Originally from Oban, 37 year old Paddy Crerar admits that even when he left school he "would have done anything to get involved in the hospitality industry".

He had no formal hotel training other than by living and working in hotels. He joined North British Trust Group Ltd in as a trainee hotel auditor, a position he took up before he made his preferred move into hotel operations.

Around the time he became an area manager for six of the group's hotels, Paddy Crerar acquired shares in the company, which ultimately led to the controlling block of shares held by the Crerar family.

Paddy set up North British Holidays coach holidays and British Trust Hotels travel trade, sales and marketing department before becoming sales director for the entire group.

From 1996-1998 the Group expanded by eight hotels and at same time he formed Easy Breaks Ltd was formed as a short breaks operator to supply British Trust Hotels and partner hotels.

He was appointed Managing Director of British Trust Hotels in October 1999 and Group Managing Director (Chief Executive) of North British Trust Group in April 2003. At its peak NBTG grew to 28 hotels, at that time the largest Scottish hotel group in private ownership.

Under Paddy's direction, in August 2005 NBTG Ltd were able to successfully sell the majority of their hotels to Swallow Hotels giving an opportunity to accelerate a strategy to target a broader market place than they had previously been able to capture. NBTG Ltd now trades as Crerar Hotels with 5 quality leisure hotels and development sites for a further 3.

Easy Breaks remains as a highly successful short break operator selling in excess of 250,000 breaks a year to over 120 hotels.

Paddy is CEO of Crerar Hotels and Easy Breaks

Paddy is also a past chair of BHA Scotland, a Hospitality Industry Trust Trustee, Trustee of North British Hotels Trust (responsible for £1/2 million annual donation to charity) and a Scottish Thistle Award Winner. He describes himself as being 'fanatical about Scotland'!