10 March 2026
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026
Sarah Ainsworth
Chief Executive Officer
CENTRAL HALL VENUES
Sarah Ainsworth trained as a Chartered Accountant, working for over 20 years in the City in a variety of senior financial and risk management roles before branching out to work in the education and charity sectors supporting new academies schools and multi academy trusts establish financial independence.
In 2016 she joined Central Hall Westminster as Finance Director becoming Chief Executive in 2022 and steered the venue through the later COVID years and back to financial success and prosperity.
DINTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026
Dame Karen Jones DBE is a successful entrepreneur, CEO and non-executive, with wide-ranging experience in the food, retail, digital and leisure markets. In addition to her current roles listed below, Karen co-founded Cafe Rouge and the Pelican Group plc (sold to Whitbread in 1996) and subsequently Food and Fuel Ltd which was sold to The Restaurant Group in 2018. She was CEO of Punch Retail/Spirit Group from 2000 to 2006 before its sale to Punch Pubs in January 2006.
Karen has held non-executive roles at ASOS plc, Virgin Active and Booker Group plc (where she was Senior Independent Director). Between 2008 - 2017, she was a non-executive director for the global retail, real estate and investment company, COFRA Group, as well as serving on the Board of Firmenich ag between 2011 – 2023. Karen Chaired the Remuneration Committee at ASOS, Booker and Firmenich. Between 2018 and 2022, Karen was Executive Chair of Prezzo Ltd, completing a turnaround for TPG (who backed Spirit Group) and the subsequent sale of the business to Cain International.
Karen is currently a non-executive director of both Whitbread Plc and Mowgli, a Commissioner of The Crown Estate and Senior Independent Director at Deliveroo Plc, Chair of Hawksmoor Restaurant Group and Frontier Pubs as well as advising Punch Pubs Ltd. Karen is also Chair of the Board of National Theatre Enterprises Ltd and co-Chairs the Hospitality Sector Council with the Minister for Hospitality.
Karen was awarded a DBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in 2022 for Services to Business and Hospitality having received a CBE in 2006 for Services to Hospitality. Karen was also awarded an Honorary Degree (Doctorate of Civil Law) from the University of East Anglia in 2012.
STONEGATE
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026
David is CEO at Stonegate Group, the UK's largest pub company, with over 4000 pubs, bars, and venues across it's Managed, Craft Union, and Pub Partners business models.
Having started working in pubs whilst studying at university, David worked his way up through various operational roles in some of the country’s biggest hospitality groups, building a wealth of industry knowledge and experience, and a huge passion for the sector.
Before joining Stonegate in January 2023, David was with the innovative brewer and bar operator BrewDog,firstly as CEO of the bars business before holding the wider role of President & COO, overseeing the strategic direction and day to day operations across all aspects of the business in the UK and internationally. Prior to BrewDog,
David was Group Operations Director at G1 Group, a leading Scottish hospitality operator.
David also sits on the board of UK Hospitality, the industry’s leading trade body as well as the WiHTL Advisory Board, the only Collaboration Community devoted to increasing Inclusion across Hospitality, Travel and Leisure.
Sarah Willingham
Founder & Chief Executive Officer NIGHTCAP
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026
Sarah is a prominent entrepreneur and serial investor with a career spanning hospitality and consumer facing lifestyle businesses. She has been named among the Sunday Times 500 Most Influential People in Britain, City AM’s 100 Most Influential Entrepreneurs, Courvoisier’s future 500, and is listed in Who’s Who of British Business Leaders.
She is widely known for her roles as a judge on BBC The Restaurant alongside Raymond Blanc and as a Dragon on BBC Dragons’ Den. Sarah co-owned the Bombay Bicycle Club group, growing it to the largest chain of Indian restaurants in the UK and founded Nightcap PLC with her husband, which they floated on AIM in 2021 before taking it private last year; the business has since acquired the Brighton i360.
Her early career includes senior roles at Planet Hollywood, PizzaExpress and The Clapham House Group. She is Chair of Tonkotsu and Rockwater.
In 2023, she was named Business Leader of the Year at the prestigious Publican Awards and was awarded Business Weekly’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
She continues to invest and runs a wide portfolio of investments across several sectors including The Craft Gin Club, Credit Kudos, Secret Spa, Bubble, Togather and many others.
She holds three business degrees, including an MBA from Cranfield School of Management, and honorary doctorates from Staffordshire University, Oxford Brookes University, and Cranfield University. Sarah lives in Brighton with her husband Michael and their four children.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026
Kate Nicholls OBE has been CEO of UKHospitality, the powerful voice representing the broadhospitality sector, since its inception in 2018.
Kate previously worked as CEO and Strategic AffairsDirector of the Association of Licenced Multiple Retailers(ALMR).
Kate sits on the Government’s Tourism, Hospitality, and Food & Drink Sector Councils, where sherepresents the wider hospitality and tourism sector.
As a passionate advocate for inclusivity inhospitality, Kate is also the Government’s first Disability Ambassador for hospitality.
Kate is the Chair of the Institute of Licensing, a board member of Best Bar None, and a trustee ofHospitality Action and Springboard.
She has previously chaired the Tourism Alliance, London Night-time Commission, and London Tourism Recovery Board.
Kate initially worked as a researcher in the House of Commons and European Parliament on food,employment and environmental policy before joining Whitbread to work in Strategic Affairs.
She hasextensive experience as a political and strategic communications consultant and is a graduate ofFitzwilliam College, Cambridge and Kings College London
Managing Director LUCKY SAINT
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026
Emma is the Managing Director of Lucky Saint, the UK's #1 and most loved, alcohol-free beer brand.
She has worked in consumer goods for around 25 years across Europe and Africa: in the global blue chips of Tesco and Diageo and grown fledgling brands into household names, like innocent smoothies and Graze snacks.
It’s the gritty challenging world of scaling start-ups she really loves and the reason she joined Lucky Saint as MD in January 2020.
Lucky Saint brews four multi-award-winning beers; 0.5% superior unfiltered lager, IPA, lemon lager and Weissbier. Listed across 5000 supermarkets, 10,000 bars, pubs, restaurants - including 85 Michelin star restaurants, with over 1300 pubs pouring pints of Lucky Saint on draught. To find your local pouring draught, Google ‘Lucky Saint Tap Map’.
Other things she is proud to do:
- NED of the British Beer & Pub Association
- Board member of the Hospitality Sector Council (HSC)
- Chair of the FBI (Family Business and Independents) Advisory Board for the HSC
- Member of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group (APPBG)
- Founding member of the Small Business Council (SBC)
- Ambassador for Retail Week’s ‘Be Inspired’ programme
- Freeman of the City of London
- Member of The Worshipful Company of Feltmakers
- Volunteer for Inspiring The Future
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026
Amber is a hospitality leader with over 15 years of multi site experience in some of the best known brands in the sector.
Amber specialises in change management, brand development and innovation underpinned by a high energy and people first approach
She currently is the CEO of national bar and restaurant brand The New World Trading Company.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026
Claire Brooker
Executive Sales Director
CBRE | GWS
Claire Brooker is Executive Sales Director at CBRE – the world's largest commercial real estate services and investment company. She has more than 20 years’ experience in the facilities management (FM) industry, with a strong focus on facilities technology and digital transformation.
Claire began her career in IT training and systems deployment, where she developed a talent for translating complex technological concepts into practical, user‑friendly solutions. This capability proved critical when she moved into the implementation of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems, supporting serious crime policing.
She later transitioned into the FM sector, where she played a pivotal role in driving double‑digit growth and global expansion for a leading FM technology organisation. This success led to senior business development and leadership roles across major FM providers, including CBRE.
Today, Claire holds a central leadership position at CBRE, partnering closely with clients to develop a deep understanding of their needs and curate bespoke, outcome‑driven solutions. A passionate advocate for women in the workplace, she is committed to developing future talent and actively “holding the ladder” for others to climb.
Marta Pogrosewska
Non-Executive Director
BREAD HOLDINGS LIMITED | GAIL'S
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026
Marta Pogroszewska is a Board Member, Non-Executive Director, Venture Partner and Advisor with over 20 years of international experience leading transformation, growth and cultural evolution in hospitality and consumer businesses.
Known for her visionary yet people centred leadership style, Marta has built high performing teams, developed future leaders, and guided organisations through periods of significant change and expansion.
In her executive career, Marta progressed from frontline operational roles to Managing Director of GAIL’s and Chief Operating Officer of Bread Holdings, where she shaped long term strategy, strengthened organisational capability, and embedded cultures of excellence, accountability and care.
She is widely recognised for developing talent, mentoring emerging leaders, and championing inclusive, empowered workplaces.
Today Marta focuses on board governance, leadership development and advising founders and investors across hospitality, wellness and technology.
She is a respected industry connector, mentor and keynote speaker, passionate about purpose driven leadership, sustainable growth, and helping leaders step confidently into senior and board level roles.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026
I am an accomplished leader with extensive experience in operational leadership, strategic business transformation, and customer-centric growth.
With a proven track record of doubling revenue for global brands like Krispy Kreme and Ferrero, I specialise in aligning strategic vision with operational excellence, fostering innovation, and leading high-performing teams to deliver sustainable value.
I thrive on solving complex business challenges, such as unlocking growth opportunities, improving operational efficiencies, and transforming customer experiences.
My passion lies in building cultures of innovation, empowering teams, and driving impactful results that benefit businesses, employees, and customers alike. I am particularly drawn to roles within scale-up organisations, where I can leverage my expertise to drive transformational growth and embed sustainable practices.
Chief Growth Officer
WINGSTOP UK
I’m passionate about connecting with like-minded professionals who share a commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences and driving transformative growth.
Emma Colquhoun
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026
Director of Talent & Development
Rachel Jones is Director of People and Change.
Starting her career with Tesco Rachel went on to continue growing her career, expertise, and reputation for thought leadership with well-respected organisations such as Michael Page and Veolia before joining Sodexo in 2015.
Her Passion is all things People and culture, from transformational change to Talent leadership, Learning cultures, high performing leadership teams with equitable reward. She embodies the way in which to act with integrity and purpose in a corporate world.
A qualified Org design practitioner and growth accelerator through business partnering, who is keen to ensure HR values is seen felt and heard.
Katharine Gourley
People Director - Strategy
TRAVELODGE
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026
Katharine Gourley is the People Director (Strategy) at Travelodge, the UK’s very first budget hotel chain and one of the largest in the UK today, operating over 600 hotels and employing more than 13,000 colleagues.
With a career spanning over two decades in the hospitality sector, Katharine is a seasoned HR leader recognised for transforming people operations through a blend of strategic vision and operational excellence.
Before joining Travelodge, Katharine built a solid foundation in the hospitality industry, starting as an apprentice at the Savoy Group and moving up through hotel operations and sales at other hospitality brands before finding her passion in the HR space at RBH and later, London & Regional.
After joining Travelodge in 2018 as Head of Business Partnering, Katharine progressed to People Director (Operations) in 2022 and last year took on the role of People Director (Strategy), spearheading Travelodge’s commitment to creating accessible career paths and consistently deliver on the promise to help every colleague Learn More, Earn More and Belong.
She is a vocal champion for social mobility and workplace inclusivity, driving industryleading flexible working initiatives that enable colleagues to balance work around personal commitments.
TIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026
As Chief People Officer for AEG International, a subsidiary of AEG, the world leader in live sport and entertainment, Kirstie has overarching responsibility for the development and delivery of the people strategy for the entirety of the business outside of the Americas. She leads the people agenda to build a high-performing, inclusive organisation that supports AEG’s long-term commercial and strategic objectives.
Since joining AEG in 2011, Kirstie has worked to ensure the organisation’s values are consistently reflected in people-led decisions, policies and practices. She is responsible for setting the people direction for over 2000 employees across many countries, with a clear focus on building a business that is as inclusive, representative and diverse as the fan base it serves every day.
Under Kirstie’s direction, AEG has received significant external recognition for its people and culture, including being named in the Inclusive Companies Top 50 Inclusive Employers in the UK, a Sunday Times Best Company to Work For, and an Inspiring Workplace Award winner - reflecting a sustained commitment to values-led leadership and inclusive practice.
An accomplished HR leader with over 20 years’ experience, Kirstie has built her career across the Sports, Leisure, Events and Live Entertainment sectors, bringing a highly commercial, people-centred approach to leadership and organisational growth.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026
Melanie Dickinson
Chief People Officer
HOLLYWOOD BOWL GROUP
She has over 20 years of HR experience across the leisure and hospitality sectors.
Starting her career in retail operations before moving into HR, Melanie has held HR roles at Pizza Express, Holmes Place Health Clubs and Pizza Hut UK, as well as obtaining a postgraduate diploma in personnel and development.
Most recently, she headed the People function at Zizzi Restaurants, part of the Gondola Group.
Melanie joined Hollywood Bowl Group as Talent Director in October 2012.
Champa Magesh
Managing Director
THE ACCESS GROUP - HOSPITALITY
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026
Champa Magesh is the Managing Director of Access Hospitality and a global business leader with more than two decades of experience driving transformation across technology, payments and travel industries. She has led large international organisations through periods of significant growth, including senior executive roles at Trainline, Amadeus, American Express, Royal Bank of Scotland and Cisco Systems.
At Access Hospitality, Champa oversees the strategy, performance and cultural direction of the business, bringing together its combined capabilities into a single purpose: powering the sector #behindeverygreatexperience. She is passionate about how technology can unlock talent, elevate service and create workplaces where people thrive.
A committed advocate for women in business, she is a strong supporter of developing the next generation of female leaders across the hospitality sector, working with industry partners and organisations to amplify women’s voices and open pathways into leadership roles.
Champa believes deeply in empathetic, inclusive leadership and in creating environments where people feel empowered to experiment, grow and succeed. A lifelong learner, she holds both an MBA and a Master’s in Information Management from Arizona State University.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026
Ceri helps Hospitality leaders and organisations grow - as confident leaders, energised teams, and brands that scale whilst staying true to what makes them special. She combines strategic skill with first-hand experience of building exceptional culture at scale, and specific expertise in women-centred coaching.
Ceri spent a decade as a Government Economist before her brother (Hawksmoor cofounder Huw Gott) asked her to help with "the people side". She expected to stay six months, but loved it so much she stayed 13 years! As Hawksmoor’s Chief Growth and Culture Officer she led on people and planning, and was at the heart of growing the business from a small London operation to 13 award-winning restaurants internationally - with 1,250 employees, £100m turnover, 13 consecutive years as a Top 100 Best Company to Work For in the UK - becoming the first UK restaurant group to achieve B Corp.
Ceri is an Ambassador for Hospitality Action and Hospitality-Tech360, a mentor for Be Inclusive Hospitality, sits on the Federation of Small Business's ESG group, and regularly speaks on the deeply human practices - kindness, collaboration, innovationthat underpin sustainable success.
JKS RESTAURANTS
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026
Sunaina Sethi is the Co-founder & Chief People Officer for JKS Restaurants, which is behind some of the most exciting restaurants in London today.
JKS currently has 30 restaurants globally, with 8 Michelin stars and 6 Michelin Bib Gourmands. Sunaina studied at Nottingham University.
Ambitions of a career in finance initially led Sunaina to Germany, before she returned to the UK to join her brothers in the running of their first restaurant, Trishna, and to pursue her love of wine.
She continued to grow the business, with a focus on Operations and Beverage.
She was recognised as a Zagat ‘30 under 30’ trailblazer, as well as being recognised as the Imbibe Restaurant Personality of the Year in 2016.
In 2017 she achieved her WSET Diploma in Wine and Spirits, and proceeded to set up JKS Restaurants as an approved WSET programme provider.
In her current role, Sunaina oversees the People strategy across the business, with an aim to encourage growth and progression of JKS staff.
She is also a Non-Executive Director for Tate Enterprises Ltd, advising on all aspects of the business.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026
Sofia Gassne is Head of HR at Hawksmoor, the award-winning, two-time B Corp restaurant group operating across the UK, Ireland and the US. With over 20 years in hospitality, she has worked across the floor, bar, kitchen and management before moving into HR, giving her a strong operational lens on people and culture.
Alongside her role at Hawksmoor, Sofia founded Culture Bar, focused on creating safer and more inclusive workplaces across hospitality.
She is passionate about challenging the belief that harassment and harmful banter are simply “part of the job,” and works with businesses to move beyond compliance towards meaningful cultural change.
Sofia sits on the London Mayor’s Steering Group for the Women’s Night Safety Charter and has twice been named one of the most influential women in hospitality by CODE.
Through her work, she champions a hospitality industry where respect, safety and inclusion are the standard.
Senior Advisor
Inclusion, Culture & Employee Experience
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026
Raj is an award-winning senior inclusion, culture and employee experience leader working across a portfolio of advisory, associate and governance roles.
She helps organisations turn inclusion ambition into stronger performance, better decision-making and reduced risk.
Her expertise lies in embedding inclusion into organisational architecture, leadership behaviour, capability, accountability and cultural controls, ensuring strategy translates into measurable, real-world outcomes.
Raj is known for combining systems thinking with pragmatic, people-centred delivery, enabling organisations to move beyond compliance towards cultures that are resilient, trusted and built for long-term value.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2026
Camilla Woods
Services Director
HOSPITALITY ACTION
Camilla Woods, Services Director of Hospitality Action has extensive experience in the charity and not for profit sectors and is privileged to lead an award-winning services team providing vital health and wellbeing support to those connected to the hospitality industry.
She is responsible for the day-to-day operations of HA’s Grants and Advisory Service, the Employee Assistance Programme, the Golden Friends befriending scheme for industry retirees and the volunteer and outreach programme.
Part of her remit is to identify, develop and bring to market opportunities to innovate HA’s Services to amplify charitable impact and support mental health and workplace wellbeing in the hospitality industry.
Prior to joining Hospitality Action in 2013, she was the Policy Director at the British Hospitality Association (now UK Hospitality).