Women 1st, the initiative that aims to raise the number of women working in senior roles in the tourism and visitor economy sector, has revealed the shortlist for its 2014 Shine Awards.
The Shine Awards, sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions, are the only awards that celebrate the achievements of women working in the hospitality, passenger transport, travel, tourism and retail industries, and the mentors and businesses that actively support women’s careers in those industries.
Shortlisted individuals from the hospitality industry include VisitBritain chief executive, Sandie Dawe MBE, Whitbread’s head of HR shared services, Susan Gomes, and The Cloud Hotel owner, Avril Owton MBE, all of whom are in the running for the Lifetime Achievement award, while Accor Hotels and HIT Training are both shortlisted for the Large Business award.
The winners will be announced at a black tie dinner hosted by former England rugby star, Matt Dawson MBE, on 16 September 2014 at the London Marriott Grosvenor Square.
The awards evening will also see Women 1st inducting 10 new members into its prestigious Top 100 Club – a network of the most influential women in the hospitality, passenger transport, travel and tourism industries.
The full shortlist for the 2014 Women 1st Shine Awards
Individual 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
Business awards:
Small Business
- Affordable Car Hire
- Debbee Dale Development
- Sally’s Cottages
- Zibrant
Large Business
- Accor Hotels
- HIT Training
- Merlin Entertainments
In addition to the awards, shortlisted nominees in the Rising Star and Stepping Up categories and the winners of the Small Business and Outstanding Entrepreneur categories will be matched with career mentors through Women 1st’s Mentoring Programme, funded by the Women 1st bursary scheme.
Tickets for the awards dinner are available to purchase now at www.women1st.co.uk/shine
