fresh focus : team
On the effective and profitable operation of conference and training centres, hotels and leisure related businesses.
Bridget Baker :
Originally from a hotel industry operational background Bridget has worked as a consultant since 1990. She was a Senior Consultant at PKF and Managing Consultant at HLL Humberts Leisure.
Working independently since 2006 she has undertaken assignments in the UK, Europe, The Middle East and Africa. Bridget is a fellow of the British Association of Hospitality Accountants. Her particular areas of expertise include:
- The conference and exhibition markets including operational reviews, strategic planning and feasibility studies
- Expert witness and advice for planning appeals for hotel projects
- Financial market due diligence
- Strategic advice and hotel operational reviews
- Hotel market demand and financial feasibility studies
- Operator selection
Helene Møgelhøj :
Helene Møgelhøj is a dynamic tourism and economic development professional with over 15 years’ international experience gained in both the private and public sector. Her extensive knowledge and skills cover a broad spectrum of key issues ranging from resort planning to strategy formulation and sustainability, to assessment of financial viability and enhancing
Before becoming an independent consultant in 2010, Helene worked as destination development manager for the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), based at Sea Space the economic development company for Hastings and Bexhill, where she managed a comprehensive destination development programme for the wider area. Prior to that Helene was a senior consultant at PKF carrying a wide range of tourism and hotel assignments in destinations as far flung as South Africa and Oman as well as Europe and in the United Kingdom.
Helene is a fellow of the Tourism Society as well as member of the British Association of Hotel Accountants and Tourism Concern. Helene is the UK’s only certified auditor of Green Globe.
Helene’s specialist areas of expertise include:
- Sustainable urban and coastal resort planning, economic development and strategy, including sustainability certification and environmental auditing.
- Market research, analysis and benchmarking as well as organisational and operational reviews.
- Business planning, financial appraisal as well as evaluation and reviews.
- Programme and project management with the ability to work to budget and tight timescales throughout the lifecycle from conceptualisation to implementation.
- Pro-active public and private sector stakeholder engagement and communication.
- Facilitation of business and knowledge transfer networks for the hospitality and environmental sector to stimulate business growth and innovation.
Lynne Snow :
A ‘hands on’ operational manager Lynne has a depth of practical experience in the management of hotels and conference centres. Starting her career with DeVere Hotels she quickly rose to become a General Manager with Crest and then Forte Hotels. In 1995 she took over the management of Aston Business School Conference Centre and in 1999 became Head of University Conference Services and Director of Conference Aston.
Since becoming an independent consultant in 2008 she has undertaken diverse assignments including the opening of a new non-residential conference centre in Birmingham and chairing the inaugural European Conference for the International Association of Conference Centres (IACC) in the UK.
Lynne’s specialist skills include:
- General operations management
- Managing change
- Business planning
- Value engineering
- New build operations and planning
- Business process improvement
- Success through people
- Sales and operations synergy
- Customer focus for added value and revenue development
John Ashworth :
An independent consultant, John specialises in the leisure sport and tourism industries. He has big firm consulting experience with Coopers & Lybrand and PKF (Pannell Kerr Forster), where he was a partner in the firm. Working independently since 1994 his clients have included developers, resorts and hotels, clubs and public sector and tourism organisations.
John’s skills include:
- Improving the profitability of leisure businesses, market repositioning and operational change
- Reviewing current performance and business prospects for 3rd party investors, lenders and purchasers
- Preparing and implementing marketing and sales strategies for club memberships and associated real estate
- Supporting planning applications for sport and leisure developments
- Market and financial feasibility studies
Christina Jackson :
Christina Jackson has enjoyed a varied business life in the UK, Canada, Hong Kong and New York. As Manager of International Exhibitions and Conferences at Seatrade/Hong Kong Trade Fair Group, she project managed a multi-million pound portfolio of events in the Far East and New York.
On returning to the UK, Christina joined IBC as a Producer of commercial conferences and when she left 15 years later (the company was by this time called Informa) was one of their top profit making Senior Producers.
Christina now has her own company working as a Business and Leadership Coach which involves speaking at conferences and running workshops and training for companies.
