Madhu Rajesh will be stepping down as CEO of the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance as she moves on to take up a new role and continue her career journey in the advancement of sustainable development. The charity has appointed an interim CEO, Patrick O’Meara, while they select a permanent replacement.

During her three years with the Alliance, Madhu has led the transformation of organisation to become an independent UK charity, following the demerger from Business in the Community (BITC) and rebrand in October 2020.

Madhu has also pioneered the development of the organisation’s work on human rights, youth employment, climate action and the environment. As sustainability and corporate responsibility are rising rapidly once more to the forefront of the industry agenda, Madhu leaves the charity with commitment from across their membership to drive action on these issues, and significant programmes and partnerships with globally-recognised organisations underway and in development.

New interim CEO, Patrick O’Meara, was the Membership Director for Business in the Community for over ten years and served on BITC’s Executive team. Since 2017, Patrick has taken on interim roles leading projects with businesses and charities in the UK, Ireland and the USA.

Chair of the Board of Trustees, Wolfgang M. Neumann said: “On behalf of all of us, I extend our sincere thanks to Madhu for her extremely hard work and dedication over the past three years leading the organisation. Her achievements have been transformational to the direction and the future of the organisation. Madhu has developed world-leading programmes, built a solid financial model and helped establish an ambitious vision for 2030. The strong foundations she has put in place will provide Patrick and the new CEO an excellent platform to build from.”

“Madhu has developed world-leading programmes, built a solid financial model and helped establish an ambitious vision for 2030.”

Wolfgang M. Neumann, Chair of the Board of Trustees

Madhu Rajesh, CEO Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, said: “I am leaving the organisation with great pride of what has been achieved during my time here, but also with sadness that I will no longer be part of an organisation that I feel so passionately about. I have great belief in the strong team that I leave behind who are all highly motivated to continue our work advancing responsible hospitality for a better world. This is a vision that’s become ever more relevant for the hospitality industry as the world recovers from the impacts of the pandemic and we look towards achieving the targets set by the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.”

“I am leaving the organisation with great pride of what has been achieved during my time here, but also with sadness that I will no longer be part of an organisation that I feel so passionately about.”

Madhu Rajesh, CEO, Sustainable Hospitality Alliance

Patrick O’Meara, Interim CEO, said: “I am very proud to join the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance at this very important time. The recent UN Climate report underlines the great urgency of taking meaningful action for the long term. The hospitality sector is making significant strides and Madhu bestows a rich and important legacy that enables us to forge ahead on the leading sustainability challenges of human rights, youth employment, climate, water and other key issues.”

“The hospitality sector is making significant strides and Madhu bestows a rich and important legacy that enables us to forge ahead.”

Patrick O’Meara, Interim CEO

Madhu Rajesh moves on from the organisation on 24 September 2021.