Virgin Hotels Appoints Mathewes, Thompson in Top Positions

Thayer Thompson (left) and Dan Mathewes (right) of Virgin Hotels

Miami—Virgin Hotels, the lifestyle hotel brand of Virgin Group fame, recently announced two top-tier additions to its expanding management team: Dan Mathewes as chief financial officer and Thayer Thompson as general counsel & vice president of commercial operations.

The Virgin Hotels brand took off one year ago in Chicago and has three more locations currently in the works, which will put Nashville, Dallas, and New York on the Virgin map. The group is also keeping a close eye on Boston, Miami, Austin, San Francisco, London and several other markets for expansion opportunities.

“We just celebrated Virgin Hotels Chicago’s one year anniversary and Gold LEED Certification, and now that guests can truly experience the difference the Virgin lifestyle offers, people are clamoring for more of our hotels. Both Dan and Thayer will be key to our successful growth and development, and we’re thrilled to have them on our team,” Virgin Hotels CEO Raul Leal said in prepared remarks.

Dan Mathewes holds over 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry, having previously worked for The World, Kerzner International Holdings Ltd., Norwegian Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. He holds a Florida State University Bachelors of Science degree in accounting and economics, having graduated summa cum laude.

Thayer Thompson comes from sister-company Virgin Management USA Inc., where he worked for seven years as assistant general counsel. Since the inception of Virgin Hotels in 2010, he also served the new brand as general counsel. His previous track record includes positions with Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, PC & Gibson, and Dunn & Crutcher. Thompson is a Duke University BA graduate and holds a magna cum laude JD degree from the University of Minnesota’s Law School.

Image courtesy of Virgin Hotels