The University Caterers Organisation (TUCO) has appointed four new Non-Executive Directors to its board in a move designed to ensure the continued growth and success of the professional membership organisation.
Announcing the appointments at TUCO’s annual Chairman’s dinner, this year held at Edinburgh Castle on Thursday 20th February, Mike Haslin, CEO of TUCO said: “I believe these new appointments will help us ensure our values of teamwork, equality, integrity, transparency, commitment and wellbeing are delivered fully when the board is making its decisions. The depth of skills, experience and expertise that we now have on the board reflects the important role TUCO plays as an expert in the hospitality industry, educating and encouraging a culture of best practice in the sector and acting as an agent for change.”
The four new appointments include:
Gagan Kapoor, Head of Catering, Loughborough University.
As the Head of Catering for Loughborough University and business lead for The Elite Athlete Centre and Hotel, Gagan Kapoor plays an important part in the award-winning student experience the university is renowned for. Kapoor holds a Master’s degree in business administration from Sheffield Business School along with a hotel management qualification and a degree in mathematics. As a career hospitality professional, he has 22 years of experience working for higher education catering, hotels, restaurants and contract caterers in the UK and India.
Kate Glynn, Head of Catering, Aston University.
Glynn is responsible for the overall catering operation at the university including its development and execution. Her background working for household names as both an Operational Manager and Brand Manager, gives her a huge depth of experience across the catering industry. Universities are increasingly looking to bring food and drink brands onto campuses, to drive student engagement and keep them on-site.
Ros Wilkinson, Head of Hospitality, Lancaster University
Wilkinson has more than 35 years’ experience working in hotels, conference and sports venues across the UK and in Paris. In 2016 she stepped into the university sector to become Lancaster University’s Head of Hospitality. Her knowledge of the meetings industry will prove invaluable as more universities look to harness this sector to bring in new revenue streams.
Manish Shah, Associate Director, King’s Food at King’s College London.
Shah is a hospitality and catering expert with more than 19 years’ experience within various sectors of the industry including hotels, restaurants, a visitor attraction and a premier league football club. He will use this opportunity to build on his role as TUCO’s South East Regional Chair where his passion for creativity and innovation has already created a positive impact.
Haslin concluded: “These appointments will help us to build even better relationships within our membership institutions and organisations. TUCO has continued to grow as an organisation both in size and impact. It is important that as we expand, we remember we are an organisation synonymous with a culture of continuous improvement, this includes a transparent governance that is both dynamic and agile to ensure that we can continue to deliver business excellence.”
