Event Review

Arena Face2Face Interview & Lunch 2015 – an enlightening mix of knowledge, inspiration and interaction

Steeped in glorious autumn sunshine, Lambeth Palace provided the incredible setting for the Arena Face2Face Interview & Lunch.  For 2015, the esteemed event boasted a magnificent new venue, an invigorated format and an incredibly enlightening, and at times emotional, interview with two prominent personalities from the world of contract catering, Tim Jones and Bill Toner of the newly created £200million business, CH&Co Group – and not forgetting the inimitable interview prowess of Alastair Stewart OBE.

Lambeth Palace is one of London’s hidden gems.  Steeped in history and breath-taking architecture, and boasting the second largest private garden in London after Buckingham Palace, it is not a venue that the public can visit freely. Arena’s attendees therefore seized the opportunity to join the pre-event guided tour, which was described as incredibly worthwhile and most fascinating.

The Arena Face2Face Interview & Lunch officially began with a drinks reception in the newly renovated Great Hall.  An imposing and simply stunning space, Arena’s guests were the first to exclusively enjoy its magnificence one-day prior to its official launch as an event venue.  As the champagne flowed and exquisite canapés were served, the atmosphere in the Great Hall, as over 200 industry professionals interacted and connected, exuded a wonderful mix of awe for the venue and anticipation for the interview to come.

Following the drinks reception guests made their way across the beautiful grounds to a large marquee for the main event – Alastair Stewart’s interview of Tim Jones, chairman, and Bill Toner, group CEO, CH&Co Group.

The week prior to the event, Robyn Jones, founder of CH&Co (formerly Charlton House), industry pioneer and wife of Tim Jones, sadly passed away following a long illness. Alastair Stewart, who knew Robyn personally, opened the interview with a heartfelt tribute, describing Robyn as a ground breaker, remarkable business woman, elegant, intelligent, successful and charming. He also thanked Tim Jones for his strength in partaking in the interview to talk about what was, in part, Robyn’s dream.

Bill Toner also paid tribute to Robyn as a tough and formidable competitor and latterly a friend and colleague.  He praised Robyn’s unwavering focus on the client, people and food, all wrapped in passion, and, because they all believed in it, the incredible retention rate in her business.

The merger of CH&Co and HCM Group, which was announced on 1 June 2015 and shook up the contract catering sector, was naturally a hot topic. The move, which Robyn was instrumental in guiding Tim and Bill through, created a new business with a turnover approaching £200million and a team of 4,500 providing services to over 400 operations across the UK and Ireland.

The merger was a long time in the making and both Tim and Bill are still astounded that they managed to keep it secret for so long. Both parties had to be ‘happy, content and convinced’ before the deal could be made. The banks and investors had to, of course, be on board, but more importantly for both, their entire teams had to be with them and provide the dynamic. Understanding their intrinsic responsibility to their people, it was important to be sure of the significant opportunities. With all teams firmly on board and the belief that they would be stronger together, the deal moved apace. Thanks to great internal communication, the pair confirmed that they have not lost anyone as a result of the merger.

With brands part of the DNA of CH&Co and HCM Group would they reign supreme or is there flexibility?  The response was that it is business as usual.  If a brand is still relevant, thriving and continuing to fulfil its distinct purpose it will survive. And, it’s not all about size, if a client wants a smaller brand they will provide it.  Bill clearly pronounced: “We’ll do what clients want us to do. Not what others tell us to do.” Tim also confirmed:  “We’ve got strong brands and strong people running them.  They will succeed.”

With attention turning to qualities for recruitment, both Tim and Bill place much value in an employee who understands the industry and cares about it.  They will give an awful lot more and find a way to be successful. Drive and determination with independent thought is also essential. Tim shared that he and Robyn learned the importance of delegation and this requires people to take responsibility and run with it – and to also be strong enough to say to the boss, ‘you’re wrong’. The role of the business to make employees feel part of a team was also championed. With staff wellbeing at the heart of the organisation it’s vital to develop and look after people so that they enjoy their job and progress.  “The better journey you give them is the key to retaining them.”

Looking to the future, the growth target for CH&Co Group is to reach £300million in the next three to five years, through organic growth and acquisition.  Clearly excited about the possibilities, when compared to the model of WSH Group the response was clear: “What they’ve done is exceptional but what we can do is just as good, if not better.” Tim and Bill are both also optimistic for the UK economy and believe that because there will always be staff needing to eat and drink, there will always be opportunities if you are prepared to move with the times.

Underpinning this drive is the ethos of always delivering on promises and with innovation, quality and passion. Describing Tupperware as the enemy, Tim and Bill spoke of the importance of variety in food and presentation to avoid menu fatigue, having the right people in place to monitor trends, ensuring dexterity and making the right decisions to attract customers to eat with you every day. Bill summed this up perfectly: “We all need to eat and drink and we just want you to do it with us.”

Focusing on supplier relationships, Tim revealed that he is looking for competitive pricing, innovation and strong systems and is always asking the question ‘How can they help us to make our business better?’ CH&Co Group is looking to work together with progressive partners.  Suppliers need to bring something different to the table including solutions and, crucially, mirroring CH&Co Group’s values, they must deliver on promises and be trusted to do the job.

The audience clearly appreciated the candid interview and responded with a raft of further questions. Topics covered included the influence of the high street; the living wage – which CH&Co Group believes is long overdue and should be embraced by the industry; systems; staff development and retention; and the importance of attracting young people and supporting apprenticeships.

Moving back to the Great Hall, the interview was enthusiastically discussed over a delicious lunch selection that included sensational dishes created by Food Show and a spectacular array of cheese courtesy of Futura Foods.

Attendees at the Arena Face2Face raised an impressive £1140 for industry charities Springboard and Hospitality Action via the charity raffle.