On Monday 30th March, Tim West, Lexington’s Chairman, was presented with the ‘Major Contribution to Hospitality’ award at the inaugural Oxford Brookes Bacchus Alumni Awards. The award was for a ‘highly respected figure who has inspired others and shaped the industry’.
The awards, held at the stunning St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, coincided with the 150th anniversary of Oxford Brookes University and looked to recognise some of the leaders and innovators of their alumni network.
Tim was up against four other highly respected hospitality leaders for the ‘Major Contributor to Hospitality’ award: Henry Ashworth CEO The Portman Group, Gerard Greene, Co-Founder and former CEO – Yotel, Angela Maher, Programme Leader at the Oxford School of Hospitality Management and Robin Sheppard, Chairman, Bespoke Hotels.
Tim West commented on his win; “I am truly delighted and very proud to receive this award. The Oxford Brookes School of Hospitality Management is a brilliant exemplar of engagement between education and industry and equips its graduates with fantastic opportunities whilst studying and subsequently with their tremendous network of professionals. My personal engagement has been extremely rewarding in many ways, not least in some wonderful friendships. My involvement in establishing the mentoring scheme for all final year students crystallises the virtuous circle of academia, students and practitioners and it ranks as one of my very best and proudest achievements.”
Tim’s prestigious career started in Hotel Management at what is now Oxford Brookes. He retains close links with the school, where he is a visiting Fellow and was a founder member of the Bacchus Mentoring Scheme. Tim has since gone onto work with and advise the Institute of Hospitality, British Hospitality Association, Association of Catering Excellence, Springboard UK charity and the Council for Hospitality Management and Education. Tim is a Director and Non-Executive Chairman of Elior UK, which acquired Lexington in 2014.
