Stephen McNally, founding director and deputy chief executive of the 57-hotel Dalata Hotel Group from 2007 to 2022, has joined the board of family-owned McKeever Hotels in Northern Ireland. McNally helped shape, drive and scale the Dalata portfolio before retiring from the group in 2022.

The McKeever group confirmed the appointment as part of a strategic broadening of its governance.

Why did McKeever appoint McNally now?

Eddie McKeever, managing director of McKeever Hotels, framed the hire as central to executing the group's current five-year strategy.

"Our current five year strategy clearly identifies growth, performance and sustainability as our three key priorities and we know Stephen will help us achieve this by bringing his external perspective, global brand experience and big-picture thinking to the team," McKeever said. "We're really delighted to have him on board."

McNally's appointment adds external governance experience to a family-owned operator targeting growth, performance and sustainability under its current five-year plan.

What does McNally's track record look like?

McNally has held senior roles at three global hotel groups over a 40-year career. His operational experience breaks down as follows:

• Dalata Hotel Group, 2007-2022: Founding director and deputy chief executive; oversaw a portfolio now totalling 57 hotels under the Clayton and Maldron brands
• Jury's Doyle Hotel Group, earlier tenure: Played a key role in the group's expansion programme, including the acquisition of 20 Jury's Inn properties across the UK; rose to group general manager for 34 hotels in Ireland, the UK and the USA
• Ramada Hotel Group, early career: Completed the Management Training Development Programme and worked for properties across Germany and the UK for over six years

The Dalata portfolio that McNally helped shape, drive and scale now operates 57 hotels under the Clayton and Maldron brands. McNally retired from the deputy chief executive role in 2022.

In 2022, McNally founded SERLs Hospitality, a consultancy providing specialist advisory and hotel management services to clients across Ireland and the UK.

What policy roles does McNally bring to the table?

McNally serves as non-executive director of Tourism Ireland, the cross-border tourism marketing body. He also chairs the Tourism Partnership Board on behalf of the Minister for the Economy in Northern Ireland.

The Tourism Partnership Board advises the Northern Ireland Executive on tourism policy, giving McNally a direct line into regional decision-making. He served as president of the Irish Hotels Federation from 2014 to 2016.

His policy positions overlap directly with McKeever's commercial footprint in Northern Ireland, where tourism contributes a measurable share of regional GDP.

What does McNally say about the move?

"I've been embedded in the sector for over 40 years, so I understand its value and appreciate how it has contributed so positively to Ireland's economic growth," McNally said.

"I now look forward to bringing this experience to McKeever Hotels and the wider sector in Northern Ireland."

What happens next?

McNally joins McKeever Hotels as the family-owned operator works to deliver its five-year strategic plan, with growth, performance and sustainability set as the three core priorities. His concurrent roles on Tourism Ireland and the Tourism Partnership Board position him to influence the Northern Ireland hospitality agenda alongside his McKeever board duties, with SERLs Hospitality continuing to operate in parallel.