Virgin Hotels has welcomed Bryan Davern as its new vice president of operations, Europe.

Davern will spearhead operations for the brand in Europe as it gears up to open its first hotels outside of the United States.

Commencing with two openings in the UK, Virgin Hotels Edinburgh will launch first this spring, followed swiftly by Virgin Hotels Glasgow in the summer.

Bryan brings over 20 years of experience in hotel and hospitality management and joins from Press Up Hospitality Group of Ireland.

Head of hotels for over five years, during his tenure he was credited with the successful expansion, more than tripling the number of hotels operated.

Bryan started his career with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts holding various management roles in both the US and Ireland, before moving to manage a range of both independent and branded hotels, including the Delphi Resort in Connemara and Dean Dublin as general manager.

In his new role, he will oversee day-to-day operations for Europe and will work closely with the Virgin Hotels senior leadership team to develop and execute the strategic plan to drive growth and profitability.

James Bermingham, chief executive of Virgin Hotels, remarked: “We are thrilled to welcome Bryan to the Virgin Hotels family.

“His passion and expertise in luxury and lifestyle hotels in Europe and North America make him the ideal candidate to lead our team and champion the brand as we launch in Europe.”