Nama finance chief Donal Rooney joins hotel firm

Donal Rooney, chief financial officer (CFO) of the National Asset Management Agency, is to leave the organisation for Amaris Hospitality, the Lone Star-owned hotel group run from Ireland that includes the Jurys Inn brand.

He will take over as Amaris's chief financial officer in September, reporting to chief executive John Brennan, one of the most prominent hoteliers in the country.

He was appointed Nama CFO in 2010, after a report by HSBC executive Mike Geoghegan recommended the creation of the position to ease the workload on chief executive Brendan McDonagh.

Prior to joining Nama he worked for KPMG, where he was a director in the audit division, and Arthur Andersen.

At Amaris, Mr Rooney will replace Cormac Ó Tighearnaigh, the former Jurys hotel executive who announced his intention to step down in February.

“I am delighted to welcome Donal to the Amaris Hospitality leadership team,” said Mr Brennan, who also thanked Mr Ó Tighearnaigh for his contribution.

Amaris was created last summer by Lone Star and comprises 73 hotels and 13,500 rooms in Ireland and the UK trading under eight brands, including Jurys Inn, Mercure, MGallery, Ibis Styles, Hilton, DoubleTree by Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn and Crowne Plaza. Mr Brennan has overseen the beginning a £100 million revamp of the group’s properties.