McKeever Hotel Group strengthens Board with appointment of Norman McBride as Group Operations Director

Eugene McKeever, Founder and Group Chair welcomes Norman McBride to the Board of McKeever Hotels

The McKeever Hotel Group has announced the appointment of Norman McBride to its Board of Directors, marking a significant step in supporting the company’s accelerated growth and expanding operational footprint.

Mr McBride joins the Board in the newly created role of Group Operations Director, with responsibility for overseeing operations across the Group’s seven hotels.

The appointment aligns with McKeever Hotels’ long-term strategy, which prioritises sustainable growth, improved performance and operational excellence over the next five years.

With more than 40 years’ experience in the hospitality sector, Mr McBride brings extensive operational and senior management expertise to the role. He previously spent 18 years with the family-owned Hastings Hotel Group, where he served as General Manager at both Ballygally Castle Hotel and the Stormont Hotel, two of Northern Ireland’s best-known hospitality destinations.

His career also includes time with Tourism NI, alongside the establishment of his own hospitality consultancy, through which he supported a wide range of businesses and organisations across Northern Ireland.

This combination of operational leadership, strategic insight and sector-wide experience is seen as a key asset as McKeever Hotels continues to expand.

Since 2024, Mr McBride has been working closely with the McKeever leadership team as part of its expansion journey, overseeing the successful transition of The Lodge Hotel, Coleraine, and the Armagh City Hotel into the now seven-strong Group.

Norman McBride joins McKeever Hotels and Group Operations Director

Speaking about his appointment, Mr McBride said:

“Collaboration, nurturing talent and fostering continuity have been my focus since working with the McKeever team, and I’m thrilled to take this to the next level by joining the Board.

“I look forward to working across these great hotels, building on our ‘we do more’ culture and delivering operational excellence which will benefit our customers, our staff and our business as a whole.”

Founder and Group Chair Eugene McKeever said the appointment represents an important milestone for the business as it looks to the future.

He said:

“This is a very significant development which will help further our strategy and growth ambitions. Norman has proven he is the right fit for our team, bringing not only his years of experience but his sound understanding of what makes a hospitality organisation tick in terms of its operations, its culture, and its people.”

The creation of the Group Operations Director role reflects McKeever Hotels’ evolving scale and ambition, as well as its focus on strengthening leadership structures to support staff, enhance guest experience and ensure long-term sustainability across its portfolio.