“Leadership is about people, always.” Alan Parker CBE
When Alan Parker CBE graduated from the University of Surrey in 1969 with a degree in Hotel and Catering Administration, few could have predicted the scale of his future impact. Half a century later, Alan is recognised as one of the UK’s most influential hospitality leaders – the architect behind Whitbread’s transformation into a powerhouse of British leisure, with brands like Premier Inn and Costa Coffee under his leadership.
Alan in his doctorate gown following being awarded his honorary degree.
“I was drawn to Surrey because of a recommendation from my father,” he recalls. “He and my mother ran a family restaurant, and when he found out about this new course at a soon-to-be university, it just made sense. It felt pioneering – like being part of something new.”
Alan’s early years at Battersea College of Technology laid the foundation for a career that would span continents. Some time after completing his degree, he studied for an advanced management programme at Harvard Business School. “You arrive wondering whether you’ll keep up with the best in global business. By the end, I knew I could more than hold my own. Hospitality is a brilliant, demanding business – and I was proud to represent it.”
“The experience of university isn’t just academic – it’s transformational. I arrived a boy and left a young man.”
Alan’s career took him from managing hotels across Europe with Bass Plc, to overseeing operations from South Africa to Reykjavik for Holiday Inn. But it was at Whitbread where he left a lasting legacy. “When I joined, we had 12 Travel Inns. When I left, we had hundreds of Premier Inns and thousands of Costa outlets. We sold off non-core brands and focused our investment in businesses that would lead the market.”
Becoming CEO, Alan introduced a unified, company-wide scorecard, with just four measures – f inance, customer satisfaction, employee engagement, and performance against plan. “It was a revolution in how the business was run. Everyone knew what success looked like – from head office to hotel front desks.”
In July 2025, Alan returned to Surrey to receive an honorary degree. “It was completely unexpected and deeply meaningful” he says. The recognition held personal significance, because Alan’s son Charlie is also a Surrey graduate and now serves as Regional Vice President and General Manager at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in Kailua, Hawaii.
“I don’t have any regrets. That’s something I’d wish for anyone.”
Alan’s commitment to public service has been just as strong. From advising global tourism bodies to serving as a borough councillor in Elmbridge, Surrey, he remains passionate about giving back. “We underestimate the value of hospitality to the economy – and to people’s wellbeing. I’ve always fought for its recognition.”
When asked what advice he’d give to graduates today, he doesn’t hesitate: “Life is not a rehearsal. If you want to make a difference, act – and act with integrity.”
Now Chair of Trustees for a Royal Family charitable trust, Alan remains grounded. “I’m most proud of my family – my daughter Nicola, son Charlie, and five wonderful grandchildren – and building a second life with Susan after I retired from the executive world. And no, I don’t have any regrets. That’s something I’d wish for anyone.”