IoH Welcomes New Fellows as Caitriona Lennox Wins Top Award

Caitriona Lennox FIH wins Fellows’ Outstanding Contribution Award 2025 as new IoH Fellows welcomed

Institute of Hospitality Award recognises exceptional leadership, innovation and inclusion across Northern Ireland’s hospitality sector and beyond



Caitriona Lennox FIH, Head of Springboard Northern Ireland, has been named winner of the Institute of Hospitality’s prestigious Fellows’ Outstanding Contribution Award 2025. The award was presented at the annual Fellows’ Dinner, held last night (27 October) at The Waldorf Hilton London.


The annual celebration welcomed 37 new Fellows into the IoH College of Fellows and brought together leaders from across the global hospitality profession to recognise exceptional achievement, leadership and contribution to the industry, while celebrating the spirit of Fellowship that underpins the Institute’s global Hospitality Family.

Congratulating Caitriona at the presentation, Robert Richardson FIH MI, Chief Executive of the Institute of Hospitality, said: “Caitriona represents the very best of our profession. Her leadership, compassion and commitment to empowering others have transformed lives and strengthened the hospitality community across Northern Ireland and beyond.

“Through her work she has shown how our industry can be both a driver of opportunity and a force for good. The Fellows’ Outstanding Contribution Award recognises her exceptional achievements and the lasting positive impact she continues to make on our profession.”

All this year’s nominations were exceptional, but the judging panel were unanimous in their decision to honour Caitriona. Her work for The Springboard Charity Northern Ireland has empowered individuals facing barriers such as unemployment and mental health challenges to access meaningful careers in hospitality. Through initiatives such as Destination Hospitality – Steps to Employment for Ballymena and Hospitality Connects, Caitriona has created sustainable pathways into work, strengthened the talent pipeline and positioned hospitality as an inclusive and aspirational career destination.


Her leadership also extends to shaping industry collaboration and professional development, and is underpinned by a clear dedication to innovation, employability and social impact.

On receiving her award, Caitriona Lennox FIH, Head of Springboard Northern Ireland, said: “I am truly delighted and very, very honoured to have been nominated. I am deeply touched by this recognition. Serving our industry is my absolute pleasure every day, and I am proud to celebrate an amazing profession and an amazing charity that supports and helps so many people.”

The evening also celebrated the achievements of the Institute’s 37 new Fellows, recognising their professional dedication, leadership and contribution to the advancement of the hospitality profession.



Our new 2025 Fellows:

Kim Bailey FIH - Head of Marketing & PR, Institute of Hospitality
Georgina Bissenden-Hassall FIH - Executive Assistant to General Manager, The Waldorf Hilton
Raj Chakraborty FIH - Regional General Manager, Macdonald Hotels
Chris Cooper FIH - General Manager, The Grand Hotel & Spa, York
Wayne Davis FIH - General Manager, Astor Court Hotel
Stuart Derricott FIH - Sales Director - Zonal Hotel Solutions, Zonal Retail Data Systems Ltd
Youssef El Habbal FIH - Chief Operating Officer, Elegancia Catering
Rachael Fajoye FIH
Clement Gaffney FIH - Chief Operations Officer, Harcourt Developments Ltd
Richard Gosling FIH - General Manager, Hilton Cairo Heliopolis
Louisa Green FIH - Managing Director, RBH Management
Adam Hamadache FIH - CEO, Formula
Alexandros Kaloudas FIH - Food & Beverage Manager, Pullman London St Pancras
Dr Michael Kill FIH - Chief Executive, NTIA
Shelby King FIH - Human Resources Director, YTL Hotels
Nicola Looby FIH - Operations Director, Mount Charles Group
Barry Makin FIH - General Manager, Cromlix House Hotel
Jonathan Mallon FIH - COO, Mount Charles Group
Tom McMillan FIH - Operations Manager, The Dixon Hotel, Tower Bridge
Stefan Micevski FIH - General Manager, Elmbank York, Tapestry Collection By Hilton
Andy Morris FIH - Commercial Director, Enhance Hospitality
Alexander Muir FIH - Deputy Director of Operations, Anglia Ruskin University
Ayoola Olagunju FIH - CFO, Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel
Ash Sarswat FIH - General Manager, Pestana Chelsea Bridge Hotel & Spa
Clare Sheridan FIH - Executive Director of Performance & Development, Opus Professional Development
Gurpreet Singh Dham FIH - Executive Head Chef & Director, Seven Spoons Foods UK
Rory Slater FIH - Managing Director, London COMO Hotels & Resorts
Stephen Stapenhill-Hunt FIH - Commercial & Technical Director, South West Larder
Ewen Thomas FIH - General Manager, High Leigh Conference Centre
Chris Tomlinson FIH - Director, TradeShowsUK
Francisco Ventura FIH - General Manager, Sunborn Yacht Hotel
Scott Wallis FIH - Owner / Managing Director, PS Catering Management Ltd
Garreth Walsh FIH - General Manager, Kimpton Fitzroy London
Andy Watson FIH - Business Controller, The Grove Hotel
David Weston FIH - Hospitality Partnerships, Elavon Europe
Malcolm Wyse FIH - General Manager, Alexander House
Alper Zan FIH - Co-Founder & Country Director, YY Circle UK



A rousing after-dinner speech by The Rt Hon. the Viscount Thurso FIH MI, President of the Institute of Hospitality, brought the evening to a close, followed by final remarks from Robert Richardson FIH MI, Chief Executive of the Institute of Hospitality. He reflected that being a member of the IoH College of Fellows represents a promise to lead with purpose, to mentor and inspire others, and to strengthen the global hospitality community through a shared commitment to excellence.

The next Fellows Dinner will be held on 19th October 2026.

For more information about this press release, or to set up an interview, please contact IoH Head of Marketing & PR, Kim Bailey FIH at kim.bailey@instituteofhospitality.org
LinkedIn: Kim-bailey-communications
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Join Robert Richardson FIH, CEO IoH on social media use #imin
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The Institute of Hospitality (IoH) is the world’s largest professional body for the hospitality industry, supporting 16,000+ members globally through continuous professional development, world-class mentoring, and live & virtual networking.


With professional recognition programmes across 24 countries, the IoH champions industry excellence through initiatives like the Professional Recognition Awards (PRA).


As a not-for-profit UK charity, the IoH is currently applying for a Royal Charter, serves on the Bank of England Decision Maker Panel, and is a strategic partner of the Bank of England's Banknote Checking Scheme.


The IoH published the Better Hiring Toolkit in collaboration with the UK Government’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Modernising Employment and the Better Hiring Institute in 2025, supporting employers to recruit safely, fairly and effectively across the hospitality sector. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, shaping industry standards, and elevating hospitality professionals worldwide.