James Chappell

James Chappell is a leading voice in the global hospitality industry, with over 15 years at Horwath HTL supporting a network of 50+ offices across 40+ countries.

Originally from the world of advertising, James found his way into the hotel industry by chance and has never left. He began his hospitality career with a three-year management trainee program at the renowned boutique hotel Lydmar in Stockholm, where he gained invaluable hands-on experience.

Following this, James joined Overlook Hospitality Management, where he focused on developing innovative products for the hotel sector. One of these initiatives evolved into The Bench, a groundbreaking platform that transformed the way hotel performance data was collected and analyzed.

James served as Managing Director of The Bench for five years before taking on the role of Managing Director at STR Global, the company formed through the merger of The Bench, Deloitte’s HotelBenchmark, and Smith Travel Research.

A sought-after speaker and media commentator, James regularly shares his insights at industry conferences and on major platforms, including CNN, BBC, Bloomberg, and others, discussing trends and developments shaping the global hospitality landscape. He currently sits on the advisory boards of the International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF), the HOTCO Investment Conference, and HOT/Hotels Tomorrow.