
UKHospitality Strengthens Executive Team with Dual Promotion
UKHospitality has announced that current CEO, Kate Nicholls OBE, is to step up to the new role of Chair, while current Deputy CEO, Allen Simpson, will transition to CEO.
At the same time, current non-executive chairman, Steve Cassidy, will move to become President.
The organisation said the move will enable Kate Nicholls and Allen Simpson to deliver a new, bolder strategy as it looks to turbocharge further growth and deliver even more for members and the wider sector.
The new structure follows an 'extraordinary' period of growth since the organisation was formed.
The details of the enhanced strategy will be announced in the coming months. UKHospitality said it will build on its achievements to date and will continue to deliver policy change, while growing the organisation's operational capacity in areas such as skills, as demonstrated by the recent launch of the Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPS) scheme, working with the UK Government to train new starters in the sector, in 26 regions.
Kate Nicholls will be the organisation's first paid and full-time Chair. She will build on her work as a leading advocate and ambassador for the sector. The organisation said this 'natural' next step reflects the increased size and scope of the organisation and her position as a champion of the sector and its leading voice with successive governments. The changes will allow her to devote even more time to championing the sector in both the political and media landscapes, and deepen Government engagement and understanding of the sector and its challenges.
The day-to-day leadership of UKHospitality will pass to Allen Simpson in his new role as CEO. He brings a wealth of experience across tourism and leisure and expertise in global investment and economic policy, UKHospitality said. The move follows 18 months as Deputy CEO, in which time he has led on ESG and conceived and delivered the Social Productivity Index to highlight the sector's worth to people and communities across the UK.
Steve Cassidy, President of UKHospitality, said:
'UKHospitality has grown incredibly over the last few years in terms of membership, influence and impact. Having both a dedicated, full-time Chair and a CEO in place, UKHospitality can become even bigger and better, and go further, faster. Kate has transformed the organisation into a formidable force for the good for the sector, most notably during the worst crisis the industry has ever faced – Covid. Together, Kate and Allen, will continue to champion the industry and drive change for the benefit of our members and the economy of the UK.'
Kate Nicholls OBE, Chair of UKHospitality, said:
'This new chapter reflects the impact, status and ambition of UKHospitality, which continues to be the vital voice for our broad and important sector. We have established strong and effective influence for the country's fourth largest economic sector and have a seat at the highest table alongside other core business groups on the macro-economic issues of today.
'Together we will work alongside Government on some of the most pressing developmental policies for this country and its key industries. Top of my list is to ensure Government continues to listen to our calls for sector support, following the £3.4 billion of costs that hit us in April, root and branch reform of the business rates system, as well as building longer-term momentum for the compelling rationale for creating a dedicated VAT rate for hospitality.
'I look forward to working ever-more closely in partnership with Allen as our team delivers a new and emboldened strategy, and maximum positive change for our sector.'
Allen Simpson, CEO of UKHospitality, said:
'I'm excited to step up to CEO and to have the opportunity to build further on the team's significant body of work for this crucial industry, continuing Kate's momentum. My focus will be to drive growth, services and a platform for success, for – and with – our members. The economic context is shifting fast, and as a sector we need to take greater control of our own destiny.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Independent
44 minutes ago
- The Independent
What is a digital nomad visa, and how do I get one? The rise of ‘workcations' around the world
It has never been easier to clock in to your job from anywhere, with working from home normalised since the pandemic and meetings migrating from the office to Zoom calls. The dawn of the digital work has meant you can set up your workspace in any location, even if that means on the other side of the world. Digital nomad visas allow people to do just that, giving workers a chance to do their job on their laptops from another country and explore communities, cultural landmarks and natural landscapes while they're at it. In 2020, Covid meant that it wasn't possible to travel the world, tick off bucket-list mountain peaks, relax on a remote beach or meet new people in buzzing cities. But the world 2025 looks very different, with ample opportunity to explore. After the UK left the European Union in 2020, the right to work and live in other European countries was swept away. While a deal is being processed for young workers to gain back this benefit, for others who are over 30 or have their sights set a bit further afield, digital nomad visas unlock the chance to stay in a country longer than a tourist, while still earning money. We've rounded up what we know about digital nomad visas and which countries offer the best ones. What is a digital nomad visa? A digital nomad visa is a temporary permit that allows people who work remotely to move to a different country to live and work. Digital nomads refer to people who do not have a requirement to work from an office or a certain place, meaning they are free to work wherever they want to in the world. The type of work usually requires people to have a job that centres around technology, using a laptop and phone to keep in contact with colleagues or clients. Some countries allow those working for a foreign employer and people who are self-employed or manage their own business to benefit from this visa, even including students who want to work remotely for a year. The digital nomad visa often has a longer validity than a tourist visa, meaning the holder can usually stay for months or even years in certain areas. The visas remain valid from as little as six months, such as in Japan, up to five years, like in Thailand. However, these visas are not typically permanent, meaning that once the permit runs out, remote workers have to leave the country or renew it to stay. What are the requirements for a digital nomad visa? Requirements vary from country to country, but generally the person has to be over 18, earn a certain monthly income, and have a job they can do from anywhere. Some countries only allow higher earners to apply for their visa, such as South Korea, where a minimum income of around £54k is required. Countries like Malaysia open up their visas at less than half of this at £25k. Health insurance and a clean criminal record are also often requirements during the visa application. The visa holders cannot already be employed by a company in the host country, or provide goods and services to businesses there. Usually, you have to be self-employed or work for a foreign employer. Some countries will also only allow people from certain nationalities to apply for their digital nomad visa. Why has there been a rise in digital nomad visas? While the concept is not new, more countries, such as the Philippines and New Zealand, have recently announced they will be introducing digital nomad visas. One of the main motivations is to boost tourism by allowing people to stay longer in the country, promoting slower travel and exploring areas in depth. Relaxing the limits on duration of stay means more money will be spent and tourism-based jobs are more secure, especially in shoulder seasons. The introduction of the visa is also a representation of how countries are adapting to fit the modern digital age. As jobs are increasingly becoming digitised and more people work from home since the pandemic, employees have more flexibility than ever before to travel the world. The demand for digital nomad visas among workers has risen due to the desire to travel without having to rely on annual leave to visit different countries. Alongside exploring new places, immersing in nature or visiting bustling cities, the low cost of living in certain countries is also attractive for digital nomads, allowing their income to become more fulfilling while keeping daily costs low. Many countries also allow partners or children to be added to applications, making the opportunity to live in another country as a family more accessible. Tax exemptions and breaks are also important driving points. For example, in Spain digital nomads pay a flat rate of tax at 24 per cent, no matter their salary (up to €600,000). Over in New Zealand, authorities said that if the person's income is taxed elsewhere, they will be exempt from tax so long as they do not spend more than 92 days in the country within 12 months. The days do not need to be consecutive. Which countries offer digital nomad visas? There are well over 50 countries that offer digital nomad visas to UK citizens, so it all depends on whether you are seeking a retreat tucked away on a remote mountain or a temporary home in a bustling city. A report by Global Citizen Solutions, a boutique investment migration firm, found that 63 per cent of digital nomads come from the 'Global North', which encompasses countries such as the UK, USA, Canada, Germany and the Netherlands. The firm analysed 65 different visas, including digital nomad visas and other long-term visas that allow people to work remotely in the country. It found that Spain's digital nomad visa ranked the best, due to the country's high quality of life, internet speed and benefits such as a year-long duration and ability to renew. Estonia, Romania, Malta, Portugal, Canada and Hungary also appeared in the top 10 for their digital nomad visas, while the Netherlands, Norway and France secured spots for visas that make it easy to work in the country. Other countries that offer digital nomad visas include a freelance-only one in Germany, Italy, Greece, Taiwan, Latvia, Malaysia, Japan, the UAE (specifically Dubai and Abu Dhabi), South Korea, New Zealand and Thailand, to name just a few. The Global Citizen Solutions report found that European countries had some of the best digital nomad visas. Meanwhile, the Caribbean had some of the greatest income requirements and visa costs, reaching as high as £1,477.


Belfast Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Charity to close the shutters at all nine of its NI stores
REVEALED | Impact of Covid emergency blamed for shops' closure A charity is to close its nine local shops after struggling in the wake of the Covid pandemic, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal. Self Help Africa, which is based in the Republic and was formerly known as War On Want, has pulled down the shutters of five of the stores already. The remaining will close over the next few weeks.


BBC News
10 hours ago
- BBC News
Chris Mason: Reeves's spending priorities leave little wiggle room
The words Spending Review may not instantly quicken the heart rate of many, but what we hear from the Chancellor Rachel Reeves will have an impact on what your life is like in the UK in the coming could be one of the defining moments between now and the next general election, as the government divvies up spending for the health service, defence, schools, the police, prisons, courts and much plenty of words about the government's priorities, we will get a sense of the numbers. And yes, a sense of the winners and can expect ministers to claim that much of what it has done in its first year in office has been about "fixing the foundations".That is code for the tricky stuff: think those big and in many places unpopular tax rises, such as the increase in employers national insurance contributions. There is also a keen awareness that rarely has a new government suffered such a big whack to its popularity so fast. Yes a whopping majority, but just 34% of the vote last summer, and they have gone a long way backwards wonder we can expect the chancellor to claim "this government is renewing Britain" but also acknowledge "I know too many people in too many parts of the country are yet to feel it".Baked into what we can expect to hear is an emphasis from Reeves of the importance of an illustration of that, the chancellor recently returned from a meeting of G7 finance ministers in Canada, where she, not yet a year in office, was the second longest serving attendee around the table. It is a volatile the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) and others have pointed out, the key decision above all others that we await in the Spending Review is how much money is allocated to the health NHS makes up such a big chunk of day-to-day government spending - about 40% - that how well or otherwise it does shapes everything has long been the case, particularly because it is often also gets a proportionately more generous settlement than on top of that, what has changed more recently as well the government's desire to spend more on defence too and to do so in an era of low growth. 'A song to sing' If we put all these things together, you have an explanation for why other budgets will be as Paul Johnson, the outgoing director of the IFS puts it, "this will be one of the tightest spending reviews in modern times, outside of the austerity period of the early 2010s".For much of the last week, the government has been leaning into the elements of its plan that it feels most comfortable selling: the long term, so-called capital spending on transport and nuclear gets squeezed and by how much is the detail we are waiting MPs have been invited in to see the chancellor and be talked through the aim, as one person put it to me, was to give them "a song to sing", things they can talk about when they are asked what the government is up of Labour MPs I talk to welcome the long-term spending but are also acutely conscious of how bumpy politics feels right now and how important it is they are seen to deliver and deliver quickly."The problem with talk of 'a decade of national renewal' is so much of this stuff is long term and so we could get half way through the decade and then lose the election," one MP in the Treasury are aware of this critique and particularly those who might point to some squeezed day-to-day budgets and claim we are experiencing what they see as has led those around Reeves to declare a "war on graphs" or, as Laura Kuenssberg reported the other day, a desire to point to graphs that help illustrate a key part of their argument in taking on this point out that when you combine day-to-day spending with capital spending, the graph is going up - the opposite of what some might describe as austerity."This is about four trillion pounds of spending," one senior figure tells me. "We reset the foundations. This is stage two: setting things out. Then, we hope for the delivery."Let's political and economic backdrop is perilous: an electorate without much patience, limited economic growth and a wildly unpredictable international landscape, not least President what the government has chosen to prioritise - the NHS and defence - and the rules it has set itself with the aim of projecting economic competence, it leaves the chancellor with little room for manoeuvre.