REVEALED: 2020’s inspiring diversity & inclusion advocates

Women in Hospitality, Travel & Leisure (WiHTL) has revealed the top female talent to watch, as well as the names of this year’s most inspiring diversity and inclusion advocates in the industry.

The two lists were published in the second edition of ‘Women to Watch & Advocates for Change in Hospitality, Travel & Leisure Index 2020,’ in partnership with The MBS Group. The Index highlights the profiles of 100 women distinguished for their commercial and operational excellence, industry and social impact, achievements, resilience and commitment to the industry.

This year’s index also features 10 diversity and inclusion ‘Advocates for Change’ in the industry. These are leaders who are actively creating a culture of inclusion and belonging, who are drivers of change in the area of diversity, inclusion and belonging, and who embrace and champion all aspects of diversity.  The advocates are “stand-out” trailblazers because of their unwavering commitment to promoting – in particular – gender and ethnic diversity in their organisation and beyond, confirmed WiHTL.

Commenting on this year’s line-up, Tea Colaianni, Founder and Chair of WiHTL, stated: “It’s fantastic to see the profiles of women who despite the challenges the sector has thrown at them this year, are achieving leadership, entrepreneurial, and commercial success along with those advocates for change who have made a wider contribution to the sector in furthering diversity, inclusion and belonging.

“I feel proud to share their stories, which will undoubtedly inspire other women and underrepresented groups to pursue a career within the sector – despite its current challenges – and progress to reach the most senior levels within their organisations.”

POSITIVE PROGRESS, ALBEIT SLOW

Earlier this year in February, research by WiHTL produced in partnership with The MBS Group & PwC found that overall, the sector was making positive progress towards increasing gender diversity at senior levels; albeit at a slower pace than required to hit certain diversity targets. The report revealed that 84% of businesses were still not on track to reach 33% female representation across all three leadership levels by end of 2020. 

A subsequent report published in September by WiHTL highlighted how Covid-19 has impacted the industry – and without action will continue to have – a disproportionate effect on women and people from ethnic minorities, severely interrupting or putting on hold careers and slowing down or stopping altogether investment in future leaders. “By producing this year’s index, it was found that thankfully the business imperative and competitive advantage from realising women’s and all underrepresented groups’ potential across the industry remains strong,” added Colaianni.

INSPIRING DIVERSITY & INCLUSION ADVOCATES 

According to this year’s report, the stand-out trailblazing leaders who are moving the dial on diversity and inclusion in the sector, include (in alphabetical order):

• Keith Barr, CEO, Intercontinental Hotels Group
• Robert Cook, CEO, TGI Friday
• Paul Flaum, Group Chief Executive Officer, Bourne Leisure
• Debbie Hewitt MBE, Non-Executive Chairman, The Restaurant Group
• Penny Hughes CBE, Chairwoman, The Gym Group
• Nick MacKenzie, CEO, Greene King
• Patricia Page-Champion, Senior Vice President & Global Commercial Director, Hilton
• Paul Pomroy, Chief Executive Officer, McDonald’s UK and Ireland
• Sumati Sharma, Founder & Co-Chair, Women in Aviation and Aerospace Charter
• Lynne Weedall, Non-Executive Director, William Hill; Greene King

DRIVING D&I PROGRESS

The names in the list were revealed at a virtual launch attended by advocates such as Keith Barr, CEO, InterContinental Hotels Group; Penny Hughes, Chair, The Gym Group; and Sam Seigler, Director – Hospitality, Travel & Leisure, The MBS Group. During the event, they shared why they believe profiling female role models and advocates for change in the industry is important.  

 “I’d like to congratulate those colleagues who have been listed by WiHTL, both from across the industry and within InterContinental Hotels Group,” stated the InterContinental Hotels Group’s CEO Keith Barr. “This recognition underlines the importance of female talent to hospitality, and now more than ever we must continue driving progress by making room for current and future talent to thrive at any level of business.”

According to The Gym Group’s Penny Hughes, “it is in moments of stress, as our industry is experiencing today, that it is more important than ever to nurture and celebrate diverse talent – together we can shape the future in a very changed consumer and business environment.  I remain impressed by and committed to the work of WiHTL and I am excited to see the index of emerging female talent who will deliver that future and humbled to be recognised as an Advocate for Change. Congratulations to those recognised, may they inspire many more. Onwards we go together”.

MBS Group’s Sam Seigler agreed: “2020 has been one of the most turbulent years the hospitality, travel and leisure sector has ever seen. With this in mind, it is now more important than ever to highlight – and celebrate – the diverse range of women demonstrating excellence in their field in hospitality, travel and leisure.” 

INSPIRING WOMEN TO WATCH

The inspiring women in this year’s index were nominated and selected because of their inspiring leadership, their commercial impact, their track record for entrepreneurialism and innovation or their wider contribution to the sector or society at large, confirmed WiHTL. This index is not exhaustive, nor ranked in anyway, but instead aims to demonstrate the depth and breadth of female talent that exists in the sector, across all disciplines and functions. They include (in alphabetical order):

• Yusra Ali, Member of the WiHTL Advisory Board & Final year student at Oxford Brookes University, studying International Hospitality Management
• Beth Anderson, People Director, Revolution Bars Group
• Libby Andrews, Marketing Director, Pho Restaurants
• Joanna Athanasiou, Senior Director, Revenue Management Consolidated Centre Operations, Hilton
• Suzanne Baker, Commercial Director, Stonegate Pub Company
• Nina Bell, Managing Director – Northern Europe, Avis Budget Group
• Ella Bennett, Group People Director, easyJet
• Sam Bourke, Director of Sales & Marketing, ETM,
• Yasmine Bratt, VP Pricing & Loyalty, Deliveroo
• Sarah Brookes, Chief People Officer, Formula E Holdings
• Janet Broomfield, Director of Global Sales UK & Ireland – Meetings & Incentives, Corinthia Hotels
• Dawn Browne, Director – People & Talent, Fuller Smith & Turner
• Rachel Bulford, Director of Retail, Gatwick Airport
• Lisa Burger, Operations Director, Haven
• Jas Burston, Head of Finance, Domino’s
• Sabiha Chohan, Digital Propositions Manager, Costa Coffee
• Amanda Ciraulo, UK Sales Director, Aramark
• Clare Clough, UK Managing Director, Pret a Manger
• Shirley Couchman, Retail Board Director, Wells & Co
• Amy Culora, Head of Marketing – Grosvenor Casino, Rank
• Zoe Davis, Director of IAG Global Business Services, IAG GBS
• Beverley D’Cruz, Chief Brand Officer Pizza Hut META, Yum! Brands
• Andrea Dearden, Marketing Director, David Lloyd Leisure
• Debrah Dhugga, COO, The Apartment Group
• Rebecca Di Mambro, Head of Marketing, Leon Restaurants
• Sarah Dickens, Chief People Officer, Bourne Leisure
• Catherine Dolton, Vice President Global Corporate Responsibility, InterContinental Hotels Group
• Zarah Doyle, People Director UK & Ireland, ODEON
• Camille Drevillon, SVP Strategic Planning and Business Development, Abercrombie & Kent
• Kirsty Edwards, Head of Integrated Marketing, Scott Dunn
• Meg Farren, Chief Marketing Officer, KFC UK & Ireland
• Henny Frazer, Global Director of Hotel Marketing, AMAN 
• Estelle Giraudeau, MD UK & Northern Europe, Club Med
• Charlotte Gogstad, VP Product and Technology Enablement, Expedia Group
• Patrice Gordon, Head of Joint Venture and Commercial Planning, Virgin Atlantic
• Elaine Grell, Group People Director, The Collective
• Franziska Heller, Senior Manager Commercial Planning & Optimisation EMEA, Hilton
• Luana Herrmann, Head of Brand and Marketing, The Restaurant Group
• Joanne Howe, Operations Director, Stagecoach South East
• Louise Hughes, HR Director, Moto Hospitality
• Dr Julie Humphreys, Group Head of Diversity and Inclusion, Compass Group
• Duna Irshaid, Head of Architecture and Design, Perseus
• Sian Jenkins, Head of Sales, ODEON
• Erin Johnson, Marketing Director – Tailormade, Travelopia
• Noelle Jones, Managing Director – Chartwells Independent, Compass Group UK and Ireland
• Mandy Kaur, Head of Legal, PizzaExpress
• Joanna Kurowska, Director of Operations, InterContinental Hotels Group
• Salome Legesse-Dunn, Commercial Finance Director, Holiday Extras
• Echo Lu, CEO, Company Haulfryn Group
• Catherine Lynn, Chief Customer Officer, Parkdean Resorts
• Tess Mattisson, Senior Director, Sales & Marketing EMEA, Choice Hotels International
• Julie McEwan, Brand Director – Las Iguanas, Big Table Group
• Diane Mulholland, Managing Director, Enterprise Holdings Scotland and Northern Ireland
• Chantelle Nicholson, Chef Owner, Tredwells & All’s Well
• Vicky Nolan, Property and Estates Director, William Hill
• Ela Osterberger, Director of Data Science, Deliveroo
• Dasha Ovchenkova, Chief Financial Officer – Burger & Lobster, Goodman Restaurant Group
• Anisha Patel, Director of Technology – Portfolio, Optimisation & Programme Delivery, Paddy Power Betfair
• Lisa Paton, Vice President EMEA, Wingstop Restaurants
• Vicky Paulson, Operations Manager, Greene King 
• Suzanne Peacock, Chief Operating Officer, TGI Fridays
• Marta Pogroszewska, Managing Director, GAIL’s Bakery
• Sarah Pope, CIO/IT Director, The Big Table Group
• Sarah Powell, Hr Director, Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons
• Jennifer Read, Commercial Finance & Planning Director, The Big Table
• Catherine Roe, CEO, Elior UK
• Danni Rush, Chief Customer Officer, Virgin Experience Days
• Zarina Sabir, Group Finance Controller, easyJet
• Caryn Savazzi, People Director, Loungers
• Michal Seal, UK & Ireland Commercial Director, SSP Group
• Natasha Shafi, MD, Mr & Mrs Smith
• Karen Shiers, Vice President of Sales, North America, Merlin Entertainments
• Jana Siber, Managing Director, Mainland Europe, Arriva
• Karen Sidhu, Regional Operations Manager, ODEON
• Eve Sukhnandan, Chief People Officer, PureGym
• Jyoti Tailor, VP Finance EMEA, Hilton
• Katy Taylor, Chief Strategy and Customer Officer, Go-Ahead Group
• Hannah Tengnah, Legal Counsel, McDonald’s
• Siobhan Thomas, Global Talent Acquisition & Diversity and Inclusion Director, InterContinental Hotels Group
• Suzie Thompson, Vice President Commercial, Red Carnation Hotels
• Amanda Tucker, Director, IT Service Management, Hertz
• Dee Vassili, Executive Director, Group HR, Vue International
• Lesley Welsh, Chief Operating Officer, G1 Group
• Pauline Wilson, Vice President Holidays, Virgin Atlantic Airways
• Lisa Wood, Sales and Marketing Director, Great Rail Journeys
• Jill Xiaozhou Ju, Chief Investment Officer, The Collective
• Alex Young, Sales & Marketing Director, Revolution Bars Group

To download WiHTL’s 2020 report containing profiles of all the advocates and women to watch, click here.