News round-up
Cornell training prizewinner
Chris Peers, deputy general manager of the Oxford Thames Four Pillars hotel, has won himself six days' management training in Brussels courtesy of New York State's Cornell University.
The prize, worth more than £1,000, includes transport, accommodation and registration at two of the university's intensive three-day professional development modules.
The two-week programme running at the Brussels management centre during June marks the first time the professional development programme has been run outside the USA in its 75-year history.
Hilton chief's pay deal prompts anger Angry shareholders spoke out against directors' pay deals at Hilton's annual general meeting last week.
Brian Wallace, deputy chief executive of the Hilton hotels and betting group, faced an uncomfortable protest vote over a new contractual arrangement which guarantees him a £1.4m pay-off in return for moving from a two-year to a one-year contract.
Investors also complained that Hilton chief executive David Michels had flouted corporate best practice by holding on to his two-year notice period.
Despite more than a third of large shareholders either abstaining or voting against the decision, the controversial pay deal was pushed through.
The dispute followed Hilton's announcement of a 25% drop in profits for the first four months of the year. The company said business in London, New York, Hong Kong and Tokyo had been badly hit by the double impact of war in Iraq and the Sars virus.
UKECA conference set for 6 June The European Catering Association's 2003 national conference will be held at the British Library in London on Friday 6 June. Tim West, chief executive of Avenance, is conference chairman, and speakers will include Dan Wright, UK managing director foodservices, Aramark, top chef Michael Caines and Simon Woodroffe, founder and chairman of Yo! Sushi. More information is available on the website, www.ecagb.co.uk, or by calling 01483 765111.
Construction contract for Mitie Mitie catering services has started a £1m-a-year-turnover contract to provide catering at the headquarters of the Construction Industry Training Board in King's Lynn, Norfolk. Mitie will cater for about 400 staff and hundreds of training delegates every day, providing breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. The contract had been held by Sodexho for 28 years.
