Angela Vickers qualified as an Chartered Accountant and worked at KPMG as an auditor before moving to Stakis to take over as Internal Audit Manager. She stayed on at Stakis when it was sold to Hilton in 1999, but later decided to take a step back from hospitality. She joined a Telecoms start-up in 2001 called Damavo, helping to finalise a management buy-out and taking on the role of Financial Director. During her time there, the company went from three staff to 120 in Glasgow, and businesses all over the world.
Angela joined Apex as Financial Director in 2004, when the firm had five hotels and a £14 million turnover. Eight months later she became Managing Director, just as Apex opened its first London hotel. When Angela was invited to help develop a leadership Masters programme aimed at addressing the leadership deficit in hospitality, she decided to do the brand new course herself and now has a Masters in Hospitality Leadership from Strathclyde University. She is also a trustee of the Hospitality Industry Trust. Apex participates in Diageo’s Learning for Life apprenticeship scheme and offers Scottish Apprenticeships in hospitality. Today the company operates ten hotels in UK cities including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Bath and London. It has 1,456 rooms, over 1000 staff, and a turnover of £66 million.