PPHE Hotel Group announced the appointment of Nigel Keen as an independent non-executive director of the company with immediate effect. Nigel will sit on the Audit, Remuneration and Nomination Committee. A qualified Chartered Surveyor, with over 35 years of property expertise from site acquisition through to asset management, Nigel headed-up the property teams at leading blue chip companies Tesco and The John Lewis Partnership. Nigel started his career at Tesco where he oversaw the supermarket's rapid expansion in the 1990's, rising to the position of Construction Director Following ten years at Tesco, Nigel joined The John Lewis Partnership in 1999 as Property Director. During his 18 year tenure Nigel built-out an in-house property team and established the infrastructure that enabled both the Waitrose and John Lewis brands to rollout across the UK. Appointed to the Waitrose Board in 2003, which he served on for 15 years. Nigel is a non-executive director of FTSE 250 constituent Vistry Group PLC (recently rebranded following Bovis Homes acquisition of Linden Homes) and the construction company RG Carter. Nigel chairs the Vistry Remuneration Committee as well as sitting on both the Audit and Nominations Committees. For RG Carter Nigel chairs the Audit Committee. Nigel is also Deputy Chairman at the Maudsley Mental Health Charity. Nigel Jones will step down at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting at which time the Board will include three independent non-executive directors.