Winners of the Shine Awards 2011, set up to recognise the success of women in the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism (HLTT) industry, were revealed along with Women 1st’s 100 Most Influential Women in hospitality during the awards ceremony at the Savoy hotel yesterday.
Jillian MacLean won the flagship award of the night for building a of £3.4m business comprising of four bars within two years, with the fifth bar due to open next month. The original model for her bar-restaurants is a combination of ideas she has studied from around North America and Europe.
"She is a perfect illustration of a trend-spotter and trend-setter and articulates how the future of the licensed trade truly has no glass ceiling," said one of her nominations.
Other winners of the Shine Awards are:
* Outstanding Entrepreneur Award: Jillian MacLean, managing director, Drake & Morgan
* Rising Star Award: Xoe Donovan, general manager, The Longford House Beefeater and Cannock South Premier Inn
* Mentor of the Year Award: Lou Willcock, founder and director, IndiCater
* Woman of the Year Award: Victoria Sanders, managing director, Teletext Holidays
* Lifetime Achievement Award: Robyn Jones OBE, chief executive, CH&Co
* Small Business Award: ABode Hotels
* Large Business Award: Sodexo UK & Ireland
100 Most Influential Women
Robyn Jones OBE, Jillian MacLean and Lou Willcock were also listed amongst the 100 Most Influential women.
Other top industry females on the list included: award-winning chef Angela Hartnett MBE, who achieved her first Michelin star in 2004; food writer, journalist and broadcaster Nigella Lawson; Ufi Ibrahim, chief executive of the British Hospitality Association; and Tracey Rogers, who positioned Unilever Food Solutions as the market leader in her role as managing director.
The full Top 100 Most Influential Women list is available here.
Pivotal contribution to hospitality
Sharon Glancy, founder of Women 1st says: "Each of the nominations we received, which totalled over 250, was an inspiration to all of us and selecting the crème de la crème from them was no easy task. Our winners, and the amazing women in our Top 100, have made a pivotal contribution - not just to their own businesses but to the entire industry.
“Women 1st is proud to honour their achievements and we hope they will inspire countless other women and men to accomplish their career aspirations in our vibrant industry."