Meet the judges: Our expert panel so far

42 / ONBOARD HOSPITALITY AWARDS 2023

We're committed to honest & transparent JUDGING...

Key to the enduring success of the Onboard Hospitality Awards is our unique judging process of which we are extremely proud.

Our judges

Our judges include experts with many years of onboard hospitality experience. They include buyers and decision-makers from airlines as well as chefs and caterers, industry consultants and professional travellers. Last year alone, the international panel brought together experts from Canada and the US, Australia and Europe. People with experience of working on every continent are represented and involved.

Your peers

All entries are first voted for online by our international readership. This allows for informed peerto-peer recognition. Those eligible to vote are our readers – the buyers and suppliers of onboard hospitality – the people we believe are best placed to recognise a good product or service, or a true innovation. These are the people – you and your industry colleagues – who really are in the know; industry insiders with expertise in the field.

CURRENTLY CONFIRMED JUDGES...

SUE WAPLE GERARD BERTHOLON CAROLINE THOMPSON

Now an independent consultant, Sue has 22 years' crew experience and four years in the BA supply chain team. She understands what works best at all levels. Gerard is the chief stategy officer for Cuisine Solutions and the CEO of The Culinary Research and Education Academy. His culinary reputation and know-how is of world renown.

Former cabin crew, Caroline has spent 35 years actively marketing and developing food and packaging solutions and is now an independent consultant working on projects with partners around the globe.

BEN FANCONI

With 20 years' experience at SWISS and Lufthansa Group product department, Benedict has worked across all classes and still flies occasionally as an active Maître de Cabine. KAREN MACKENZIE

Formerly BA's head of inflight global supply chain, Karen has over 30 years airline product experience, and is now an independant consultant and passionate sustainability advocate. DAVID WHELAN

A senior analyst at Valour Consultancy, David specialises in IFEC and aircraft digitalisation, including both cockpit and cabin solutions. MARC WARDE

Restaurateur and culinary consultant Marc runs gluten-free restaurants, the Niche Free-From Kitchen and the special meals manufacturing business Libero. HAPPY K

APOT Asia founder and CEO, Keerthi Hapugasdeniya is an international celebrity chef who works with catering service providers to the airline industry.

SHELLEY DAUNCEY

Following 15 years as crew for British Airways, Shelley has extensive experience of inflight service and a clear understanding of what passengers and crew want. NIK LOUKAS

Nik runs a consumer airline food site inflightfeed.com and writes on airline food trends. He also offer consultation services to airline catering companies worldwide.

ONBOARD HOSPITALITY AWARDS 2023 / 43

Expert conclusions

Our thanks go to all those who get involved and vote online. Together you help make these awards the most authentic and accountable in the business. The results of the online votes are collated and fed into the work of the judging panel. Our judges then combine the results of the online vote with their own assessments, made when they meet in person as a distinguished panel. At this day-long judging event they also have the chance to see entry samples first hand. They form a powerful knowledge bank, with a wealth of expertise around the user experience and onboard service practicalities. We thank them for their support and dedication to the often difficult task of identifying the very best products.

MIKE CRUMP

With over 30 years experience, Mike has led a number of prestigious onboard design projects - as former Head of Design at British Airways, as a consultant and now as Brand Experience Director at Acumen Design Associates.

ROGER WILLIAMS

Roger has specific expertise in rail catering and is the chair of the International Rail Catering Group. He has 40 years of high-end travel catering experience in over 20 countries. LANCE HAYWARD

The Hayward Partnership's experienced founder and managing director provides management consultancy and interim services to the travel catering and retail sector worldwide.

SANDRA PINEAUBODDISON

Senior consultant at The Hayward Partnership, Sandra and has over 25 years of airline experience, most recently as senior VP customers United. RYAN GHEE

Ryan is the chief operating officer of Future Travel Experience and spends his days deep in the detail of aviation technology and trends. He leads the debate in tech innovation and support for start ups.

BE IN THE FRAME...

It is time to put your products and services in the frame for 2023 assessment and recognition. Entries for the 2023 awards open on January 1. For more details contact Sue.williams@onboardhospitality.com