Manager of the Year

Nomination form

It's hard to imagine a candidate for the Manager of the Year category fulfilling the judging criteria more impressively than last year's winner, Laurence Beere.

The qualities demanded of the winning candidate are that he or she should have demonstrated proven success in managing and developing a team in the workplace, established a good financial track record, and proved their worth over and above their job description.

When Beere took over as general manager of the Cliveden Group's ailing Royal Crescent hotel in Bath he inherited, in the words of nominator Thomas Goodwin, managing director of Destination Europe, "a hotel which suffered from consistent financial losses, poor employee morale and poor community relations".

During his two years there Beere instigated marketing initiatives and management structures, bringing together and developing a talented team of managers. When he handed on the general manager's role in the hotel after his promotion within the group in March 2001, he had achieved a 43% increase in turnover and an £860,000 increase in annual profits for the 45-bedroom, five-AA-red-starred luxury property.

Under Beere's leadership, the Royal Crescent was reaccredited as an Investor in People in October 2000, and he oversaw the fruition of the hotel's £1m investment in its spa - the Bath House - which only six months after opening had achieved an average spend of £50 per person.

As to proving his worth beyond his job description, what impressed last year's judges most about Beere was the breadth of his achievements in the industry at the tender age of 32 and the time he had devoted to the communities in which he had lived.

Not only did he take over and financially turn around the ailing Royal Crescent, he also found time to launch two pan-industry organisations: the Tourism Task Force for the West Country, and the Bath & North-east Somerset Tourism Forum. In addition, he was actively involved in a number of fund-raising projects for local Bath causes, and sat as director for the Bath International Festival.

All this as well as increasing turnover at the Royal Crescent impressed judge Elaine Clarke, the previous year's winner. In particular, the task force looked likely to be "hugely influential in terms of the South-west", added fellow judge Declan Swan.

Beere's subsequent appointment as operations manager of the Cliveden Group was seen as a natural progression for someone so dedicated to his industry and company.

It's a hard act to follow; but if you know of anyone who has achieved similarly high standards, send in your nomination for the 2002 Manager of the Year award. Candidates can come from any sector of the industry, but should, like Beere, have demonstrated good people-management skills as well as a sound financial record.

To nominate someone, fill in the form on page 36 of this brochure, and don't forget to include a supporting statement of up to 200 words. Closing date for nominations is 22 February and judging will take place at London's One Aldwych hotel on Monday 29 April.

Judges' criteria

The winning candidate for the Manager of the Year award will have:

• Demonstrated proven success in managing and developing a team in the workplace.
• Established a good financial track record.
• Proved their worth, over and above their job description, particularly in the past year.

2001 Winner:

Max Dudson, chief operations officer of the Dudson Group, presents the Manager of the Year award to Laurence Beere

Previous Winners:

• 2000 Elaine Clarke
• 1999 Zoe Jenkins
• 1998 John Toner
• 1997 Julie Baugh
• 1996 Elena Salvoni
• 1995 Margaret Wells
• 1994 Julian Small
• 1993 John Coomb
• 1992 David Irving

Sponsored by: Dudson

The company was founded by Richard Dudson in 1800, in Hanley, Stoke on Trent and in the beginning produced a wide variety of domestic ceramic products, including Staffordshire Figures and Dudson Jasper Ware.

Since 1891 however, the company has produced ware for the travel and hospitality industry only, and as one of the world’s leading manufacturers and distributors of hotel tableware, they export over 60% of production to over 80 countries worldwide.

This privately owned, family business is only too aware of the importance of the right person in the right job. Dudson look forward, each year, to awarding the Manager of the Year award to another worthy winner who can show success, not only by increasing revenue, but in man management skills and in the desire to achieve.

With an on-going programme of investment and development, The Dudson Group continues to set the standards in design, production and innovation for today’s hotel tableware.

Nomination form