2019 forecast: Mark Anderson (Whitbread)

The sale of Costa to Coca-Cola completed in the first week of the year, ending an era and providing Whitbread with further capital to invest.

My team will therefore continue to be busy growing Premier Inn in the UK and Germany. The first ZIP by Premier Inn, our new budget concept, will also open this March in Cardiff, which is exciting.

I don’t expect 2019 to be easy. Like all hoteliers, we are feeling the effect of rising costs. Uncertainty in the economy also has an impact on demand for hotel rooms. It will be a year of staying alert, managing costs and reacting quickly to change.

Resolution: I would like to travel a little less and stay in my own home a little more. As our international teams grow, I am hoping we will continue to embrace technology to increase efficiency in the workplace and reduce the number of air miles. I also resolve to continue to achieve greater diversity in my team and in property overall.

Mark Anderson, managing director of property and Premier Inn, Whitbread