MIAMI, Aug. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — Virgin Hotels, the lifestyle hotel brand by Sir Richard Branson, is pleased to welcome Thomas Becker as the new Senior Vice President of Operations. Becker, who will be based in Miami, brings 35 years of experience to the brand, and will be responsible for the operational performance of all Virgin Hotels and will work closely with the senior leadership team to develop and execute the strategic plan to drive growth and profitability.

Thomas Becker – Virgin Hotels’ new Senior Vice President of Operations (PRNewsfoto/Virgin Hotels)

Raul Leal, CEO of Virgin Hotels, remarked, “Thomas has an amazing and well-rounded background in the hospitality industry and brings a wealth of experience at a pivotal moment in our history. We’re thrilled to welcome him into the Virgin Hotels family, and look forward to infusing his expertise with our innovative and vibrant brand.”

“I am honored to be part of Virgin Hotels during this exciting time as the company announces its presence in key destinations. Our plan is to shake up industry norms with smarter services and offerings,” remarked Becker.

A graduate of Cornell University, Becker was most recently Area Managing Director for Two Roads Hospitality overseeing Ventana Big Sur and Carmel Valley Ranch, named to both Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards and Virtuoso’s Best of the Best Awards in 2016. Prior, he has held senior executive positions with Aria Resorts & Casinos, Mandarin Oriental, One & Only Resorts and Fairmont.

Becker officially started with Virgin Hotels on June 20, 2018. He is joined in Miami by his wife.

The company’s first property, Virgin Hotels Chicago, opened in 2015. In terms of new development, Virgin Hotels San Francisco is slated to open fall 2018. The brand has broken ground on four locations: New York, Dallas, Nashville and Edinburgh, UK. Forthcoming hotels have also been announced in Palm Springs, New Orleans, Silicon Valley and Washington DC Union Market, including the newest acquisition, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas.

To learn more about Virgin Hotels, visit www.virginhotels.com. To learn more about future developments, please visit https://development.virginhotels.com/.

About Virgin Hotels:
Virgin Hotels is a lifestyle hospitality brand that combines heartfelt service, straightforward value and a seamless, personalized hotel experience with the track record of innovation and smart disruption that Sir Richard Branson’s global Virgin Group has pioneered for over 40 years. Each property will intermix a passion for food and beverage with music and culture, fusing with the local landscape and providing a vibrant and inclusive environment for travelers and locals alike. Virgin Hotels Chicago, which was named the “#1 Hotel in United States” by Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards 2016 and “#1 Hotel in Chicago” by Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards in both 2016 and 2017, is now open and accepting reservations at virginhotels.com. Virgin Hotels San Francisco is slated to open fall 2018. Locations in Nashville, Dallas, Washington, D.C., New Orleans, New York, Silicon Valley, Palm Springs, Edinburgh, Las Vegas and others are to follow. Virgin Hotels continues to explore hotel and office conversions as well as ground-up development in cities such as Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, Austin, Seattle, and London.