and Shine Awards 2011 - People 1st

Second floor
Armstrong House
38 Market Square
Uxbridge
UB8 1LH
Tel: 01895 817000
Fax: 01895 817035
info@people1st.co.uk
www.people1st.co.uk
People 1st is the sector skills council for the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industries.
Top 100 Most Influential Women
in Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism
and Shine Awards 2011

Foreword
Natalie Bickford – Chair, Women 1st and
HR Director UK & Ireland, Sodexo Ltd
Since the launch of Women 1st in October
2009, the programme has championed
the cause of greater gender balance within
senior management teams and has provided
opportunities for over 400 women to undertake
tailored development training, or be part of a
dedicated mentoring network, to support them
in meeting their career ambitions within our
dynamic sector.
Tonight’s event is all about celebration! We
know there are inspirational women throughout
the industry who bring the highest levels of
energy, commitment and expertise to their
roles. The launch of the inaugural Top 100
Most Influential Women in the Hospitality,
Leisure, Travel and Tourism industry listing
Top 100 Most Influential Women and Shine Awards 2011
recognises the achievements of our sector’s
most inspirational leaders and showcases their
success. I believe this is long-overdue recognition
of the impact and influence women have
throughout the industry.
Complementing the listing are the Shine
Awards, which highlight individual success and
allow us to celebrate those who have already
achieved so much in their careers, as well as
the senior directors of tomorrow. The Awards
also allow us to recognise those businesses
who are leading our industry in supporting and
developing the women who work for them.
May I congratulate all our Top 100 women, as
well as the nominees and winners of the Shine
Awards. Your success is richly deserved and we
look forward to partnering with you to continue
the momentum of Women 1st.

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Background to Wom en 1st
Sharon Glancy, Director, People 1st Training
Company and Founder, Women 1st
Launched in 2009 by Cherie Blair, Women
1st is an initiative from People 1st, the sector
skills council for the hospitality, leisure, travel
and tourism (HLTT) industry, to address the
significant under-representation of women in
senior director level positions.
In an industry where 60% of the workforce
is female, only 6% of board directors within
HLTT are female – half the national average
across other industries. Women 1st’s mission
is to advance women into the leadership
ranks by building a pool of talent ready for
the boardroom.
There are a number of reasons why women
are being held back from achieving their career
ambitions. Factors include irregular work hours
and the lack of available flexible and part-time
working arrangements for senior managers,
the use of more traditional working models and
practices (such as split shifts), male-dominated
organisational cultures and professional
networks, a lack of management training for
women, too few role models and a lack of
mentoring opportunities.
Independent research has clearly identified
business performance advantages to having a
more balanced senior team, not least that the
majority of purchasing decisions across the UK,
Europe and the US are made by women. A
senior team that represents its customer base
will better anticipate and meet their needs.
For further information, please contact:
women1st@people1st.co.uk
www.people1st.co.uk/women1st
Tel: 01895 817000

Shine Awards 2011 judging panel
Natalie Bickford, HR director UK & Ireland, Sodexo (chair of Women 1st)
Debbee Dale, managing director, Debbee Dale Development
Sharon Glancy, director, People 1st Training Division and founder of Women 1st
Kerstin Kuhn, restaurant editor, Caterer and Hotelkeeper
Jillian MacLean, founder and managing director, Drake & Morgan
Gaby Marcon Clarke, Shine People and Places and co-founder of the Shine Awards
Louise Smalley, HR director, Whitbread Group PLC
Sean Wheeler, area director of HR, The Dorchester Collection
NB – any of the judges who were shortlisted for an award were excluded from judging that
particular category and were not present for any discussions regarding that award.
Wom en 1st Top 100 and Shine Awards host
Gaby Roslin
Gaby Roslin is one of the country’s most popular television presenters making her
TV debut presenting the children’s programmes on Superchannel and Motormouth
live on ITV. In 1992 Gaby was invited to join Chris Evans on Channel 4’s new daily
programme The Big Breakfast, and went on to host the show until 1996.
From 1998 until 2002, Gaby worked exclusively for the BBC fronting a range of
programmes including Whatever You Want, City Hospital, A Question of Television
and, to bring in the New Year, she presented 28 hours of live non-stop television
for BBC1’s Millennium celebration. She also co-hosted Children in Need with Terry
Wogan. In 2002 she made her West End acting debut playing the role of Mama
Morton in Chicago and also toured with the stage version of When Harry Met Sally.
Gaby became a co-host, with Paul Ross, on the BBC London 94.9 breakfast show in
January 2010 and appears frequently on ITV1’s This Morning show as one of their
regular pool of News Review guests.

Th e Top 100 Most Influential Wom en in Hospitality, Leisure, Travel and Tourism
Alex Polizzi, Hotelier/TV Presenter, Hotel Endsleigh
A British hotelier, and the presenter of the 4th through to 7th series of
TV series The Hotel Inspector, Alex comes from a long line of hoteliers,
her grandfather being Lord Forte. She trained at the Mandarin Oriental
in Hong Kong, and worked for Marco Pierre White before working in
the family business The Rocco Forte Collection. She manages the Hotel
Endsleigh which is owned by her mother.
Alison Cryer, Managing Director, Representation Plus
Alison was instrumental in the launch of the Copthorne Hotel brand and
was one of the first recipients of the prestigious Acorn awards. In 1988
Alison founded Representation Plus as she had identified a need for small
owner-managed hotels to be represented in the same professional way as
hotel chains in order to compete through resource sharing.
Alison Frith, Owner and Managing Director, Artizian Catering
Alison formed Artizian in 1997 with the vision to supply high quality food
and support services. Her vision to offer a rounded service gained the
company a reputation as ‘the alternative quality contract caterer.’ Artizian
recognises the importance of other business support services by providing
comprehensive catering, vending and hospitality services.
Alison Tyler, Managing Director, CH&Co
CH&Co is a leading independent catering group with five specialist brands
including Charlton House (staff catering), Lusso (City and fine dining)
and Chester Boyd (livery halls and private venues). Alison has been key
in helping develop the business to one with an annual turnover of £76
million and employing 2,000 people nationally.
Amanda Brady, Head of HR (UK Operations), Whitbread
Amanda leads a team of 20 who are ultimately responsible for the
development, engagement and recruitment of some 28,000 managers and
team members who work across five businesses: Premier Inn, Beefeater,
Brewers Fayre, Table Table and Taybarns. Amanda has worked tirelessly to
champion a talent agenda and has achieved 80% internal appointments
to all general manager roles within the business.
Amanda Wills, Managing Director, Virgin Holidays
Amanda joined Virgin Holidays at a time when the travel industry was
in turmoil after the tragic events of 9/11. Within her first year, she had
revamped the company creating new structures, products and a new
brand image. Virgin Holidays is now one of the most successful tour
operators in travel, being No. 1 to Florida, USA and now also No. 1
scheduled tour operator to the Caribbean.
Angela Day, Chief Executive, Affordable Car Hire
Angela originally started the business in her garage, re-mortgaging the family
home, selling her car, cashing in savings, extending credit on credit cards and
living off beans on toast for the first 18 months! The business expanded at a
phenomenal rate culminating in the company becoming the first ever car hire
ABTA member which sets it apart from competitors. Angela is also a member
of the Institute of Travel and Tourism board of directors.
Angela Hartnett MBE, Chef Patron, Murano Restaurant and the
York and Albany Pub
Angela is one of the most high-profile women in the restaurant
world and has worked with Gordon Ramsay at Aubergine and with Marcus
Wareing at Petrus. In 2002 she opened The Grill Room at
The Connaught winning Square Meal Guide’s Best New Restaurant award
and her first Michelin star in 2004. She has made numerous appearances on
television, including Hell’s Kitchen and the Great British Menu competition.
She was awarded an MBE in 2007. She opened Murano in 2008, achieved a
Michelin star in 2009 and took it over as her own in 2010.
Angela Vickers, Managing Director, Apex Hotels Ltd
Over the past five years, Angela has steered Apex into an organisation
that now operates 7 Hotels, employs 670 people, turns over £41 million
per annum and converts this into £12.5 million profit. The company was
awarded the AA Small Hotel Group of the Year accolade in 2010.
Anna-Marie Dowling, General Manager, Guoman Hotels –
The Royal Horseguards
Since joining the industry as a chambermaid, Anna has worked through
the ranks gaining her first general manager role at the Brewery in 1998.
Since then, Anna has gone on to run such iconic London properties as
Marriott County Hall and Le Meridien Piccadilly & Café Royal. In 2008,
Anna was named Emerging Director of the Year by the Institute of
Directors. The Royal Horseguards was recently named AA Hotel of
the Year for London 2010-2011.
Top 100 Most Influential Women and Shine Awards 2011
Ann Elliott, Managing Director, Elliott Marketing and PR
Ann set-up the business in 2001 after a corporate career in marketing
and operations including 18 years with Whitbread as marketing director
for both Pizza Hut and Beefeater. Elliott Marketing & PR now has a team
of 12 and over 35 associates with extensive knowledge, expertise and
experience in the leisure, tourism and hospitality market.
Anne Pierce MBE, Chief Executive, The Springboard Charity
Anne joined Springboard in 1997 as managing director and was later
made chief executive. Under her leadership, Springboard now supports
over 2,000 teachers and 30,000 pupils in secondary schools on industry
related courses, facilitates over 20,000 work experience opportunities and
helps almost 1,000 young and unemployed people enter the industry.
Anne is a governor of Westminster Kingsway College and a visiting fellow
of Sheffield University. She was awarded an MBE in 2004 and won a Catey
Special Award in 2008.
Avril Owton MBE, Owner, The Cloud Hotel
A former professional dancer with the Tiller Girls, Avril took over the running
of the Cloud Hotel when her husband died suddenly at the age of 45, leaving
her with an ailing family hotel, four children and no insurance. With no
business experience she refurbished the hotel, began to make a significant
profit and soon had increased her business turnover by 800%. Avril, a past
Hampshire Business Woman of the Year, was awarded the prestigious Shine
Woman of the Year Award in 2006. In 2007, she was made an honorary
member of the Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World.

Barbara Kolosinska, Sales Director, C&M Travel Recruitment
C&M has won numerous industry awards including the Travel Weekly
Globe Awards for Best Recruitment Agency, Travel Trade Gazette Best
Services Supplier, Travel Bulletin Best Recruitment Agency, Travelmole Best
Website and The British Travel Awards Best Recruitment Agency over the
years. She has played an integral part in helping C&M achieve its Sunday
Times ‘Best Businesses to work for’ accreditation. In 2009, Barbara was
voted onto the board of the Institute of Travel and Tourism.
Brigid Simmonds, Chief Executive, British Beer, Pubs and Bars Association
The BBPBA is the drinks and hospitality industry’s largest and most
influential trade association representing 98% of UK brewing (by volume)
and the ownership of over half of the nation’s 54,000 pubs. Having
previously worked as chief executive for Business in Sport and Leisure for
17 years, Brigid has an excellent track record of influencing policy and
partnership working within the industry.
Carol Marlow, Managing Director, P&O Cruises
Carol became president and managing director of Cunard Line in 2005
and joined P&O Cruises, Britain’s largest cruise line, in 2009. She became
chairman of the cruise section of the Passenger Shipping Association in
2002 and for two years, to July 2008, was chair of the Passenger Shipping
Association in total, both cruise and ferry. Having completed the usual
period of office, Carol is now vice chairman.
Caroline Fry, Managing Director, CH&Co
Caroline is managing director of CH&Co, a leading independent catering
group with five specialist brands. She is also managing director of the staff
catering brand, Charlton House, representing the largest core of contracts
within the group. She was the company’s first full-time operational
employee in 1994, becoming operations director in 1997, and client
resources director and a board director in 1998.
Carrie Wicks, Director of Operations, Firmdale
Carrie has overseen the transition of a four star boutique hotel company
to a world-class, multi award-winning, luxury hotel company whilst at the
same time running one of the most successful hotels in London, the Soho
Hotel. A winner of the Catey Manager of the Year, Carrie has championed
the cause of women managers and, as a result of her tutelage and
mentoring, there are now a total of 5 out of 7 general managers that
are female in the company.
Chris Browne, Managing Director, Thomson Airways and Board Member,
TUI Travel PLC
Thomson Airways has grown to become the third largest airline in the
UK with Chris playing a key role in its development since joining in 2007.
Chris’ earlier career was with Carlson Worldchoice, the travel agent,
before moving to First Choice. Prior to joining Thomson Airways, Chris was
managing director of First Choice Airways in Manchester.
Clare Tobin, Managing Director, Specialist Holiday and Board Member,
TUI Travel PLC
After taking on her first managing director role in 2002 at Meon Villas,
Clare became managing director of TUI Travel UK Special Longhaul and
Flights division in 2009 and was then appointed to head up TUI’s specialist
UK business. With this promotion she added short haul brands Sovereign,
Citalia and Meon Villas to her existing long haul responsibilities for Hayes
& Jarvis, Thomson Tailormade, Austravel and Jetsave.
Clare Smyth, Head Chef, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay
Clare’s credentials are exemplary and her steep rise to head chef at the
three Michelin starred Restaurant Gordon Ramsay is not surprising. Clare’s
devotion to her craft and her uncompromising standards and meticulous
work ethic are just two of the reasons why she remains the first and only
female chef to run a restaurant with this accolade in the UK.
Debbee Dale, Managing Director, Debbee Dale Development
Debbee is a mentor for businesses and various universities as well as
being a board member of the Association of Women Travel Executives,
and vice chair of education and training at the Institute of Travel
and Tourism. Debbee runs AA Graduate in partnership with AA
Appointments which is a free service to employers offering positions
to travel and tourism graduates.
Debbie Hindle, Managing Director, BGB
Debbie was a founder of BGB in 1991 and has specialised in travel
communications for the past two decades. She is a strong advocate of
sustainable tourism. She is a judge of the Telegraph annual Responsible
Tourism Awards, helped to launch the Travel Foundation charity and also
supports Friends of Conservation. Debbie is also a judge of the VisitEngland
Enjoy England Awards for Excellence and the new Travel Press Awards.
Debbie Taylor, Chairman, BHA Scotland
Debbie previously held the role of general manager at Sir Rocco Forte’s five-star
Balmoral in Edinburgh, the first woman to manage the hotel in its 101-year
history, and was managing director of the Old Course Hotel at St Andrew’s
from 2007 until her recent appointment as president of the hospitality and real
estate group and a member of the corporate operating committee of Kohler
Co. She is chairman of BHA Scotland and is one of only nine women in the
world to hold the title Master Innholder. She was named RAC Manager of the
Year in 2006 and received a Catey Manager of the Year award in 2007.
Deborah Harvey, Chairman, Pabulum
Deborah is an inspiring role model and has worked hard to develop a
company that stands apart from industry norms and supports the ‘case
for change’. Far from merely replicating her own early experiences in the
industry (where advancing her role was particularly challenging), Deborah
has shaped Pabulum into one that embraces its female employees’
development and growth, helping to change traditional industry patterns.
Delia Smith CBE, Cook, Author and TV Presenter
The most tried and trusted of British TV cooks, Delia has been teaching the
nation for over 30 years. She is the UK’s best-selling cookery author with more
than 21 million copies sold. In 1969 Delia became the cookery writer for the
Daily Mirror’s new magazine, and three years later began columns for the
Evening Standard and the Radio Times. Her TV career began in 1973 with BBC
series Family Fare and was followed by Delia’s Cookery Course. Delia’s other
great passion is football and in 1996 she became director of Norwich City FC.
Doreen McKenzie, Owner, Knock Travel
Doreen has worked in the travel industry for nearly 40 years building
Knock Travel into a leading business in Northern Ireland. She was awarded
the Northern Ireland Travel and Tourism Personality accolade in 1998 in
recognition of her work and achievements. More recently she was a finalist
in the CBI First Women Awards 2009, won a BT Business Woman of the
Year award in 2008 and the company was awarded a TTG Award for
Excellence in 2007.

Emma Woods, Marketing Director, Pizza Express
From a background of healthcare marketing as marketing director
at Unilever for 17 years, Emma joined Pizza Express in 2008 and was
instrumental in developing the Leggara pizza. Launched in 2009, Leggara
is a food range designed for those who want to enjoy eating out without
putting on weight. The Leggara pizza has around 500 calories, and is
approved by leading diet brand WeightWatchers.
Flo Powell, Director, ACE
Flo joined ACE (Association of Cruise Experts) in 2009. Prior to that she
was executive director of the Tourism Society, a membership association
for individual tourism professionals. ACE is the award-winning training
and support organisation dedicated to providing expert cruise training and
support for travel agents. ACE is supported by 36 of the world’s leading
cruise lines and in turn supports over 20,000 individual travel agents.
Francesca Ecsery, Global Sales Director, Cheapflights Media
Francesca has more than 18 years’ experience in the travel industry.
Prior to Cheapflights Media, she was managing director, international
division, of STA Travel whose business then extended over 76 countries,
32 of which were secured under her leadership. Francesca also holds an
executive position in WACL (Women in Advertising and Communication in
London) and is a non-executive board member of Travolution, owned by
the TW Group.
Gill Benwell, Director, Bourne Leisure (Butlins)
Gill’s first challenge at Butlins was to instil a sense of teamwork into
an uncommitted and largely seasonal staff. She develped a training
programme to deliver a sense of belonging and pride, especially in the
concept of customer care, throughout the business. Instigating the ‘First
30 minute experience’ programme, Gill slashed complaints to well below
industry norms. Gill has been with Bourne Leisure for over 30 years,
working her way up through the ranks from PA to operations director for
Haven, and then director.
Hélène Darroze, Chef Patron, The Connaught (London) and
Hélène Darroze (Paris)
French chef Hélène Darroze launched her second eponymous site (the first
being in Paris), in the refurbished Connaught Hotel in spring 2008, which
went on to win its first Michelin star in 2009. Hailing from a long line of chefs,
Darroze started out in hospitality as administrative manager to Alain Ducasse.
She took over her family restaurant in 1995, before moving to Paris four years
later and launching her own restaurant on the Left Bank, which also has a
Michelin star. She now splits her time between the UK and French capitals.
Jane Ashton, Group Head of Sustainable Development, TUI Travel PLC
At each stage of First Choice’s and now TUI Travel PLC’s sustainable
development journey, Jane has been at the forefront, influencing and
encouraging key people in the company – from the board to customerfacing
employees – to incorporate sustainability considerations into their
work. Jane works tirelessly with industry peers and bodies both in the UK
and internationally to develop a more sustainable tourism industry.
Jane Bristow, Director of Corporate Services and Education,
Sodexo UK and Ireland
Jane admits that one of her most challenging, yet fulfilling roles, was
heading up the logistics division at Whitbread PLC, where she was the first
female to take up the post. As a board managing director for Sodexo UK
and Ireland, the training and development of her team is a top priority and
she has mentored many team members into promotional roles including
Michael Godfrey, executive chef at Eton College, who has won many
industry awards.
Jane Sunley, Chief Executive, learnpurple
Jane founded learnpurple in 2001 and its sister company, talent toolbox, in
2005. She invented the award-winning online talent management system
which was successfully launched in 2005 and is now utilised in over 22
countries worldwide by organisations including Malmaison and Hotel du
Vin. Jane is also president of HR in Hospitality, a member of The Talent
Foundation and a visiting fellow at both Oxford Brookes and Sheffield
Hallam Universities.
Janice Gault, Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Hotels Federation
The NI Hotels Federation is a not-for-profit limited company representing
the hotel and guesthouse sectors in Northern Ireland. Its main roles
are identifying and reviewing issues affecting the hospitality industry
and lobbying governments and the NI Assembly on the economic and
employment opportunities of tourism.
Jemima Bird, Marketing Director, Tragus Holdings
Jemima joined Tragus in 2010 and is responsible for their high street
brands – Café Rouge, Strada and Bella Italia – as well as the brasseries
division including Belgo, Huxleys, Ortega and Amalfi. She previously
worked for Musgrave Retail Partners with responsibility for the brand
strategies for Budgens and Londis and, prior to that, the Co-operative
Group as director of brand. She is a member of the Women 1st
leadership council.
Jill McDonald, Chief Executive and President, McDonald’s UK
and President, Northern Division, McDonald’s Europe
Jill joined McDonald’s in 2006 as chief marketing officer UK & Northern
Division responsible for marketing, product development, customer
innovation, business strategy and leadership of McDonald’s Olympic
2012 sponsorship. She was promoted to chief executive of the UK business in
2010. She joined McDonald’s from British Airways where she spent 16 years.
In 2008 Jill was voted “Marketeer of the Year” by the Marketing Society.
Jill Stein, Director, The Seafood Restaurant
While Rick’s name is known worldwide, Jill has been instrumental in running
and inspiring the growth of the company which includes four restaurants,
accommodation, a cookery school and three shops. The business has
continued to grow over the past 36 years and now employs an average of
350 staff, 90% of whom are local to Cornwall, with an annual turnover
of £14 million. The company has won numerous awards including Egon
Ronay’s Restaurant of the Year (1996), Hotel & Restaurant magazine’s
Restaurant of the year (1998-2004) and an AA Award for English Seafood
Restaurant of the Year (2002).
Jillian MacLean, Managing Director, Drake & Morgan
Despite having launched Drake & Morgan little more than two years ago,
it already operates four bars, employs 175 employees, has sales of £3.4m
and last year turned profitable. Jillian has been wholly responsible for the
concept, development, launch and running of all the venues. She has reaped
a plethora of awards including a Catey, Rising Star from the Retailer of the
Year Awards 2010 and Caterer & Hotelkeeper’s 2010 Pub and Bar Award.
Jillian has just been shortlisted for the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of
the Year award 2011.

Jo Rzymowska, Associate Vice President & General Manager,
Royal Caribbean International, Azmara & Celebrity Brands
Jo joined Royal Caribbean in 2005 as sales and marketing director, UK
and Ireland. Sales performance has grown 25% year-on-year, and Royal
Caribbean International successfully introduced the first new-build ship
dedicated to the UK and Ireland market, Independence of the Seas. Jo
took up her current role in 2007 taking on guest and trade services. Jo was
recently nominated in Travel Weekly as one of the Top 40 Power Players in
the industry.
Judy Hargadon, Chief Executive, School Food Trust
Judy joined the School Food Trust in 2006 prior to a 30 year career
in healthcare management, with a special focus on innovation and
improvement. Judy was actively involved in the Take Our Daughters to Work
scheme, and chaired the trustees for five years. Her previous post was as
director of New Ways of Working in the NHS Modernisation Agency, the
national lead to increase productivity and improve patient outcomes.
Julia Hands, Chair and Chief Executive, Hand Picked Hotels
In the 10 years since the formation of Hand Picked Hotels, Julia has led
the group to remarkable success including AA Hotel Group of the Year
2004-5, one of the top 10 entrepreneurs in the UK in the National
Business Awards 2005, AA Hotel of the Year Scotland, won by Norton
House Hotel, Edinburgh 2008-9, and Best Customer Service Programme at
the Training Journal Awards 2010.
Julia Sibley, Chief Executive, Savoy Educational Trust
Julia became chief executive of the Savoy Educational Trust in 1998
following the sale of the Savoy Group and the release of £35m to the
Trust to advance and develop education, training and qualifications in the
UK hospitality industry. Under her leadership, it has supported countless
individuals, educational bodies, trade associations and organisations, as
well as helping to fund competitions like Springboard’s FutureChef and the
Restaurant Association’s Young Chef & Young Waiter of the Year Award.
Julie Southern, Chief Commercial Officer, Virgin Atlantic Airways
Julie joined Virgin Atlantic in 2000 and four months later was appointed
chief financial officer, steering the airline through various economic
challenges faced by the industry from 9/11 to global recession in 2009.
Julie was promoted to chief commercial officer in 2010. She started her
career as a graduate trainee with Mars before training as a chartered
accountant with PriceWaterhouseCoopers.
Juliette Joffe, Founder and Director, Giraffe Restaurants
Juliette launched Bistroquet restaurant in Camden in 1984. She worked
front of house, husband Russel worked in the kitchen, and the restaurant
attracted everyone from Spandau Ballet to Bob Hoskins. Next came Café
Flo in Belsize Park in 1987, which the Joffes developed into a chain of
eight and sold on in 1994. After several years in Israel, the duo returned
to the UK to launch their new project, Giraffe Restaurants. In 1998
the couple launched the first Giraffe restaurant in Hampstead and, 25
Giraffe restaurants later, they still work together every day.
Karen Browne, Chief Executive, William Murray
Karen is a member of the marketing committee of Hospitality Action, a
board member of industry networking forum Arena and a member of the
steering committee of the Craft Guild of Chefs. Karen works with PACE
to ensure sustainable growth for the organisation, she is part of the team
that is supporting Simon Hulstone to compete in the Bocuse d’Or in Lyon
and is a founder member of the Mercury Group.
Karen Forrester, UK Managing Director, TGI Friday’s
After 15 years with pub group Mitchells & Butlers, latterly as a divisional
director, Karen joined TGI Friday’s to take on one of her biggest
challenges – restoring the brand to its former glory. The last three years
have seen Karen delivering record sales and guest feedback scores. She
gives exceptional guidance and council to senior management teams in
developing and championing the cause of front line employees and in
pursuit of competitive advantage through superior service.
Karen Ramirez, Chair, Association of Women Travel Executives
Karen is the managing director of Lingo OMS Ltd which specialises
in managed communications campaigns. She is also the chair of the
Association of Women Travel Executives and is the director of steering
group, Business Against Poverty. Karen is regarded as a creative and
innovative leader and takes businesses forward in a logical and
effective way.
Kate Martin and Sue Parfett, joint Managing Partners,
The Brookwood Partnership
The Brookwood Partnership was formed as a limited company in 1996
and specialises in the independent education sector. In 2007 they
were recognised by the BHA for their lead in using fresh food produce,
sourced where possible from local suppliers. In 2008 Kate was presented
with the Catey Food Service Caterer award. The company has also
achieved a listing in The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work for
in both 2008 and 2010.
Kathryn Beadle, Managing Director, Hurtigruten
Kathryn started her career as a trainee travel consultant with Hogg Robinson
Leisure. She spent 18 years with the company rising through the ranks to
become their youngest and only female regional sales manager before
being appointed sales director. Kathryn was given an award by the City of
New York in 2003 for her support of the city through promotional activity
following the events of 9/11. She joined Hurtigruten in 2008 and was
appointed managing director of UK, Ireland and USA in 2010. Kathryn is
also active member of the Association of Cruise Experts.
Laura Frith, Vice President HR, InterContinental Hotel Group
Laura is a chartered psychologist and has broad-range expertise that
she has applied in both the public and private sectors. She has worked
with many household names including Lloyds, the Metropolitan Police,
Liverpool Victoria, PA Consulting and Arthur Andersen. In her role at IHG,
Laura works for an organisation with 640,000 rooms and over 4,400
hotels in 100 countries around the world. The company operates seven
hotel brands – InterContinental, Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, Holiday Inn,
Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites and Candlewood Suites.
Lisa Allen, Head Chef, Northcote Manor
Lisa joined Northcote Manor in 2001 as a demi-chef-de-partie, where a
series of annual promotions resulted in her attaining the role of head chef
in April 2005, under the direction of chef-patron Nigel Haworth. At just
23 Lisa was one of the first women to rise to the ranks of head chef in the
Michelin-starred Northcote.
Liz McGivern, HR Director, Red Carnation Hotels
Liz joined Red Carnation in 2001 and quickly used her influence to

evolutionise the learning and training culture. Liz’s key achievements
include devising and overseeing a dynamic front office training
programme which resulted in an increase of £1 million revenue
through developing the team’s skills in upselling rooms. This gained
recognition with the Hotel Reservation Service Award for 2008/9.
In November 2009 Liz was named HR Manager of the Year at
the Cateys.
Liz Phillips, Director of Human Resources & Organisational
Development, Mitchells and Butlers
In the three years since being appointed director, Liz has developed
a centralised approach to recruitment, training and communications
across all Mitchells and Butlers brands through e-learning, e-recruitment
and e-communications and creating an online staff portal. The company
was awarded the Personnel Today award 2010 for HR Impact.
Liz Smith-Mills, UK Hotel Consultant, Diversey Inc
If there is a housekeeping or hospitality initiative, it is more than likely
that Liz will be involved to some degree! She is a former chair, and
current vice chair, of the Yorkshire branch of the Institute of Hospitality,
with a focus on developing managers of the future. Liz has distinguished
herself over the years by becoming a founder member of 3 branches of
the UK Housekeepers’ Association.
Lorraine Barnes-Burton, Chief Executive, British Travel Awards
Lorraine started her career with the BBC concentrating on events.
She moved to the travel industry through the Evening Standard
where she began the Gold Leisure Club. She is the co-founder and
now chief executive of the British Travel Awards. As well as being a
fantastic awards night that is a “must do” date in the travel calendar,
the British Travel Awards puts together the largest consumer survey of
the industry.
Lou Willcock, Founder and Director, IndiCater Ltd
Lou began her career in contract catering and founded Customised
Contract Catering, with Mike Day, which was sold ten years later to
Granada. In 2003 she and Mike founded IndiCater – now a leading
back-office management software provider for the industry. Lou was
elected chair of the Bacchus Alumni Association at Oxford Brookes in
2001 and has been instrumental in launching and driving the mentoring
programme for 4th year undergraduates. In 2003 Lou was conferred as
a visiting fellow in recognition of her support.
Louise Smalley, Group HR Director, Whitbread
Louise has been part of the Whitbread family for over 12 years. Prior
to her appointment as group HR director, she was HR director of its
restaurants division. Louise started her Whitbread career as HR projects
manager for Pizza Hut in 1995, and has a wealth of experience within
various Whitbread brands, including David Lloyd Leisure. She is a trustee
of sector skills council People 1st.
Lucy Gemmell, Creative Director/Founder, Rhubarb
Lucy founded Rhubarb 15 years ago and since then she has been the
driving force behind its success – most recently with the Royal Albert Hall
catering contract and consultancy work at the Rugby World Cup and
Olympics. Lucy’s contacts are second to none and she has brought the
most high profile events onto Rhubarb’s books – from Elton John’s White
Tie and Tiara Ball to the Ark Charity Gala.
Lucy Huxley, Group Editor, TW Group
Lucy has had a progressive career within travel media specifically with the
two major media contributors to the travel industry. Having progressed to
editor TTG, and changing its “broadsheet” style to more of a “tabloid”,
in 2010 she was headhunted to Travel Weekly. She has now moved the
offering to support industry partners with not only the breaking news, but
points of interest, training and development and developed the technical
arm of Travel Weekly – Travolution.
Lynn Webster, National Chair, British Institute of Cleaning Science
Lynn is currently chair of the British Institute of Cleaning Science and a board
member of the British Cleaning Council promoting housekeeping as a career
throughout the hospitality industry. She is working closely with LOCOG for
professional opportunities for housekeepers during the 2012 Olympics. Lynn
is also managing director of her own consultancy and is recognized as an
expert carrying out training and audits throughout the Industry.
Lynne D’Arcy, Managing Director, Trust Inns
Lynne started her professional life as a solicitor specialising in employment
and company law before joining Burtonwood in 1985 as a legal expert.
She soon rose through the company’s ranks to legal director and then
managing director in 1995. Since becoming MD, the company has grown
to an estate of 462 pubs and, despite poor summer weather, reported pretax
profits of £35.7m. Lynne also chairs the north west CBI.
Mary Rance, Chief Executive, UKinbound
Since 2008, Mary has been responsible for the strategic and operational
management of the Association and its lobbying activity with government
and opinion formers in the inbound industry. Mary has a career leading
membership and business organisations in a range of sectors. As London
regional director of the CBI until 2005, Mary first became involved with
lobbying on transport issues, including aviation policy.
Michelle Hanson, Commercial Director, Sodexo UK & Ireland
Michelle has been a key player in steering the company’s diversity council
and, as chair, leads on policy development. The company achieved the
DiversityInc award 2010 for Sodexo’s Spirit of Inclusion programme.
Michelle led her team to huge success by achieving the Red Tractor
standard in 2009. This was the first corporate accreditation to ever
be achieved for sourcing food that only comes from farms and food
companies that meet high standards of food safety and hygiene, animal
welfare and environmental protection.
Namita and Camellia Panjabi, Directors, Masala World Ltd
At Masala World, every part of the offer, from kitchen production, to service,
design of the restaurants or sourcing of raw materials is about emphasising
the provenance of the food to the customer. Namita and Camellia strive
for perfection and have brought a genuine Indian fine dining experience
to London, at the same time developing a more casual dining offer, at an
affordable price, whilst maintaining the genuine origins of Indian cuisine.
Natalie Bickford, HR Director, Sodexo UK & Ireland
After joining Sodexo, Natalie created the diversity agenda and established
the Diversity and Inclusion Council along with its strategy in 2008. She
helped develop the in-house Spirit of Inclusion programme, leading to
winning, in 2010, Springboard’s Diversity in Employment award, the
DiversityInc award and Employers Forum for Belief and Employers Forum
for Age awards. She developed Sodexo’s Women Work programme and

is also one of the founding members of SWIFT, Sodexo’s global body that
embeds the development of women across the organisation.
Nigella Lawson, Food Writer, Journalist and Broadcaster
Nigella started work as a book reviewer and restaurant critic, later becoming
the deputy literary editor of The Sunday Times in 1986. She then embarked
upon a career as a freelance journalist. In 1998, Nigella brought out her
first cookery book, How to Eat, which sold 300,000 copies and became
a bestseller. She went on to write her second book in 2000, How to be a
Domestic Goddess, winning her the British Book Award for Author of the
Year. In 2000, she began to host her own cookery series on Channel 4,
Nigella Bites, which won a Guild of Food Writers Award.
Olga Polizzi, Designer and Hotelier
Olga is the eldest daughter of the late Lord Forte, arguably the world’s
best-known hotelier. She is the director of design for the Rocco Forte
Collection, which owns hotels worldwide including Brown’s in London,
the Savoy in Florence and Tresanton in Cornwall.
Patricia Yates, Director of Strategy and Communications, VisitBritain
Patricia has been with VisitBritain since 2005 heading up a division formed
as part of the VisitBritain restructure at the end of 2007. She is responsible
for research, tourism affairs and communications. Prior to her time at
VisitBritain, Patricia was editor of the Consumers’ Association magazine
Holiday Which? for over 10 years and the editor of the annual Which?
Hotel Guide since its launch in 1991.
Paula Rogers, Managing Director, Admiral Group
Paula has owned Admiral for 16 years, previously being managing director at
Drake International. She is also a partner at Furze Rogers Associates. She has
built a leading recruitment business in the hospitality industry with a core base
of 800 candidates, all of which have completed health and safety/hygiene
training prior to going out into the workplace.
Penelope Cobham, Chair, VisitEngland
Lady Cobham became chair of VisitEngland in 2009 and was previously
deputy chair of VisitBritain from 2005-2009. For 20 years she was
responsible for restoring, and opening to the public, Georgian Hagley
Hall in the West Midlands. She has served on the boards of the English
Tourist Board, English Heritage, the Countryside Commission, Historic
Royal Palaces, the V&A, British Waterways and the London Docklands
Development Corporation, where she led on tourism.
Penny Moore, Chief Executive, Hospitality Action (HA), the Hospitality
Industry Benevolent Organisation
Penny has been the chief executive of the charity since 2004 and, during
this time, has helped to raise in excess of £10 million. Penny’s creativity
has been essential in the development of HA’s PR and marketing strategy
which has included respected industry figures such as Heston Blumenthal,
Anton Mosimann and Marco Pierre White.
Prue Leith CBE, Broadcaster and Writer
In 1960, Prue started a business supplying quality business lunches, which
grew to become Leith’s Good Food Limited. In 1975 she founded Leiths
School of Food and Wine which trains amateur and professional chefs.
She chairs The Hoxton Apprentice and 3Es Enterprises and has received
many honours, including the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year
in 1990, and seven honorary degrees or fellowships from UK universities.
Prue is a judge on the BBC television programme Great British Menu and
from 2006 to 2010 was chair of the School Food Trust.
Rachael Fidler, Managing Director, Hospitality Training Partnership
Rachael established Hospitality Training Partnership in 2000. Since
the formation of HTP in a tiny office on the Isle of Wight, Rachael’s
determination, business flare, enthusiasm and drive for quality has
enabled HTP to grow and grow. HTP now operates from four training
centres in Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight and provides support to
businesses and their staff across south east England.
Rachel Humphrey, Head Chef, Le Gavroche
Rachel, formerly senior sous chef at Le Gavroche, was recently named
head chef, the first woman to gain such a position in the restaurant’s
42-year history. She joined the restaurant as an apprentice straight out
of school in 1996. Encouraged by chef-patron Michel Roux, she quickly
rose through the ranks, despite a three-year absence when she left the
restaurant to work in the RAF catering corps.
Rita Beckwith, Managing Director, City Cruises
Alongside husband Gary, chairman of the company, she runs a firm that
employs 150 at summer’s peak, ferrying around two million tourists
a year up and down the Thames. Until last year she also chaired the
Docklands Business Club and is currently chair of UKinbound.
Robyn Jones OBE, Chief Executive, CH&Co
Robyn founded CH&Co in 1991 on a Government Enterprise Allowance.
Within two years, the company had won the Booker Prize for Excellence
as Best Young Business and Best Caterer. CH&Co now has a multi-million
pound turnover, employs almost 2,000 people and holds 140 contracts
nationwide. Robyn is a patron of the Association of Catering Excellence
and a trustee of the PM Trust. She is a guardian member of the charity,
Hospitality in Action, a winner of a Catey Award and was named the
Credit Suisse Most Outstanding Woman in Business 2007.
Ros Pritchard, Director General, British Holiday and Home Parks Association
The British Holiday and Home Parks Association is the only UK organisation
founded with the exclusive objective of representing and serving those
who own or manage holiday, residential, tenting and touring parks. As
director general, Ros is instrumental in lobbying and representing BH&HPA
members’ interests to government and policymakers at all levels.
Ruth Rogers MBE, Co-Founder, River Café
Since opening the River Café in 1987, Ruth established herself as
a leading figure on the London restaurant scene. River Cafe was also
one of the first sites to use an open-plan kitchen, creating a unique
and popular atmosphere, and was awarded a Michelin star in 1998.
The restaurant spawned a number of chefs, most notably Jamie Oliver.
Ruth’s first cookbook, Italian Country Cookbook (authored with
business partner Rose Gray, who sadly died in 2010), won both the
Glenfiddich Food Book of the Year and the BCA Illustrated Book of
the Year awards.
Saipin Lee, Regional Manager UK and Europe, S&P Restaurants
The network of London Patara fine dining Thai restaurants, operated
by S&P, was rated as offering the top Thai cuisine by Zagat and
Hardens in 2005 and 2006. Saipin’s determination to invest in her
own staff and lead other Thai restaurants has resulted in her

commitment to support the development of Thai chef apprenticeships
and the setting up of an infrastructure to develop skills within the UK.
Sandie Dawe MBE, Chief Executive, VisitBritain
Sandie Dawe was appointed chief executive of VisitBritain in 2009,
having joined the organisation in 1991, and became director of
strategy and communications in 1996. She has led marketing, business
development and publicity strategies to grow the value of tourism
to Britain, including cruise, culture and heritage, business and sports
tourism and the UK’s celebration of the Millennium. She chaired the
Tourism Industry Emergency Response Group (TIER) during a period
which covered issues such as SARS, the Iraq wars and the terrorist
bombings in London.
Sandra Russell, Chair, Local Authority Caterers Association Ltd
LACA Ltd is the leading professional body representing 750 catering
managers in local authorities, private contractors and individual schools
who are providers of school meals services. With 135 local authorities
represented in the membership, 80% of the education catering service
is provided by LACA members with around 3 million lunches being
served every day in 22,000 schools. Sandra is also head of catering at
Warwickshire County Caterers.
Sara Edwards, Director of HR Worldwide, Orient-Express Services Ltd
Sara is an experienced board level HR professional who has operated
in the luxury sectors of retail and hospitality with a focus on employee
engagement, turn-arounds, business transformation, creating value-based
cultures, talent retention and driving world-class service. Sara was listed
among the Top 30 Most Influential HR Practitioners 2010 by HR magazine.
Sara Jayne Stanes OBE, Director, Academy of Culinary Arts
The Academy of Culinary Arts is Britain’s leading association of chefs and
restaurant managers whose principal aims include raising the standards of
food, cooking and service through education and training. Sarah is also a
food writer and author of Chocolate – the Definitive Guide, and chairman
of the Academy of Chocolate, launched in 2005 to encourage chocolate
lovers to ‘look beyond the label’.
Sharon Glancy, Director, People 1st Training Company
Sharon is the founder of Women 1st and is responsible for overseeing the
People 1st Training Company, which develops solutions to ensure there is a
collaborative approach to growing skills and productivity across the industry.
Sharon joined People 1st as a regional manager in 2004, having spent
the early part of her career with Investors in People and the Prince’s Trust.
Sharon received a special commendation from the Shine Awards in 2008.
Stella West Harling, Owner, Ashburton Cookery School
Stella has managed to galvanise different sectors of the Dartmoor food and
drink industry to understand the value and importance of good quality,
local food, well cooked and presented, and recognising its contribution to
a healthy lifestyle. This has been delivered through innovative training at
Ashburton Cookery School, free or subsidised courses for those most in
need and successful food and drink festivals on Dartmoor.
Su Cacioppo, Personnel and Legal Director, JD Wetherspoon
Su joined the company in 1991 and was appointed to the board in 2008.
She previously worked for Courage Ltd and Allied Leisure. Su worked in
several operational roles in J D Wetherspoon, before being appointed as
personnel director in 1999 and personnel & legal director in 2006.
Sue Hurdle, Chief Executive, The Travel Foundation
Sue’s greatest achievement is the establishment of the Travel Foundation
– the only UK charity dedicated to engaging the tourism industry in
practical actions for sustainability. The creation of the charity in 2003
generated a new funding source for sustainable tourism and a stepchange
in the involvement of the industry in initiatives to improve the
well-being of destination communities and protection of the environment.
The Travel Foundation has raised over £7 million for sustainable tourism
initiatives, predominantly from travel companies and their customers.
Sue Kavanagh, Regional HR Manager Europe, Qatar Airways
Sue has had an extensive career within the travel industry over the past 25 years
beginning as a management trainee for Lunn Poly and progressing to Carlson
Wagonlit where she became HR Director. Not only did she help shape her own
organisation globally, she also revamped the ITT (Institute of Travel and Tourism)
where she is now a director, and the Guild of Travel Management Companies.
Tea Colaianni, Group HR Director, Merlin Entertainments
Tea has over 16 years experience in HR management in different sectors at
European and international level. Prior to joining Merlin in 2010, Tea worked
at Hilton for seven years and was responsible for the HR function in a region
comprising more than 20,000 employees, 180 hotels and operating in 25
countries. Merlin has 60 attractions in 13 countries and almost 15,000 staff
worldwide. It has also announced plans for eight new attractions to open in
2010-11, including a Legoland Park in Florida, a Madam Tussaud’s waxworks
in Bangkok and in Vienna.
Teresa Walsh, Managing Director, Club 18-30
Teresa’s career has grown over the past few years from Med Hotels to
Lastminute and now in her current role as managing director of Club 18-30.
She has been involved in the industry for a long time, mostly in sales and
operation roles, and has shown that she can influence and make decisions
that impact the industry, as well as her organisation and immediate team.
Tessa Bramley, Chef Patron, The Old Vicarage
Tessa is a fellow of the Institute of Master Chefs of Great Britain. Her
innovative modern style, which mixes British and Mediterranean influences
with those from further afield, has earned her recognition from all the major
food guides. The restaurant was voted Newcomer of the Year in the 1988
Good Food Guide, Northern Restaurant of the Year in 1991 and, in 1995,
The Old Vicarage was awarded two stars from the Egon Ronay Organisation.
The restaurant has also achieved its first Michelin star.
Tracey Rogers, Managing Director, Unilever Food Solutions UK
Tracey uses her experience and portfolio of skills gained in the retail
sector to further Unilever Food Solutions as a market leader. She has led
initiatives including a new on-trade strategy for pubs and the KNORR 4
Promises campaign: better taste, better ingredients, better planet and better
efficiency, which brought Unilever’s sustainability credentials into sharp focus
and included reformulations of recipes and repackaging of the range.
Ufi Ibrahim, Chief Executive, The British Hospitality Association
Ufi has extensive experience in policymaking with governments and industry
across the world thanks to her previous role as chief operations officer at
the World Travel and Tourism Council. She was appointed chief executive
of the BHA in 2010. Her understanding of international tourism and skill in
negotiation with a variety of governments is already being used to raise the
profile of hospitality above the clamour of competing sectors.

Val Carter, Corporate Responsibility Director, Aramark Education
Val joined Aramark as a support manager and was promoted to
operations director in the judicial division to mobilise the newly awarded
prison shops contract. In order to gain a more rounded experience of the
business, Val joined supply chain as senior liaison manager and, as part of
her role, was the key point of contact for Defra on the PSFPI initiative. Val
has particular expertise across the education, healthcare, offshore and
defence businesses.
Victoria Sanders, Managing Director, Teletext Holidays
During her tenure, Victoria has successfully outsourced the retail business
of Teletext Holidays and has focused on changing the proposition from
an analogue distribution channel to digital, with the company now
recognised as a market leader. She has led a complete turnaround of the
business. From a £5.5 million loss in 2009, Victoria has taken the business
to a £2.7 million profit in 2010.
Vivien Sirotkin, Director of Hotel Operations, Q Hotels
Vivien was the first female general manager of a 5 star hotel in Europe
– Gleneagles Hotel – from 1988-2001. She became vice president of
Guinness Enterprises US – part of the development team for more
Gleneagles hotels in the US and Far East and oversaw the management
of contract properties. She is the only female board director at Q Hotels
and has been an integral part in the development and success of the
brand in the UK.
Top 100 Most Influential Women and Shine Awards 2011
Wendy Bartlett, Managing Director, Bartlett Mitchell
Wendy’s achievements are demonstrated by both the growth of the
company and the external recognition that the company has received:
Shine Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2010, Best Companies
to Work For Annual Survey – One to Watch 2009 & 2010, voted as one
of the Top 100 Most Influential People in the hospitality industry 2010
(Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine,) Springboard Best Employer Award in
hospitality and leisure 2006 and Best Places to Work in Hospitality Award
2008 (Contract Catering).
Zareena Brown, UK HR Director, Hilton Worldwide
Zareena is a senior HR executive operating at board level with 15 years
experience in HR management in different sectors in multinational
environments. She was appointed to her current role in 2007 and is
a member of the UK and Ireland executive with responsibility for HR
activities for all full service Hilton Hotels (UK) and corporate functions of
sales, revenue and finance. The division has turnover in excess of £500
million and a client group of over 7,000 employees.
Shine
th e
Awards
Outstanding Entrepreneur Award
Winner:
Jillian MacLean, Managing Director, Drake & Morgan
Despite being launched a little more than two years ago, Drake & Morgan already operates four
bars, with a fifth set to open in May. Jillian MacLean has been wholly responsible for the concept,
development, launch and running of all the venues.
On the back of a career spent in hospitality, Jillian came up with the original model for her bar/
restaurants, having examined the best examples from North America, Europe and farther afield.
She took a bold step in launching her business in the midst of a recession, but has emerged
triumphant, with sales of £3.4 million and the company already profitable.
Never one to rest on her laurels, Jillian is constantly on the look-out for new ideas, and travels
extensively looking for tips, tricks and innovations that can improve the experience of her customers.
While proud of her achievements, and those of her staff, she always sees room for improvement.
As one of her nominations states, “she is a perfect illustration of a trend-spotter and trend-setter
and articulates how the future of the licensed trade truly has no glass ceiling.”
Also shortlisted for this award:
Camellia and Namita Panjabi, co-owners, Masala World
Wendy Shand, founder, Tots to Travel
Lou Willcock, founder and director, IndiCater

th eShine
Awards
Rising Star Award
Winner:
Xoe Donovan, General Manager, The Longford House Beefeater and Cannock South Premier Inn
Xoe Donovan joined Whitbread as a part-time receptionist in 2006, while studying surveying at
university. Today, she holds the position of general manager at The Longford House Beefeater and
Cannock South Premier Inn.
Upon realising that she had a passion for hospitality, Xoe’s ambition and determination saw her
quickly progress through the management ranks – from team leader to assistant manager, to deputy
general manager and general manager – all within three years.
Since assuming her latest role just five months ago, Xoe has already delivered a 45 percent
improvement in team engagement scores – including an 87 percent rise in the number of team
members who believe ‘my manager keeps the customers’ needs at the heart of everything we do’ –
and a 20 percent improvement in guest feedback scores.
Xoe has also made time to invest in others within her own team. She provides mentoring and career
coaching for other young women, including developing an existing team leader to take on a deputy
general manager position. As one nominator commented, Xoe is “a true rising star, and one to
watch for the future.”
Also shortlisted for this award:
Anna Baker, senior marketing executive, Bourne Leisure
Wendy Halsall-Bennett, general services manager, Sodexo
Top 100 Most Influential Women and Shine Awards 2011
Mentor of the Year Award
Winner:
Lou Willcock, Founder and Director, IndiCater
From a successful career with foodservice provider, Gardner Merchant, to co-founding two
businesses – Customised Contract Catering and IndiCater – Lou Willcock not only has a wealth of
knowledge and experience, but is committed to sharing it.
After graduating from Oxford Brookes University in 1984, Lou juggled a full-time role with Gardner
Merchant with delivering regular lectures to hotel and catering students at her old university,
encouraging their careers and commitment to the industry.
Three years ago, she was instrumental in helping to set up the Bacchus mentoring programme at
Oxford Brookes. Since then, over 300 hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism students have been
mentored by senior industry executives through the programme, which has been recognised by
various prestigious sector awards. Lou continues to act as a personal mentor to students, and
provides vital support to the Bacchus programme, while also running IndiCater, the leading back
office management software providers in the hospitality industry.
Staff at Oxford Brookes describe Lou as someone who “lives and breathes all that is excellent about
the hospitality industry,” and her support for aspiring hospitality employees as “exceptional.”
Also shortlisted for this award:
Jez Langhorn, vice president people, McDonald’s
Carrie Wicks, director of operations, Firmdale PLC

th eShine
Awards
Woman of the Year Award
Winner:
Victoria Sanders, Managing Director, Teletext Holidays
Victoria Sanders took over as managing director of Teletext Holidays in February 2009. Since then,
she has turned the business from making a £5.5million loss to a £2.7million profit.
Under Victoria’s leadership, the business has undergone a transformation. With the closure of
the analogue television service, on which Teletext Holidays was most famous for advertising, she
has overseen a multi-million pound re-launch of the business – including a remodelled website,
internet-connected television, a revamped Freeview channel and innovative new apps for iPads and
smartphones. Victoria was also pivotal in a partnership deal with Tesco to create the very first Teletext
Holidays shops, the success of which resulted in an agreement to open up to 10 more stores.
As well as being a popular columnist for Travel Weekly, Victoria is also a judge for the TTG Travel and
CIMTIG Travel Marketing Awards, and contributes regularly to industry panel debates and roundtables.
She has made a number of appearances on BBC television, and speaks regularly on the radio.
As one of her nominators commented, “Victoria has been, and still is, one of the most inspiring
people I have ever worked with in my 17 years in the travel industry.”
Also shortlisted for this award:
Michelle Hanson, commercial director, Sodexo
Jill McDonald, chief executive officer, McDonald’s UK and president Northern Division
Jane Sunley, chief executive officer, learnpurple
Lifetime Achievement Award
Winner:
Robyn Jones OBE, Chief Executive, CH&Co
Having started her career as a school dinner lady, Robyn Jones OBE founded CH&Co with her
husband Tim on a Government Enterprise Allowance in 1991. Within two years, and at the height
of a recession, the company had won the Booker Prize for Excellence as Best Young Business and
Best Caterer.
Robyn’s determination, “endless enthusiasm” and vision to gain a reputation for improving food
at work by providing exceptional eating experiences, has paid off. CH&Co now has a multi-million
pound turnover, employing almost 2,000 people, with 140 contracts nationwide. Robyn is a patron
of the Association of Catering Excellence and a trustee of the PM Trust. She is also a guardian
member of the charity, Hospitality Action, a winner of a Catey Award – the industry equivalent
of an Oscar – and was named the Credit Suisse Most Outstanding Woman in Business 2007.
In addition, she has featured in four business books.
Described by her colleagues as “concise, focused and brave,” Robyn’s story is truly inspirational. As
one nomination concluded, “it shows to all what can be achieved with true grit and determination
from humble beginnings.”
Also shortlisted for this award:
Gill Benwell, director, Bourne Leisure
Maggie Berry, chair, Farm Stay UK (retired 2010)
Vivien Sirotkin, operations director, Q Hotels

th eShine
Awards
Small Business Award
Winner:
ABode Hotels
ABode Hotels launched its first hotel in 2005. It now has five locations across the UK and has made a
conscious decision to help address the gender imbalances that exist in the hospitality, leisure, travel and
tourism industry. Using the Women 1st programme as a framework, ABode provided a programme of
continuous professional development training for women in middle-management roles. At the end of
the programme, the company celebrated success over a dinner hosted by ABode managing director, Nick
Halliday, giving the trainees an opportunity to share their experiences with Nick and discuss their aspirations.
Following the training, the company has reported positive changes in the way women view themselves in
the workplace, while a number of the trainees have also achieved promotion.
ABode is also keen to help women cope with the challenges of caring for young children, while continuing
to build a career. The company holds regular meetings with new mothers to discuss ways to help them
return, including flexible working, reduced hours and alternative roles that better suit working hours. On
one occasion it even employed the father in order to accommodate the working hours of both parents!
The company is also actively involved in developing female chefs, and Michael Caines, director of ABode
and Michael Caines Restaurants, acts as a key ambassador on the issue. As the company states: “ABode
and Michael Caines truly believe that, as an industry, we need to do more to tap into female talent.”
Also shortlisted for this award:
Drake & Morgan
Firmdale Hotels
Teletext Holidays
Large Business Award
Winner:
Sodexo UK & Ireland
At Sodexo UK and Ireland, which designs, manages and delivers on-site service solutions, 60 per cent
of the workforce is female, with women holding 34 per cent of senior management positions. The
company is actively working to increase the representation of women at senior levels, and has set up
SWIFt (Sodexo Women’s International Forum for talent) at a global level. SWIFt’s mission is to accelerate
the attainment of gender balance within Sodexo through the personal drive, commitment and
leadership of high-level women. It aims to reach between 23 and 25 percent female representation
among its top 300 leaders by 2015.
Through its Diversity and Inclusion Council, Sodexo considers ways to attract and retain women, including
greater job share opportunities and better flexible working arrangements. Sodexo UK and Ireland is also
revising the maternity benefits it offers with a view to enhancing benefits and further encouraging women
to return to work. It already provides SayCare childcare vouchers to help with childcare costs, which means
that working mothers can save over £1,000 each year in tax and National Insurance contributions.
In order to enhance women’s professional and personal growth, the company also launched Women Work,
its first employee network group in the UK and Ireland.
Also shortlisted for this award:
Bourne Leisure
McDonald’s
Merlin Entertainments Group

Thank you
We would like to express our sincere thanks to the following people and companies
without whom tonight’s event would not have been possible.
Sponsors and partners
Unilever
Britvic
Barcelo
Merlin Entertainments
ABode Group/Michael Caines Restaurants
Whitbread
Orient Express
Judy Power Pictures
Royal Caribbean Cruises
William Murray
Dea Latis
Class Act
7th Heaven
Emmett & Smith
Guoman Hotels
Costa Coffee
Travel Weekly
Caterer & Hotelkeeper
People
Simone Roche
Dan Power
Lesley Potter
Emily McDonald
Eleanor Cooper
Karen Browne
Tracey Rogers
Tea Colaianni
Charles Prew
Ros Young
Louise Smalley
Sara Edwards
Judy Thomas
Jo Ryzmosca
Lara Wisdom
Meet th e Founders
Shine People and Places was set up in 2004
by Gaby Marcon and Alessandra Alonso
who identified a gap in the market for the
provision of management training coupled
with coach/mentoring, especially for people
in middle management and supervisory
roles. Since its inception, Shine has been
promoting the value of coach/mentoring as
an effective, low-cost and flexible business
tool that taps into the existing human
resources of any organisation.
Shine has developed strong links with public
sector organisations such as People 1st, with
whom they are currently collaborating to
deliver their Women 1st mentoring project,
and Skills Active (sector skills council for
active leisure, learning and wellbeing) with
whom they collaborate to deliver mentoring
training to volunteers in preparation for
the 2012 Olympics. Shine has also got
strong links with Middlesex University,
City University and London Metropolitan
University with whom it is running both
mentoring and diversity projects. Shine is
also working with major London museums
to deliver mentoring training and preparing
the ground for the launch of a mentoring
network. In addition Shine works with large
private sectors organisations such as Virgin
Active, BSI and KPMG.
In 2004 Shine launched the Shine Awards
for Women in hospitality, leisure, travel
and tourism to celebrate female excellence
in the sector. The awards have grown in
popularity and, since the launch of the
Women 1st research report – A Case for
Change in November 2010 – the awards
are being run by People 1st with the idea
of promoting them even further in order
to broaden their reach across the industry.
Shine continues to be a very valued part of
the judging team.