His CV reads like a guided tour through some of the world’s most recognisable sports and lifestyle brands. He served as:
Threaded through all of this, he points out, is a single obsession: community.
Buildings have stories. Names have stories. But it is people who bring them to life. Communities are built when you tell those stories well – and then invite people to see themselves inside them.
This, he argues, is precisely why private membership clubs matter more now than they have in decades and why there is a boom in hotel and resorts that blend lifestyle and heritage. Butler believes the UK especially is on the brink of a new golden age for clubs, if they can balance heritage with innovation, and put community at the centre of everything they do.
Founded by Dameon Sandhu and Joost de Kruiff, The Hospitality Road positions itself not as a traditional agency, but as a strategic partner for those looking to create or evolve membership-based ventures, from city clubs and country houses to hybrid residential, wellness and social concepts as well as hotels and lifestyle venues and concepts.
Butler was drawn to the firm precisely because of this dual focus.
“A beautiful venue with a weak business model is just an expensive fantasy,” he says. “What impressed me about The Hospitality Road was that Dameon and Joost start from a very hard nosed commercial perspective, then layer on story, brand and experience.”
That means looking first at fundamentals: leases and freeholds, capital structure, membership pricing, operational models, F&B economics, staffing and systems. Only when the platform is sound does the conversation move into visual identity, programming and design flourishes.
David: I’ve always been drawn to brands that have a genuine purpose and a story to tell. I actually studied history, and I’m especially interested in institutions that want to shape a future narrative while staying true to their roots.
I suppose at heart I’m very collegiate and very loyal to the institutions that have helped shape me, from my hometown football club to my martial arts community, and especially Oxford. I now find myself working with Vincent’s Club as its Bursar and it has reinforced my belief in membership as a powerful way of bringing people together.
In Formula One, you’re dealing with global tribes of fans, people who feel a deep, nearly irrational sense of belonging to a team or a driver. Your job as a marketer is to tap into that emotion, to create rituals, stories and experiences that keep that bond alive between races, seasons, even eras.
Ten years ago I led as CMO, the bid team that won the pitch to create the brand for the OWO Raffles Hotel. It was London’s biggest and most prestigious hotel project. It came at the same time that I was part of authoring the winning Commonwealth Games bid for Birmingham from its social and business enterprise standpoints. In both cases you are weaving heritage and history around the needs of today, and in both cases focusing on a community of stakeholders that range from owners and federations who need to make the ultimate decision on your direction, through to future hotel guests or Games attendees who need to buy into it when it comes to realisation. In both cases, we won the pitches and both future outcomes were very successful.
The UK is an extremely fertile market for developing hotels, hospitality venues and estates, as well as membership clubs. That’s true both in terms of its history and institutions, and in terms of how strongly people here are drawn to associating together. It runs from the village pub to local sports associations, and on through the cascade of traditional institutional clubs that form such an important part of British and, particularly, London society.
Over the past 40 years, increased social mobility has expanded that instinct far beyond the village pub. People are seeking new social and business environments in which to gather as well as keynote venues as a destination. At the same time, the hospitality industry has changed enormously. People now look for spaces that provide community, meet their everyday needs, and offer social opportunities that extend naturally into their business lives.
Joost de Kruiff: How does your past experience help you support these types of ventures and brands?
David: I’ve always been a brand led marketeer and I’ve consciously chosen to work with brands and ventures whose purpose I can genuinely align with. This was why I especially enjoyed working with a tour de force such as Elle Macpherson or taking Laureus’s Sports for Good message, inspired by Nelson Mandela, globally. For me, marketing is about telling the story, presenting it coherently and building a community around it. That is integral to success.
Buildings have stories. Names have stories. People and communities can be brought together through storytelling. Sport is one of the best examples of this, and much of my career in sport has been about that.
I’ve worked from promoting the benefits of an entire sport, like athletics, to a very diverse market, to harnessing the passionate community of British & Irish Lions fans, to building a global fan base and identity in a worldwide sport such as Formula One or to reinvigorating a dynamic and engaged community of members and alumni at Vincent’s Club.
A notable example in this space was my work with the OWO Raffles pitch where the history and past of a building became interred with its revised future identity to stand out as an iconic offering and destination.
In every case, brand history, identity and purpose combine to create relevance. That’s always been my core interest.
Dameon: A key challenge for The Hospitality Road is helping clients stand out. Many potential founders worry that the market is saturated. What’s your view?
David: I come back to that idea of real social evolution. We’re not simply seeing more clubs or hospitality venues and destinations; we’re seeing different needs.
I’m actually quite nostalgic about the traditional village pub and the role pubs have played, especially in cities during industrialisation and the Victorian era, and as institutions in rural areas. They held communities together. The concept of the pub is now under real threat. People are looking for environments that feel safe and that can meet a wide range of social and increasingly professional needs.
Clubs are evolving out of the traditional business lounge, merging with the institutional heritage of London’s colourful clubs and adding lifestyle elements. They’re aiming to provide a 360 degree offering, operating from breakfast until after midnight.
The concern about over-saturation is understandable, but in my view it is balanced and perhaps outweighed by the fact that the market of people who want to be part of this kind of environment is now far larger than before. Social mobility, the decline of pubs and restaurants, and changes in how we socialise all contribute.
I see this particularly strongly in younger demographics who are challenging the norms of social life that my generation grew up with. At the same time, there is a huge heritage to draw upon. London has institutional legends such as White’s and Boodle’s at one end of the exclusivity range, and the history and impact of the challenger clubs of the 1980s, like Soho House and The Groucho which broadened the suffrage of club membership.
Likewise, in the hotel space, this is a hugely competitive area with hotels now being more than just a room to stay in but coming with iconic bars and restaurants, spas and wellness centres. They also need to stand out amidst the clutter, which is where brand identity and marketing becomes paramount.
It will remain a competitive world. That’s precisely why you need a well structured commercial plan, the right people to build and maintain brand identity, membership bases, and truly effective marketing and storytelling that ties together the architecture, look and feel, and overall proposition.
That’s where The Hospitality Road comes in.
Joost: Do you still think hospitality should be built around exclusivity?
David: One of the reasons I was drawn to The Hospitality Road is the range of clients and partners we’ll be working with. Personally, I think “exclusivity” is an overused, overrated and rather unattractive concept.
Exclusivity is, frankly, often code for inflated pricing and an inward‑looking attitude. Prestige is earned. It comes from excellence of service, of culture, of experience. Exclusion is often just a blunt instrument: you raise the barrier to entry and hope people mistake that for desirability.
In the hotel space, guests want service, style and safety. Hotels are living, breathing, entities. They are more than just bricks and mortar, they are the combination of their setting, structure and staff and this comes from creating and then living the right personality.
I’ve visited many of London’s most “exclusive” clubs and often found the clientele to be anything but, unless by exclusive you mean people you wouldn’t necessarily choose to spend an evening with! The word is sometimes used to justify inflated membership prices and to attract people who like the idea that they are somehow “set apart”.
For me, clubs should be the opposite of exclusive. They should be inclusive, drawing together a blend of members who form a genuinely collegiate community, where interactions thrive and members are thrilled to be part of it.
It’s also the spirit we have at Vincent’s Club. Our members spend their undergraduate and graduate years in an environment of intense friendship and loyalty, and then spend much of the rest of their lives trying to find somewhere that captures that same spirit.
There are many ways to curate a membership and maintain a strong identity without leaning on the label “exclusive”. I don’t necessarily subscribe to Groucho Marx’s famous line about clubs, but I do believe that hospitality venues should be prestigious, not exclusionary. They will retain prestige, but they will also become social hubs embedded in new forms of communal living.
Dameon: You’re working with a mix of city and country concepts. What do you see as the key challenges or opportunities?
David: I tend to see them more as opportunities than challenges.
In cities and urban environments there is huge potential to create stylish, social and commercial spaces for people to come together. I live in Buckinghamshire, and there is really nowhere for the local community of entrepreneurs to work, host a client meeting, and then stay on for drinks or an event with friends in the evening. That gap is replicated across countless commuter‑belt towns.
Many people now spend some days working from home, with only a couple of trips a week into London. So there’s an immediate opportunity to provide a solution with a strong story, a clear niche, a connection to heritage, and all of it underpinned by a robust commercial membership model.
We’re also going through a natural cycle. The challenger brands of the 1980s are becoming the megalithic brands of this millennium. For me, it’s important that the concept of the club or new hotel venture doesn’t become homogenised.
There’s a very famous London restaurant that was a rare treat to visit in the 1980s. It still is in the original location. But now you can visit a near‑identical version of it in almost every major commuter town. Some people like that; others feel something has been lost.
I would swap the word “exclusive” in the hospitality world for “prestigious and memorable”. I believe we are entering a cycle in which independent clubs can emerge as the next phase in this broadening market, so long as they offer a clear point of difference and genuinely bring their members together.
The British countryside also offers enormous scope. Many country estates face new financial challenges, but they also present huge opportunities for partnerships and for evolving their core business and extending a core narrative, You’re not just selling a venue; you’re inviting people into a world and a way of life that feels distinctive, but not frozen in aspic.
The Hospitality Road is increasingly being approached by estate owners and custodians of historic properties looking to explore similar journeys, albeit on a different scale.
We’re not in the business of cloning any particular model, but we are very interested in helping estates and heritage assets think clearly about how venue, membership, accommodation, events and storytelling can create sustainable futures without eroding what makes them special.
There are significant opportunities in both town and country to evolve historic and prestigious buildings and brands into businesses that reflect today’s social mobility and the values of modern tourism, while staying true to their roots.
Joost: Is there a particular model that, in your view, makes a hospitality venue successful?
David: The starting point is a sound commercial structure. For new venues entering the market, a proper commercial foundation and strong financial support are absolutely vital. That’s another reason why The Hospitality Road felt like the right home for me: there is a rigorous commercial lens which we then layer with creative opportunity.
Beyond that, a successful venue, whether a hotel or a private members club must have a clear point of difference, a strong identity and outstanding service. Those are non‑negotiable.
Leadership is also crucial and often misunderstood. In a hospitality environment, the person who truly “leads” is not just the chairman, but the person behind the front desk, the person you meet when you arrive. They embody the brand and set the tone. Those human, brand and marketing values have to extend through the entire operation.
A simple, human truth: is that people join member clubs for example, for other people. They choose a hotel for its personality; which is also based on people; its service and its story.
Fo member clubs, yes, they care about décor and Wi‑Fi speed and cocktail lists, but at heart, they’re asking: Will I meet people here I like, respect, learn from? Will I feel at ease walking in on my own? Will I feel missed if I stay away too long? In hotels guests want to feel a sense of home and welcome and synergy with fellow guests.
At Vincent’s Club, I have seen how small gestures can build a lifetime of loyalty.
We have alumni in their seventies and eighties who still speak about their undergraduate years at the club as a defining part of their lives. They are not talking about the wallpaper. They are talking about friendships, shared rituals, the sense that the place was rooting for them.
Food and beverage should be excellent as a bare minimum. On top of that you layer:
Beyond that, a successful club or hospitality venue must have a clear point of difference, a strong identity and outstanding service. Those are non‑negotiable.
A robust commercial base
Start with the numbers. Secure the right site on the right terms. Model your membership and F&B economics honestly. Under price your assumptions, over estimate your costs. If the project survives that scrutiny, you’re in good shape.
A clear point of difference
If your concept can be fully described in one sentence that could apply to ten existing clubs, go back to the drawing board. What is the specific culture, profession, interest, geography or heritage thread that makes this club inevitable rather than optional?
A living story and identity
This isn’t just about logos and colour palettes. It’s about knowing what you stand for, what you don’t, and being able to express that consistently, in copy, in art, in events, in how you answer the phone.
Outstanding service, from the front door to the boardroom
In a club, the first real leader is often the person behind the reception desk or on the front step. They are the first and last touchpoint. If they’re empowered, warm and aligned with the club’s values, everything else gets easier. The sane values need to extend through the entire organisation.
Food and beverage as a given, not a gimmick
F&B is not the sole attraction, this isn’t just a restaurant with a membership scheme, but it must be reliably excellent. People forgive a lot if the welcome is sincere and the food and drink are good.
Curated programming and touch points
Talks, tastings, screenings, debates, live music, sports screenings, small dinners, the point isn’t to overwhelm the calendar, but to offer enough texture that members feel there is always a reason to come back, and always a chance to meet someone interesting.
Smart, discreet digital infrastructure
Apps, newsletters, private forums, streaming, these should bind the community together, not shout at it. At Vincent’s, our weekly digital magazine turned a scattered alumni base into a tangible, responsive audience. The principle is the same for new clubs.
A coherent tone of voice and aesthetic
Everything from the typography on the menu to the way a barman explains a cocktail list contributes to the club’s personality. Members may not articulate it, but they feel when those details are aligned and when they’re not.
He developed his niche skill set in driving sales strategies and business development for both new and existing hotels and in the past 20 years he has been successful supporting the launch of over 40 new hotels in the UK, Europe and Caribbean. He has worked with owners of properties from early-stage development to full realisation.
Dameon then moved his focus into members clubs to work on a new concept to launch a private members Club community for entrepreneurs and investors, then working as part of the Executive Team in 2020 as Director of Sales for Home House Collection where he stayed for 3 years.
Joost is an international hotelier with over 25 years of global hotel and club experience. He has worked in a variety of chain and independent hotels in Holland, China, and the USA.
During his career, he has collaborated with commercial and revenue teams to launch and develop restaurants, members’ clubs, branded and independent hotels. Joost has successfully project-managed independent developments, overseeing the process from concept to realisation.
His expertise extends into launching private members' clubs. He has spearheaded business plans, driving the vision, purpose and brand proposition of clubs.
Through his expanding network, Joost has managed a broad spectrum of hotels, clubs, and other developments, working with a diverse range of concepts and brands throughout this career. Joost takes a collaborative approach, sharing his impartial knowledge and offering advice to owners, operators, and investors.
David leads The Hospitality Road's marketing, brand, creative, and communications advisory. Expert in supporting clients driven by lifestyle membership, David specialises in shaping compelling narratives and investment propositions that redefine the membership and hospitality landscape.
He has developed historic, emotionally resonant storytelling for some of the world’s most distinguished institutions and premium brands. Most notably, David led the winning team behind the rebrand and launch of the Old War Office into OWO, London’s most anticipated hotel opening of the past decade.
He also authored and led the successful bid for social, community, and business enterprise elements in Birmingham’s successful Commonwealth Games bid and was previously Marketing Director for Honda Formula One Racing. In addition, he has held roles including Chief Marketing Officer to Elle Macpherson, Global Marketing Director of the Laureus World Sports Awards, CEO to the Duchess of Kent and inaugural Head of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation as well as director with the Octagon Group across sponsorship, media, digital and broadcast.
David’s team, which includes former creative talent from GQ Magazine, delivers brand strategy, creative production, digital marketing, publications, and commercial strategy, offering unique insights into hospitality, membership, and institutional brands.
Over the past year, David has led the brand revamp and communications programmes for The Oriental Club, London, and the Phoenix Club at Harvard. He also serves as Chief Operating Officer and Bursar at Vincent’s Club, Oxford, the world’s most prestigious student membership association.
