EXPERIENCE

Gillian has spent many years working at a senior level in major chains, such as Marriott, Thistle, Shire Hotels as well as Iconic hotels such as Celtic Manor, St. Pierre Park Guernsey, The Grand Jersey, to mention but a few. For the last five years she has worked with the Coniston Hotel, Country Estate and Spa to develop their sales and marketing.

Gillian is an experienced hotel sales and marketing professional - versatile, energetic, creative and commercially minded, embracing all aspects of SEO and traditional PR. As an excellent all-rounder, she is able to support the operational goals of a hotel with sound practical advice, support and leadership. She identifies unique opportunities through packaging across all key corporate and leisure segments. She has, and continues to build excellent customer and colleague relationships to maximise all opportunities for the business.

CORE SKILLS

• Maximise sales through understanding revenue strategies and market segments very well.
• Strategic assessment of sales and marketing functions and effectiveness
• Leisure sales and marketing – packages, online distribution, incentives
• Business restructure and team development
• On site and field based coaching and development of individuals

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

• Event Sales
• Key Account Management
• Marketing & PR
• Systems: CRM, M&E, RFP

EXPERIENCE

Over 30 years, Jo has worked in operations, front line sales and leadership roles for brands such as Millennium and Copthorne Hotels, Travelodge, IHG, De Vere & Village Hotels and Lime Venue Portfolio. As the founder of Curve Sales Solutions, Jo supports hotels and venues driving top-line revenues through bespoke and measured training, people development plans and sales activities. Jo has a passion for seeing teams succeed and believes that to stand out from the crowd keeping the 'saw sharp' is crucial.

CORE SKILLS

• Sales process review, creating proactive sales cultures
• Proactive and reactive sales training
• Online training, group training, coaching and mentoring

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

• Customer experience benchmarking
• Sales office health checks
• MICE sales
• Projects
• Recruitment and onboarding

ACCOLADES

• MIA List 2019
• C&IT MICE Sales Team of the Year 2018
• Award in Education and Training
• BA (Hons) Hotel Business Management 2:1

EXPERIENCE

Helen has had a long career in Business and Sales and launched into the MICE Industry over 10 years ago working originally in Agencies including Zibrant and Ashfield Meetings and Events and moved to Venues to see the contrasts within the Venue environment and lead a pro-active team at Imago Venues. The niche position to have an overview of both worlds and her strong background in Business with both Local Government and Corporates, gives Helen a unique perspective of the MICE Industry and allows an opportunity for Change and Innovation.

CORE SKILLS

• Pro-Active Sales and Account Management
• Business Strategy
• Training and Facilitation
• Business Health Check

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

• Conference Agency Market Knowledge and guidance for venues to work in partnership
• Sales and Agency Team Coaching
• Motivator and Sales Culture
• Finding Your Story

EXPERIENCE

Mia Butler believes ‘vanilla’ is not an option. Creator of Pistachio View and Director of Like a Boss Consulting, Mia is an entrepreneur, business consultant, thought leader, facilitator and EventProf. Recognised for her commitment to sales, with 25 years’ experience on the sales frontline, Mia knows how to create a winning edge. Driven, and encouraging sales professionals to ‘show up’ and do more, Mia is creating change with Pistachio View making personalised video a part of everyday sales. Consultant to the industry, Mia is often called upon to help facilitate learning and panel discussions and can be regularly found supporting key industry events.

CORE SKILLS

• Sales performance & sales management
• Personalisation strategy
• Business development strategy & skills
• Key Account Management
• Coaching, mentoring & training sales
• Time management & improving productivity
• Meetings & Events

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

• Experienced industry & conference moderator, presenter & speaker
• Using video in sales
• Design & deliver bespoke training course
• Agency relationships
• LinkedIn social selling strategy

EXPERIENCE

Over 30 years front line in-house, regional, national and global sales and support in the hotel and hospitality industry. Sales & operational roles with Forte, Compass & Granada. Co-Founder & MD of Sandown Effective Sales Solutions a flexible resource you can call on at crucial times offering Sales Solutions for hotels, groups & related businesses who require support to ensure their sales team are effective.

CORE SKILLS

• Sales Process, Project & Sales Team Management
• Analysis and problem solving
• Strategy - Management
• Customer Service

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

• Training 1 2 1 Coaching and Group Training
• Helping businesses to optimise their sales through measurement of sales performance and support with Lead Generation

EXPERIENCE

Melanie Cash has worked in the tourism and hospitality industry for 25 years. She brings a wealth of experience having lead teams in a variety of sales and marketing and training roles at Marriott, Hilton, Rocco Forte, The Grove, The Belfry and Macdonald Hotels.

CORE SKILLS

• Strategic assessment of sales and marketing functions and effectiveness
• Business restructure and team development
• Design and delivery of core sales & leadership training programmes
• On site and field based coaching and development of individuals

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

• Event Sales
• Key Account Management
• Marketing & PR
• Systems: CRM, M&E, RFP

EXPERIENCE

Leigh Cowlishaw is an experienced leader in the meetings and accommodation arenas providing specialism in SMM, on line distribution strategies, as well a focus on proposition, strategy and industry disruption. Prior to these roles; Leigh held the position at Capita Travel and Events for six years as Director of Proposition - Accommodation and Meetings.
Appointed in 2016 to the HBAA Chair of the Association, in which Leigh sits on the board today and champions Mental Health awareness for the association and across the industry. Past chair of GTMC Steering Group for Meetings, Conferences and Events. Steering Group Board member of the Meetings Show and CHS.

CORE SKILLS

• Strategic Meetings Management
• Travel Procurement
• Preferred relationship management
• Travel Policy
• Meetings and Events
• Hotel/Venue relationships
• Agency relationships
• Driving value through two way relationships
• Mental Health and Wellbeing

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

• Project Management
• Strategy
• Keynote speaker
• Coaching & Mentoring 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Degree in Experience from the University of Life

EXPERIENCE

Gavin Percy is a Business Development Strategist specialising in assessing and improving sales performance and sales processes to positively impact revenue - often through training, coaching and mentoring of the sales team.
For the last six years has been running his own Sales, Marketing and Training Consultancy for the Hospitality Industry - Winning Edges. Gavin became a qualified Mental Health First Aid Trainer in 2018 and now operates a specialist company delivering training and consultancy in Mental Health and Wellbeing called Balancing Edges.

Gavin brings nearly 40 years of hospitality and sales experience with an engaging style and informed research and experience to deliver quality training.

CORE SKILLS

• Training
• Coaching
• Mentoring
• Business Development
• Meetings & Events
• Sales & Marketing
• Sales and Marketing planning
• Process improvement
• Mental Health and Wellbeing

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

• Strategy
• Vision, Mission and Values
• Leadership

QUALIFICATIONS

• Qualified Mental Health First Aid Trainer
• MBA (Univ of Leicester)
• BA in Hotel Management (Univ of Strathclyde)

EXPERIENCE

Jackie Kiley MCIPD is a skilled operational and strategic Human Resources, Organisational and Learning Development professional, specialising in leadership , change and culture for over 20 years across a variety of industries.

CORE SKILLS

• People and organisational development
• Large scale change initiatives
• People processes & improved people experience
• Team development
• Coaching, training & developing skills from customer service to leadership
• Team engagement
• Culture & values
• Setting up a HR function
• Supporting organisations & employees through TUPE and redundancy
• HR queries and support

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

• Continuity planning
• Acquisitions, mergers, restructures and disposals
• Developing service, people and results focused values and culture
• Review and updating of current people practices

QUALIFICATIONS

• University of Brighton - Hotel, Catering & Institutional Management
• CIPD Human Resources Management Post Graduate

EXPERIENCE

Mark Fuller is a seven time hotel general manager through his 20 year career with Forte, Moat House and De Vere Hotel Groups.    His career includes being involved in the design, build and opening of two brand new hotels, running large meeting and event hotels as well as hands on experience running his own hotel business.

An experienced, entrepreneurial hotel operator, his particular skills lie in identifying market opportunities, product re-positioning and implementing new products and services.  Mark is able to share his experience and knowledge through coaching and mentoring business leaders and managers, assisting them to fulfil their own and their business potential.

EXPERIENCE

I am a creative professional with over 25 years of repeated success guiding strategic business development plans, and directing operations resulting in increased business revenue and growth of the portfolio. I am highly skilled in analysing the effectiveness of operations in alignment to the business objectives, formulating and implementing standard practices and ensuring planned targets are achieved within set budget and time.

I’m a passionate team player with a collaborative leadership style and bring with me years of operations, and management expertise and excellence, working for recognised brands including Lensbury Limited, Forte Hotels, Choice Hotels International, Acorn Management Group Limited and others.  I have the talent for launching programmes related to training and team development, and P&L accountability.

CORE SKILLS

• First class strategic and analytical abilities to manage business and financial operations including business planning, estimating and preparing annual budgets and to align with long-term and short-term objectives.
• Expertise to design and implement new and updated sales actions, service improvement initiatives and to enhance overall efficiency resulting in increased bottom-line returns.
• Dedication to devise sales and marketing processes to boost sales implementing change management through the teams to deliver goals and objectives.
• Highly organised with passion to design and implement various processes enabling the business to grow, in addition to conducting research and finding new markets.
• Expert communicator, presenter, and collaborator; able to forge solid relationships with strategic partners and build consensus across multiple organisational levels.
• Design and implement management change across businesses.

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

• Directorship of two associations and Treasurer of one
• Mentoring of businesses
• Qualified trainer, sales and negotiator
• In-depth knowledge of H&S