treated yourself
Be Respectful	We will engage with our own people by treating everyone with dignity and respect. We will reward and recognise everyone’s contribution… and support and challenge their growth. To get respect, we must show respect. We will all treat each other with empathy, honesty, and integrity.	– Be friendly and positive with each other – Treat our colleagues in a way that we ourselves would like to be treated – Speak in a tone that you yourself would find acceptable – Be polite in all communications – Show respect and humility – Listen – Recognize and celebrate individual and team effort and give credit where its due – Be mindful of diversity and treat everyone with equal respect – Appreciate all abilities and experience brought to the business by all employees at all levels. – Take care of the workplace and do your bit to keep it tidy and clean – pick up after yourself – Support each other by creating an encouraging, caring & supportive environment
Work as one	We will collaborate across teams, to deliver, support and learn from each other. We will work cohesively as one team with one goal.	– Take time to develop relationships, get to know your colleagues – Collaborate across departments, finding solutions together – Work as one team – Offer proactive support, don’t wait to be asked – Ask for help when you need it – Participate actively in team meetings and calls – Notify the relevant parties of any changes – Consult others in advance, when appropriate – Celebrate success for all wins, big or small – Keep all communication clear, concise and on point.
Be the Best	We will continue to innovate and improve the quality of our services. We are always looking for new ideas to improve and lead the way. We will continue to be creative and think outside the box and remove complexity where possible.	– Always look for ways to improve the quality of our service – Continuously review business workflows to create a more efficient way to do things – Simplify processes – Be Innovative with new ideas, products, and services – Feel safe to try new things and push the boundaries of our thinking and put forward new ideas – Keep our fingers on the pulse of the marketplace and our eyes open to new possibilities – Be proactive, look out for opportunities to grow
Own it and deliver it	This is a fast-moving industry where successful organisations are agile and move at pace. This requires a positive, can-do approach. We will be personally accountable for our actions, what we do and for on-time delivery.	– Do what you said and agreed that you’d do – Meet your deadlines and deliver on your promises – Learn from your mistakes – Take responsibility for making things happen and for when they don’t – Be accountable for your role and your actions, and those of your team – Prioritize workload in line with business goals – Keep pace and develop a sense of urgency

David Kelly – CEO

A native of Athy, Co. Kildare, David is a Commerce graduate from UCD, and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Deloitte in 1992.

Soon after qualifying, David joined FBD Holdings plc, where he held different Finance and Management roles. In 2012, he was appointed to the role of CEO of FBD Hotels & Resorts, where he oversaw its transfer of ownership to Farmer Business Developments plc in 2015.

Outside of work, David has a keen interest in Horse Racing and Bloodstock and enjoys Art.

John Connolly – Chief Financial Officer

John was promoted to the role of Chief Financial Officer of FBD Hotels & Resorts in 2015. He manages a group of experienced finance staff, ensuring FBD Hotels & Resorts finances and controls operate efficiently so that the group is poised for continued growth.

John obtained a Bcomm from UCD in 1993, qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1996 and qualified as a Tax Consultant in 1999. He moved into industry in 2000 and has extensive experience in financial reporting and controls, taxation, restructurings and corporate finance from previous senior finance roles in Horizon Technology Group plc and FBD Holdings plc.

Outside of work John enjoys cycling, watching sport and experiencing the great outdoors.

Barry Meade – Group Corporate Finance & Risk Manager

Barry joined FBD Hotels & Resorts in July 2014. Prior to joining the Group, Barry gained significant experience in a wide variety of consulting roles within the specialisms of Financial Reporting; Forensic Accounting; Business Modelling and Corporate Finance.

Barry holds a BComm (Hons) Banking and Finance and is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants. He has a Diploma in Risk Management, Internal Audit and Compliance and Certificates in the areas of Sustainability Strategy, Risk and Reporting and Data Protection.

Barry specialises in the areas of Hotel and Property M&A, Development / Opportunity Feasibility Studies, Asset Management and Development, Group Insurance Management, Project Management, Compliance and Risk Management.

Outside of work Barry enjoys all sports particularly GAA, Soccer and Golf and also spending time with his wife and 3 young children.

Natalie Smith – Group Head of People

Natalie joined the Group in June 2022. She has 15 years’ experience in Human Resources, 12 years of which have been in retail and supply chain.

Natalie holds a BSc (Hons) in Human Resource Management. She has worked in senior HR roles within Stafford Lynch and Lloyds Pharmacy. Natalie has significant experience is leading Senior Leadership Teams through significant Change Management, supporting businesses in designing new organisational structures and adapting the company culture to align with the overall business strategy. Specialising in engagement, internal communication, culture and organisational development.

Outside of work, Natalie enjoys spending time with friends and family including her two daughters, husband and dog.

Liam Moran – Group Head of Development, Sustainability & Procurement

Liam attended University College Birmingham and achieved a BA in Hotel Management.

He began his hospitality career in USA, before returning to Ireland to take on various senior management roles in the 4-star luxury market.

He joined FBD Hotels & Resorts in 2012 and has enjoyed both General Manager and Hotel Director roles prior to commencing his new position in 2024.

Residing in Wexford with his wife Clodagh and children Cian & Megan. Outside of work Liam is an avid runner, golfer and swimmer and has a keen interest in all sports particularly GAA & Soccer

Amr Mostafa – Group Head of IT & Innovation

Amr holds a BA of Commerce. He has specialized over the last 20 years in information systems within the hotel industry.

He has managed IT teams in hotels, worked on pre-opening projects and multiple task force assignments. He has experience of managing complex networks with a large number of end devices and users, in a multi-system environment, encompassing a large number of hotel applications and varying guest facing technologies.

Amr joined the group in January 2024 and has led the development of the Group IT & Innovation agenda since then.

Paul Finn – Group Finance Manager

Paul holds a BSc (Hons) in Business Finance, is a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and holds a Diploma in Tax with the Irish Tax Institute.

Paul joined the FBD Group in September 2009 in Castleknock Hotel which led to various roles at both local and Group level. Following the acquisition of The Heritage Hotel, Paul led the finance function role for three years before being promoted to the role of Group Finance Manager in 2022.

Paul has substantial experience in leading financial operations, driving financial performance and optimising effective cost-control measures. Strong leadership abilities with a focus on team collaboration and cross-functional partnerships. Paul currently works with the finance teams across our Irish and Spanish hotels.

Outside of work, Paul enjoys spending time with family and friends, and has keen interest in all things sport.

Eoin Loughnane – Regional Head of Financial (Castleknock Hotel, Killashee Hotel & The Grand)

Eoin joined the FBD group in 2008 as Financial Controller for Castleknock Hotel. In June 2022, he was promoted to the role of Regional Head of Finance, overseeing the finance function of both Castleknock Hotel and Killashee Hotel.

Eoin began his career at Deloitte in 2003 after earning a BA in Commerce from UCD and a MSc in Accountancy from Smurfit Business School in Blackrock. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2006, following the completion of his contract with Deloitte.

Outside of work Eoin enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids. He is also a big sports fan and spends a lot of his free time coaching his son’s soccer team, Malahide United.

Yvonne Schwer- Personal Assistant to the CEO

In 2024, Yvonne joined FBD Hotels & Resorts Head Office after spending 17 years at Killashee Hotel, progressing through multiple departments before holding the role of Marketing Manager.

Yvonne holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Business and a Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing. With a strong background in hospitality, she excels in elevating brand presence and executing high-impact sales and marketing strategies.

Yvonne is a passionate sports enthusiast who enjoys soccer, running, and all things fitness as well as spending quality time with her husband and three children.