Chris Denison Smith
Managing Director
About Me
Board Member and lead for FM Recruitment, Chris brings over 25 years' experience delivering senior finance, investment and asset management assignments across the UK and international markets. REC qualified (Cert RP), he combines extensive recruitment expertise with a strong understanding of the hospitality industry.
Prior to moving into executive recruitment, Chris spent 10 years in financial management roles within the hospitality sector, gaining hands-on experience with major hotel groups as well as privately owned hotel operations.
Chris is the first point of contact for all UK-based finance assignments and specialises in identifying senior finance talent across hospitality, real estate and broader commercial sectors.
My Posts
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June 26, 2026
The NLW Effect – How Hospitality Operators Are Rethinking Their Teams in 2026
The hospitality industry has always been good at absorbing pressure. Years of navigating razor-thin margins, volatile demand, and chronic recruitment challenges have made operators resilient. But the combination of forces bearing down on the sector right now (cumulative wage increases, higher employer National Insurance contributions, and new tipping legislation) is prompting a more fundamental conversation than most cycles produce. Not just “how do we cut costs?” but “is our current team structure actually the right one?”