Bob Cotton joins National Skills Academy

Sector skills council People 1st has revealed that British Hospitality Association (BHA) chief executive Bob Cotton has been appointed as the chairman of the National Skills Academy for hospitality.

The appointment follows People 1^st's business plan to launch the Academy, drawing in over £100 million of investment for the 66,000 learners it will provide for the industry.

Cotton has held the role of chief executive of the BHA for over eight years. The organisation currently represents over 9,000 hotels, 11,000 restaurants and 19,000 contract catering units.

Brian Wisdom, chief executive of People 1^st, commented on this movement: "People 1^st and its partners have attracted a massive amount of funding which will now be put into training for hospitality, and we look forward to working with Bob to ensure that the Academy delivers for our industry."

The Academy was co-ordinated by key partners including Barcelo Hotels, Compass Group, Terry Laybourne and Edge Foundation.