Stephen Gow
The Chester Hotel
Stephen Gow has 40 years’ experience in hotel management, beginning his career as an apprentice at the now Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh. He is general manager of The Chester Hotel in Aberdeen.
Stephen has worked in both independent hotels – starting in his parents’ small hotel – and also in large corporate groups based in London. He’s probably the only person in the room who can truly say ‘this is not my first rodeo’ as a secondment to the Hawaiian island of Molokai to run the company’s interests including a former resort hotel and an estate covering half of the island, came with the task of organising the island’s annual rodeo. As a Freeman of the City of London he can also herd his sheep over London Bridge.
Stephen, a founding director of destination management organisation VisitAberdeen is also current vice chair and past chair of Aberdeen City and Shire Hotel’s Association. He is chairman of Aberdeen City and Shire Tourism Awards.
Keen to support and nurture talent in the workplace and to encourage a new generation into a career in hospitality, he chairs both Hospitality Apprenticeship North East and Apprenticeship in Hospitality Scotland. He is also a Master Innholder and a Fellow of the Institute of Hospitality.
