Robin Hutson set to retire 14 years after founding The Pig
The British hotelier has confirmed that he and wife Judy will step down from their leadership roles at The Pig, the boutique hotel collection they founded in 2011, at the end of this year.
Hutson announced this week that the couple would be retiring from their respective roles as chairman and creative director of The Pig Hotels after 14 years, citing the need for more family and leisure time as their reasons behind the “difficult decision”.
They will step down at the end of 2024 but said they will remain “committed, supportive shareholders” of the brand, with Robin continuing as chairman of LimeWood Group as well as their English sparkling wine company, Sugrue South Downs.
The leadership of The Pig will remain with Tom Ross, who was promoted from managing director to chief executive officer of the group last May.
“As you can imagine, this has been a difficult decision for us to make,” Robin said in a statement sent to TTG Luxury. “We love what we do, it’s our world, and we have lived it 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for a very long time.”
Robin and Judy, who together boast over 50 years of hospitality experience, are now hoping to invest more time with their loved ones while they are “still reasonably fit and healthy”. The couple share two adult sons, Ollie and Will, as well as two grandchildren.
“Frankly, we are not getting any younger,” Robin said. “We want to enjoy a little more leisure time whilst we are still reasonably fit and healthy, and we want to spend more time with our family, especially our grandchildren, over the coming years.” He also revealed that a ‘close encounter’ with prostate cancer, for which he had successful treatment last year, has ‘focused’ his mind.
“I know The Pig is in great hands with our chief executive officer Tom Ross whose leadership and considered judgement will no doubt guide the company to new levels of success, and the entire senior team, who bring decades of experience – including some who have been with us since The Pig’s founding in 2011. Judy too has taken steps to bolster her design team, who are already taking on some of the workload of ongoing refurbishments and of course the new hotel projects, they will be charged with continuing her amazing work.”
The Pig brand will add two more members to its portfolio in the next two years, with plans to debut its ninth property, The Pig-on the Farm, in December 2024. The opening of the 16th-century listed farmhouse, which is located in South Warwickshire, will be followed by The Pig-at Groombridge, now slated to open in 2026.
The parent company of The Pig Hotels was sold to private equity firm KSL Capital Partners in 2022, with the Hutsons retaining a shareholding. The acquisition was made with a view for the investment company, which specialises in travel and leisure, to expand the collection whilst also developing complementary properties across the UK.
The news of the Hutsons’ retirement comes as The Pig celebrate its B Corp certification, which verifies that it is voluntarily meeting high standards of environmental performance, transparency and accountability.
“We are so proud to have achieved this recognition of becoming B Corp certified, joining this brilliant community of purpose-driven businesses,” said Tom Ross. “People and planet have always been at the heart of everything we do, ever since we opened the very first Pig in the New Forest 13 years ago. We know our main job at The Pigs is to make sure everyone has the most delicious, fun and relaxing time with us – but making responsible, thoughtful decisions to be a force for good is always at the forefront of our minds.
“We’re not saying we’re perfect. We know there’s more to do and we’re committed to help lead the way for the hospitality industry. B Corp isn’t about being the best – it’s about always working to be better. You can be sure we’re up for the challenge.”
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