Bosses working in the drinks, bar and restaurant sectors have made it to the shortlist of this year’s Shine Awards that celebrate women working in hospitality, travel and retail.
For the Outstanding Entrepreneur Award, the shortlist includes Kirsty Loveday (pictured), the founder of UK distributor Love Drinks, which looks after premium spirits such as Hayman’s gins and El Dorado and Gosling’s rums.
She is shortlisted alongside Kim Kaewkraikhot who, with Martin Stead, founded restaurant and bar operator Thai Leisure Group, which operates Thaikhun and Chaophraya restaurants and Palm Sugar bars.
The annual awards are run by Women 1st, a campaigning arm of People 1st, the skills and workforce development charity for employers in the hospitality, tourism, leisure, travel, passenger transport and retail industries.
The winners will be announced at a dinner hosted by former England rugby star Matt Dawson on September 16 September at the London Marriott Grosvenor Square. Details at www.women1st.co.uk/shine.
Simone Roche, director of Women 1st, said: “It’s fantastic to read so many inspiring stories of women achieving great things in our industries. Women are still underrepresented in senior roles in hospitality, so celebrating and sharing these stories is incredibly important to create strong role models for our future female leaders.”
The full shortlist for the 2014 Women 1st Shine Awards:
Rising Star Award
• Graziela Bittencourt – Banqueting Manager, London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square
• Alexandra Flinton – Materials Manager, East Coast Main Line Company Ltd
• Linzi Martin – District Operations Manager, William Hill
• Louisa May Matthews – Junior Sous Chef, Sodexo
• Janie Stamford – Foodservice Editor, The Caterer
Stepping Up Award
• Catherine Barras – Operations Manager, BaxterStorey
• Jo Dowell – Director of Human Resources, St Pancras Renaissance Hotel
• Katy Green – Operations Manager, Premier Inn London Kings Cross/St. Pancras
• Janine Marshall – Executive Assistant Director, One Aldwych
• Claire Maynard – Retail Business Manager, Mitchells & Butlers
Mentor of the Year Award
• Stephanie Hamilton – Executive Operations Director, ISS Food and Hospitality
• Jeanette Pritchard – Founder and Chair, Brand Amplifier
• Jayne Rees-Baynes – Proprietor, Elm Grove Country House
Outstanding Entrepreneur Award
• Sally Fielding – Owner, Sally’s Cottages
• Kim Kaewkraikhot – Owner/Chef Director, Thai Leisure Group
• Kirstie Loveday – Managing Director, Love Drinks
• Julianne Ponan – Director, CEO, Creative Nature
Woman of the Year
• Karen Boswell – Managing Director, East Coast Main Line Company Ltd.
• Stephanie Hamilton – Executive Operations Director, ISS Food & Hospitality
• Louise Smalley – Group Human Resources Director, Whitbread
• Alison Tyler – CEO – Commercial, CH& Co
• Norma Unwin – Route Operations Manager – First Capital Connect, FirstGroup
Lifetime Achievement
• Sandie Dawe MBE – Chief Executive, VisitBritain
• Susan Gomes – Head of HR Shared Services, Whitbread
• Avril Owton MBE – Owner, The Cloud Hotel
Small Business
• Affordable Car Hire
• Debbee Dale Development
• Sally’s Cottages
• Zibrant
Large Business
• Accor Hotels
• HIT Training
• Merlin Entertainments
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