Patrick Reardon, Executive Chairman, ReardonSmith Architects, London

Patrick has worked in the hotel industry for over 40 years, including a number of years based in the U.S. with responsibility for worldwide architecture: at first with Holiday Inn International and then with Hyatt International. In deciding to return to the UK, it was with the firm belief that there was a requirement in the European marketplace for an architectural design practice truly specialising in the international hotel sector and, in 1988, he founded the practice which was to become ReardonSmith Architects. Since then, he has led the successful expansion of the company into a full range of hotel and resort masterplanning and design projects across the world, has directly introduced many of the company’s most prestigious projects and has inspired successive generations of young architects in the design of premier hotel and resort destinations. Today, Patrick continues to be directly involved in many of ReardonSmith’s major projects, especially at the masterplanning stage. It is here that his unparalleled experience is particularly valuable in helping to identify the optimum scheme to meet the objectives of our clients within the constraints of planning and with full respect for the heritage and environment of the individual location. Patrick is also a regular contributor, as speaker and writer, to a number of hotel and design industry events and publications and, for several years, sat on the judging panel of The European Hotel Design Awards. In 2011 his achievement was recognised by one of the international industry’s most respected awards – that of Outstanding Contribution which was awarded at the hotel design awards “Sleep 2011” event.