Senior leadership team appointments at Houston & Hawkes

The independent, B Corp caterer has strengthened its senior leadership team with four appointments, two of which are internal promotions.

Houston & Hawkes has appointed Graham Meek as Finance Director. Meek brings more than 25 years’ experience in the contract catering sector, having held senior finance roles at WSH, Sodexo and Pabulum. In his role at Houston & Hawkes, he will oversee financial strategy and reporting, with a focus on supporting long-term, sustainable growth and further developing governance that enables continued investment across the business.

Alongside Meek’s appointment, Houston & Hawkes has brought in Joe Adams as Supplier Partnerships Manager. Adams, who joins from Nomad Foods, and previously worked at BaxterStorey and BM Caterers, will add greater rigour to how the business works with suppliers and sources ingredients, while ensuring the consistency and transparency that its B Corp status demands.

The business has also made two significant senior internal promotions. Emilie Whiteoak has been promoted to the newly created role of Director of People Operations, reflecting her strong connection with teams across the business and her deep understanding of how Houston & Hawkes operates day to day. Marinela Golfita has been promoted from Operations Manager to Account Director, recognising her contribution to operational performance and leadership across client sites.

Dave Hawkes, Co-founder and Director at Houston & Hawkes, said: “As the business grows, it’s vital that our leadership team grows with it. Graham brings strong financial leadership, while Joe will help us to continually provide our chefs and teams with high-quality, sustainable ingredients. Together, those roles help us lead the business more deliberately and plan properly for the long term. Promoting Emilie and Marinela reflects our belief in developing people from within and recognising those who really understand our teams and our business.”