So tell us a little more about yourself and your career to date.
Leon:
I have been working at the IoH for over 20 years in various guises. I started out as an admin assistant and I worked my way up from there. I am currently the Finance Manager and enjoy doing this role as it brings together a lot of skills I have amassed along my career journey.
Kim:
I’m a Shropshire girl born and bred and after college, studied at Wolverhampton University Business School part-time, while I worked full-time as a trainee press officer at a local council. I joined a local PR agency for a while and then decided to work back in-house and joined Severn Trent Water in Birmingham as a Press and Publications Officer. Working for a FTSE 100 company definitely opened my eyes to the world of work and it was there I qualified as deputy editor of their newspaper and was extremely fortunate to work on a two-year sponsorship with The Prince’s Trust. If I had to choose one career highlight, it was working with The Trust. Their work with young people and the dedication of their staff and ambassadors was amazing. Plus I got to travel, be involved in prestigious events and meet royalty. The rest of my career has been working for large corporates and small to medium-sized businesses across a variety of sectors. I worked for Barclays Business Banking in the city of London for 5 years as Head of External Events and worked on the corporate rebranding of the branch network. I also spent time overseas and have worked in the aviation and education sectors. But this is my first time in hospitality! I’ve been very lucky with the people I’ve met and the experiences I have had. It’s helped shape me into the person I am today but my values and ethics have never changed. And I thank my parents every day for that.
What’s the best thing about working for the Institute of Hospitality?
Leon:
The best thing about working at the IoH is the people. During my time here I have met so many great people and have developed some genuine friendships.
Kim:
I love people, so I have to say it’s the people! Working with a dedicated, talented, committed team who have such great personalities is what going to work is all about. They all work so hard behind the scenes for the benefit of our members and partners, it is heartwarming. The success the team has achieved, in the short time I’ve been in the role has been fantastic and my colleagues in marketing, who go above and beyond every day, never cease to amaze me!
Leon, you must have seen a lot of changes in the Institute over the years, How are things different nowadays compared to when you first started
There have been a lot of changes over the years and the biggest change is technology. I remember working in accounts for the first time and the cashbook was an actual big book. All entries were written. I also remember using a dot matrix printer. These things seem so ancient now and it is mind-blowing how technology enables us to work so much more efficient and keeps us a lot more connected and contactable.
Kim, you’ve been working with the Institute since mid-August 2021. How has it been so far?
It feels like I’ve been here for ages! Well, we are always busy helping support our branch network and internal teams. I have a fabulous team. Sonja, my constant work companion, rock and marketing team member is incredibly talented. Likewise, Majella, our social media curator is extremely talented and supportive. There have been so many new initiatives progressed since August but I loved attending the Above & Beyond event at the RAF Club recently and being part of Passion4Hospitality. It was great to see such energy from the delegates. Collecting the award with our CEO at the Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland for the Diversity and Inclusion Initiative of the Year for the IoH’s Youth Council and Diversity Shield and developing our new Membership Brochure and 2022 Year Planner are also been notable highlights.
Why do you think others should say #imin to the Institute of Hospitality?
Leon:
I think others should say #imin to the Institute of Hospitality because the Institute has always, and continues to give their members and the industry at large, direction, valuable information, and connects people and organisations like no other company in the hospitality industry.
Kim:
I think we’ve all either seen, or been faced with discrimination, bias, or bullying in our lives. To me #imin because mental and physical health is vital to a happy and vibrant life. We all deserve to be treated equally and be given the opportunity to grow. I’ve seen first-hand how providing the right environment and the right attitude can turn lives around. The IoH’s Diversity and Inclusion strategy and the #imin campaign are about the journey to ultimately achieve an equal world. Change always starts with one voice and I am proud to add my voice to the many others in our hospitality family who’ve said #imin.
Tell us three things about yourself that we don’t know!
Leon:
Kim:
Be part of our well-respected network, get trusted advice and take a positive approach to your learning and development.
Your business card may take a moment to be generated. You can save your business card by right clicking -> save image as, or holding down on the image on your phone.
