Wilchester was created with the ambition to build a distinctive hospitality company around memorable destinations, strong operations, premium experiences and long-term guest relationships.
The company is being developed as more than a traditional hotel group. Wilchester brings together hotels, restaurants, destination experiences, maritime travel, premium beverages and future guest loyalty under one identity.
The Origin of Wilchester
Wilchester was not selected from a list of possible company names.
Before Wilchester Hotels was built as a business vision, founder Willy Van Wilchester had already adopted Wilchester as his own name.
The name therefore represents more than a commercial label. It reflects a personal commitment to building something lasting — a hospitality house with identity, ambition and a long-term legacy.
The hotel strategy, visual identity, maritime vision, beverage concepts and connected hospitality model were conceived and developed by Willy Van Wilchester.
“Wilchester is not simply a company I created. It is the name I chose to build my future around.”
— Willy Van Wilchester
Our purpose is to create hospitality experiences that guests remember, return to and connect with across multiple destinations and products. We believe the strongest hospitality brands are not built through rooms alone. They are built through people, atmosphere, food, experiences, trust and the desire to return.
To acquire, operate and develop distinctive hospitality businesses while preserving their local identity and connecting them through the Wilchester brand.
To build an internationally recognised Nordic hospitality and lifestyle platform with a foundation in hotels and food and beverage, strengthened by maritime travel, premium consumer products and long-term guest loyalty.
We take ownership of our commitments, our operations and the guest experience.
We believe hotels and destinations should have identity, character and a story worth remembering.
Every decision ultimately affects a guest, an employee, a partner or a local community.
We aim to build assets, brands and relationships that create value over many years.
Strong hospitality companies are built through trusted relationships and complementary expertise.
A strong vision must be supported by operational control, measurable performance and responsible growth.
People
Building Wilchester through vision, operational experience, strategic partnerships and specialist expertise.
Willy Van Wilchester is the Founder and CEO of Wilchester Hotels. He is responsible for the overall vision, brand development and strategic direction of the Wilchester hospitality platform.
With a focus on building a connected Nordic hospitality ecosystem, Willy leads the development of Wilchester’s hotel strategy, destination concepts, premium beverage brands and long-term growth ambitions.
Yasar Arfat is Co-Founder and Chief Development Officer of Wilchester Hotels.
He is responsible for development strategy, operational growth initiatives and supporting the expansion of Wilchester’s hospitality platform.
Through his involvement in hospitality operations and business development, Yasar contributes practical experience in execution, partnerships and creating scalable concepts across the Wilchester universe.
Strategic Partner – Investment & M&A
Founder & CEO, Makinborg Capital
kevin@wilchesterhotels.comKevin von Makinborg is Founder and CEO of Makinborg Capital and serves as a Strategic Partner to Wilchester.
With experience across venture capital, real estate and mergers & acquisitions, Kevin contributes strategic insight, investment perspectives and access to opportunities supporting Wilchester’s long-term growth.
His focus includes identifying investment opportunities, strategic transactions and building valuable relationships with investors and partners.
Partner – Corporate Finance & Strategic Development
Filip Karlsson is a Partner with a strong focus on corporate finance, capital markets and strategic business development.
He works closely with companies, investors and management teams across various industries, with experience in capital raising, financial analysis and evaluating strategic growth opportunities.
Through his work, Filip combines a structured financial approach with a commercial perspective, supporting investment decisions, strategic initiatives and long-term value creation.
As a Partner, Filip contributes financial insight, investor-oriented perspectives and strategic dialogue, helping identify opportunities and support the continued development of Wilchester and its partners.
Partner – Corporate Finance & Strategic Growth
Carl Uddén is a Partner with a strong focus on corporate finance, capital markets and strategic business development.
He works closely with companies, investors and management teams across various industries, bringing experience within sales, capital raising and commercial growth strategies.
Through his combined background in sales and finance, Carl contributes a practical and business-driven perspective to strategic discussions, bridging commercial execution with financial structure.
As a Partner, Carl supports Wilchester through investor-oriented dialogue, business development, identifying new opportunities and creating long-term value for the company and its partners.
Technical Partner – Digital Development
Founder, Professional Web Solutions (PWS)
Mukhyyar is Technical Partner for Wilchester, responsible for the digital development of the online platform, technology infrastructure and future digital solutions.
With more than a decade of experience in full-stack web development, UI/UX design and digital strategy — including React, Next.js and related modern web technologies — he supports Wilchester’s ambition to create a modern hospitality ecosystem through technology and scalable digital experiences.
As founder of Professional Web Solutions (PWS), Mukhyyar brings leadership experience delivering digital platforms for clients worldwide, combining design craft with robust engineering.
