Howard Hastings receives the Lifetime Achievement Award. Belfast Telegraph Business Awards on April 26, 2023 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) — © Kevin Scott
Margaret Kanning
Today at 22:35
Howard Hastings, the chairman of Hastings Hotels, in partnership with Ulster Bank, has won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2023 Belfast Telegraph Business Awards.
Awards will be presented tonight to winners in a total of 19 categories, recognizing the achievements of companies and individuals in areas such as exporting, innovation, marketing and social media.
The event at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belfast is hosted by BBC NI journalist Mark Simpson.
The jury was chaired by Clare Guinness, innovative district manager at Belfast City Council.
The evening also included a tribute to the late John Simpson, who recently passed away. John chaired the awards jury for over ten years.
Dr. Hastings was presented with the Lifetime Achievement trophy by Simon Seaton, director of corporate banking at Ulster Bank, and Margaret Canning, business editor of the Belfast Telegraph.
Dr. Hastings was praised by the judges for his leadership of the family-owned Hastings Hotels, which spans six locations, including the five-star Culloden Estate and Spa and the Grand Central Hotel and the world-famous Europa Hotel. Hastings Hotels owns 50% of the Merrion Hotel in Dublin.
The company is fresh from hosting President Joe Biden and his entourage at Grand Central in Belfast this month.
Dr. Howard Hastings is also a shareholder in Hastings Hotels, which was founded by his father Sir Billy.
He received an OBE for services to tourism and hospitality in 2014 and has qualifications including a Bachelor of Law (Hons) degree from the University of Nottingham, and an MSC and DSc from Ulster University. He is also a member of the Chartered Accountants of England and Wales.
Dr. Hastings previously chaired Visit Belfast, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, Institute of Directors (IoD) Northern Ireland and Rockport School.
He was a board member of the cross-border marketing organization Tourism Ireland and was the founder and chairman of the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation. He is also a director of Titanic Belfast and Food NI.
Dr. Hastings is Deputy Lieutenant for the County and Borough of Belfast.
