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James Barr, General Manager at The Wesley, is not merely a strategic leader in hotel and hospitality development—he is a trailblazer, a visionary, and an influential professional with extraordinary leadership skills and expertise. His career has been a continuous journey of innovation, creativity, and profound business transformation.
Professional Journey
James began his career in retail, an industry that laid the groundwork for his future pursuits, before going on to complete a Master’s in Management and Business at university. Driven by a passion for travel, he then joined Thomas Cook, where he spent seven years, travelling to a wide range of destinations and broadening his global perspective. A pivotal moment came when Karen Rondan, a contact in Destination Management in the Caribbean, encouraged him to move into the hotel industry. Taking this advice, James transitioned to Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, where he joined the Global Sales & Marketing team. His next step took him to The Savoy, where he served as Events Revenue Manager, a role that provided invaluable experience in the luxury hospitality sector. Following this, James took on key roles at The Wesley and worked with Artfarm in Scotland, a company that owns The Fife Arms in Braemar and is expanding its presence in the hospitality industry.
Inspiration for Joining The Wesley
James shared that what drew him to The Wesley was the opportunity to apply the insights he gained from working with larger organisations in a more intimate setting, where his influence could be more direct and visible. He expressed his appreciation for the ability to explore his ideas freely—something he believes is often stifled in larger environments.
At The Wesley, James feels fortunate to be part of a great team where he can openly share ideas and collaborate closely on various projects.
Another significant factor was The Wesley’s commitment to sustainability, which is integrated deeply into the company’s core values and strategy. James was inspired by the organisation’s dedication to this cause, further strengthening his decision to join.
Leadership Evolution Over Time
Reflecting on his leadership journey, James candidly admits that 20 years ago, he didn’t see himself as a leader, and neither did others. However, through perseverance, hard work, and learning from his own mistakes, he has evolved into a confident and effective leader. He strongly believes in the power of collaboration and team-building as a central tenet of leadership. “I wouldn’t achieve anything on my own. The collective efforts are always greater than what one person can achieve,” James emphasises, underscoring his belief in the importance of working together.
“I wouldn’t achieve anything on my own. The collective efforts are always greater than what one person can achieve,” highlights James.
Leadership Principles and Philosophy
For James, transparency is the cornerstone of strong leadership. He recently completed a 360-degree feedback process as part of his appraisal, which allowed him to receive constructive feedback from colleagues. Opening himself up to this process was, in his view, an empowering experience. Living out core values is another integral part of his leadership style. Inclusivity and diversity, in particular, are values that James holds in high regard. He believes that having a diverse workforce is a critical strength for any organisation, bringing a wealth of perspectives and ideas.
James also stresses the importance of facing difficult decisions head-on and using meetings as a way to drive better, more informed decisions. He is a firm advocate for fairness and respect within his team, striving for equitable treatment and reasonable pay gaps between the highest and lowest earners. “Treat people as you would want to be treated,” is a guiding principle that James stands by, illustrating his deep commitment to ethical leadership and the well-being of his team members.
Keeping the Team Motivated and Aligned with the Company’s Goals
The team at The Wesley has been working hard to improve internal communication, which is still a work in progress but is super important. With as many staff as possible, the team leaders aim to share their business plan and how they are going to go about it. James believes that this process is quite consultative.
Furthermore, the leadership team endeavors to show appreciation for the loyal staff. James says, We have fantastic people; many have been with us for years, and we want them to feel valued.
The Rewarding Moments for James
Exploring different countries and meeting amazing people have been the most noteworthy achievements for James. Additionally, the fast-changing nature of these industries, for example, how technology has transformed them, ensures you can never get bored. When he started, systems were pretty basic, and now the industry has undergone a complete transformation.
The Remkarable Evolutions in the Upcoming Years
According to James, sustainability will become increasingly important. Guests will come to expect it more as people have quickly adopted technology, which shows no sign of slowing down. The team will need to understand the impact of AI. While traditional values remain important, personalisation through digital marketing may just be an extension of the old-fashioned virtues of treating every guest as special. It’s just that nowadays they can capture data about people and do things online.
The Key Challenges in the Hospitality Industry
James believes recruitment is one of the major challenges in hospitality. However, he believes it is not insurmountable and that industry leaders need to demonstrate hospitality is an attractive career option for younger people.
Staying Ahead of the Curve
Tech plays a crucial role in enhancing efficiency, speed, and security. The team is in the process of bringing in self-check-in kiosks to make this process quicker for guests, but this is not at the expense of having staff to help guests. “If anything, we want staff to have more time to add value by talking to guests rather than handle onerous tasks. Another example is digital marketing and making sure you have an effective plan so that guests can find out. About what your company has to offer and complete bookings and transactions seamlessly. No one has a lot of time to waste.” James further shares.
The Future Outlook: A Glance
James and his team are aiming to work towards the Net Zero. After COVID, they don’t take anything for granted, so consolidation and achievable growth are really important. James believes that businesses should not try to expand too quickly because sometimes they change for the worse when they scale up too fast. At The Wesley, the team is proud to have two hotels in Camden, and running those successfully is a big responsibility. However, the leading man envisions seeing more Wesley hotels in the UK.
The Role of a General Manager in Hospitality
The role of GM is going to be crucial in helping organisations understand these areas and their impacts on the industry. The most important thing is to be proactive when it comes to tech sustainability, ability, and other factors that are changing the world we live in. James believes the special thing about being a GM is the diversity and variety—you get to have a hand in everything and have to make the connections between all the elements.
