The futures of nine hospitality and foodservice talents are looking even brighter thanks to their recognition at the 2011 Institute of Hospitality London Branch’s Aspiring Managers Awards, of which the admired alumni now totals nearly 30.
The Aspiring Managers Awards, run in partnership with talent development consultancy learnpurple, are about acknowledging the individual achievements of ambitious hospitality managers within Greater London, particularly those new to management who have demonstrated a high level of commitment to their organisations and to their own learning and development.
The awards are all the more poignant because winners are selected by their respective companies, industry associations and suppliers, after a process of in-house nomination and discussion.
“In these times of perceived austerity, it is very reassuring to know that good employers still appreciate the importance of recognising and rewarding talent within their organisations,” said Eamonn Cole FIH, Chairman of the London Branch of the Institute of Hospitality.
It’s the ‘responsibility of hospitality professionals’ to nurture and develop new talent, said learnpurple Training Director Mary-Jane Flanagan MIH, and it’s the power of recommendation and team play in the nomination process for the Aspiring Managers Awards that underpins the success of London’s 2011 line-up of winners.
The Institute of Hospitality London Branch’s 2011 Aspiring Managers are: Stephane Dartois, Operations Manager, Hilton Worldwide; Brad Mumford, Night Manager, Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane; Arshan Motorwala, Head Chef, Jurys Inn; Ian McDowell, Manager in Training, Burhill Golf (nominated by the Club Managers Association of Europe); Fiona Andrews, Account Manager, EPSYS – Acquire Services; Yusuf Hassan, Assistant Financial Controller, The Cavendish Hotel; Beatriz Orta, Operations Manager, Guoman and Thistle Hotels; Nikki Goodwin, Reservations and Sales Office Manager, Ramada Plaza Southport (nominated by RateTiger UK); Lucy Clayton, Sales and Events Coordinator, Harbour & Jones.
Guest of honour John Stauss, Regional Vice President of Four Seasons and General Manager of the Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, spoke of the importance of ‘going the extra mile’ to exceed the expectations of guests and how it was the unwavering commitment to the highest standards of quality and customer service that won the Four Seasons’ own Aspiring Manager Brad Mumford recognition in this year’s awards.
Another of the winning 2011 Aspiring Managers is Lucy Clayton, who was nominated by Sally Main, Business Development Director for contract caterer Harbour & Jones. Sally cited Lucy’s superb organisational skills, her high level of commitment to her job and to the team and her obvious passion for sales and events as reasons why Lucy should receive this honour. Lucy is involved in selling, planning, organising and often managing events at Harbour & Jones’s diverse collection of venues – from conferences at the Institute of Physics, to weddings at the Henry Moore Foundation and christenings at St Paul’s Cathedral – and she ‘always approaches her work with enthusiasm and vigour’.
Aspiring Managers win one year’s complimentary membership of the Institute of Hospitality, plus access to the wealth of professional development resources and networking opportunities that brings, a CPD Development Programme and certificate from learnpurple, a luxury weekend hotel break for two and an eye-catching Aspiring Manager trophy.
Congratulating all winners on behalf of the Institute of Hospitality London Branch, Chairman Eamonn Cole FIH said: “I would like to thank all of our sponsors and the hotel and hospitality organisations who supported the Chairman’s Ball and the Awards, who took tables and entered Aspiring Managers, making the event such a success. But most praise must go to our fantastic Aspiring Managers who were all so deserving of their awards.”
The 2011 Institute of Hospitality London Branch Chairman’s Ball and Aspiring Managers Awards were held at the Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane on 28 October 2011.