How we think about hospitality
We start with the stay – how it feels in the room, how it runs for teams and how it shows up in the numbers. From there we work back to strategy, operations, brand and the asset plan so decisions stay joined up.
We believe guest experience must work side by side with the commercial strategy. If the stay is not distinctive and coherent, the business will always be fighting uphill in rate, reputation and, eventually, equity. Experience without commercial discipline is a luxury few can afford.
For us, analogue soul and digital clarity belong together. How a place feels to guests and how it performs for owners, investors and partners are two views of the same story – the stay, the asset and the plan.
Steve Thorne
CEO
With over 30 years’ experience across every layer of hospitality – from boutique independents to international brands – Steve has worked with operators including InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, The Ascott Limited (Ascott, Somerset and Citadines) and The Zetter Group, as well as independent hotels, serviced apartments and luxury rentals.
Known for aligning vision with delivery, Steve understands how design, service and systems must connect to drive real results. His approach blends empathy with commercial intelligence, creating experiences that succeed because they are built on operational logic, service culture and strategic foresight.
This philosophy carries through into his own rental business, recognised in 2025 by LUXLife Magazine with two accolades: Most Charming Country Retreat – Italy and a Customer Service Excellence Award.
With over 30 years’ experience across every layer of hospitality – from boutique independents to international brands – Steve has worked with operators including InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, The Ascott Limited (Ascott, Somerset and Citadines) and The Zetter Group, as well as independent hotels, serviced apartments and luxury rentals.
Known for aligning vision with delivery, Steve understands how design, service and systems must connect to drive real results. His approach blends empathy with commercial intelligence, creating experiences that succeed because they are built on operational logic, service culture and strategic foresight.
This philosophy carries through into his own rental business, recognised in 2025 by LUXLife Magazine with two accolades: Most Charming Country Retreat – Italy and a Customer Service Excellence Award.
With over 30 years’ experience across every layer of hospitality – from boutique independents to international brands – Steve has worked with operators including InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, The Ascott Limited (Ascott, Somerset and Citadines) and The Zetter Group, as well as independent hotels, serviced apartments and luxury rentals.
Known for aligning vision with delivery, Steve understands how design, service and systems must connect to drive real results. His approach blends empathy with commercial intelligence, creating experiences that succeed because they are built on operational logic, service culture and strategic foresight.
This philosophy carries through into his own rental business, recognised in 2025 by LUXLife Magazine with two accolades: Most Charming Country Retreat – Italy and a Customer Service Excellence Award.
Sean Rafter
Chairman
After transitioning from a professional sporting career, Sean built an entrepreneurial path spanning over three decades, encompassing successful startups and design-led residential development.
Sean has established a strong reputation across West London for identifying underperforming assets and transforming them through creativity, precision and commercial discipline. His network spans sport, finance and real estate – giving Thorne&Co direct access to high-level investor groups and capital partners.
Sean’s strength lies in connecting opportunity with outcome: structuring ventures, aligning stakeholders, and ensuring every project is driven by both design intent and financial clarity. At Thorne&Co he leads on commercial strategy, development and investor relations.
Stephen Taylor
Creative Head
Stephen Taylor brings over three decades of experience in design, branding and creative strategy – working at the intersection of culture, commerce and hospitality.
At several leading London agencies Stephen helped shape brands such as Asprey, Phaidon, European Bank and Inchbald School of Design, earning both a D&AD Silver Award and the Consort Royal Graphic Design & Print Gold Award.
Since founding Heat Design in 1999, Stephen has led projects for Swarovski, Pearson, Rothschild & Co, David Lloyd, Travelodge and Yacht Masters – bringing design and strategy together with clarity and intent. At Thorne&Co he brings this breadth of experience into hospitality – helping shape brands that perform commercially, resonate emotionally and stand the test of time.
Jens Wittendorf
Operations
Jens is a seasoned hotel operations leader with over 30 years’ experience spanning front office, revenue management and multi-property leadership, and spent more than 25 years as a hotel director with the Arp-Hansen Hotel Group in Denmark, leading teams across both independent properties and larger hospitality structures.
Jens is known for his people-focused, collaborative leadership style and his ability to translate strategy into measurable results, aligning guest experience, commercial performance and organisational development. With a strong academic foundation in commercial and organisational studies, he combines human insight with commercial clarity to drive sustainable performance, service excellence and strong team culture.
Alison Wheatley
Marketing & Comms
Alison is a creative and innovative marketing leader with over 20 years’ experience across brand development, marketing and communications in the luxury hospitality and travel sector. A generalist, she brings a strategic yet hands-on approach, helping businesses define, elevate and protect their brand.
Alison specialises in crafting aspirational narratives that express a brand’s story, heritage and values, building desire, loyalty and emotional connection with discerning audiences. Her experience spans family-owned hotels, boutique lifestyle brands and global names including Dorchester Collection, Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts and The Doyle Collection, all united by a guest-centric mindset and ambition to lead their market.
David Muir
Digital Development
With more than 20 years in full-stack development, David is a specialist hospitality technology partner, working where guest-facing digital journeys meet hotel operations. David’s team design and build custom, API-driven platforms that connect websites, booking engines, PMS and on-property systems, giving owners and operators greater control over UX, pricing, data and performance.
Their work goes far beyond widgets, spanning multi-hotel and multi-brand booking, pre- and post-stay journeys, self-service check-in, payments and communications. Trusted by brands including The Hoxton and Beaumier Hotels, David works closely with brand teams and owners to deliver robust, scalable solutions at the core of modern hospitality businesses.
Will Davies
Recruitment
Will Davies is a highly experienced hospitality recruitment specialist with a career spanning operations, sales and marketing, and executive search across the hospitality sector. Will began his career in hotel roles for Forte Hotels and Thistle Hotels and in 2006, transitioned into recruitment with PSD Group where he developed deep expertise in senior management, interim roles, new openings and transitional teams.
In 2017 Will formed his own company - HBD Partners - with his business partner Mark Hulton and continues to work across the full spectrum of hospitality, from limited-service hotels to 5-star luxury brands, combining sector insight with an exceptional ability to build lasting relationships.
