Steve Bennett joined Travelodge in February 2020 to oversee the property and development function of the business. In this role he is responsible for the company’s overall growth and development in the UK and Spain, maintaining Travelodge’s existing estate and relationships with landlords, overseeing the operations of the Spanish hotels and heading the company’s large in-house maintenance team. Key projects he has been involved with since joining Travelodge include leading the acquisition of 66 hotels from the group’s largest landlord, evolving its leasehold model to include freehold opportunities and overseeing Travelodge’s continued expansion in Spain. Prior to joining Travelodge, Bennett spent three years as director of property at Marks & Spencer, which included overseeing the group’s new store acquisition programme, refit investments, asset management and an international strategic review. Earlier in his career, he held property director roles at Travis Perkins and Dixons Carphone, as well as new store development positions with Specsavers and Superdrug’s parent company, AS Watson.