Acorns 2020: Chary Wilson, 26
Sales and marketing manager, CH&Co
Nominator Emma Jones
Chary Wilson joined Harbour & Jones (now CH&Co) as sales and events co-ordinator at 41 Portland Place, London, at the age of 22. Within a year she had been promoted to a sales and marketing executive role at a larger London venue, RSA House. Following a very successful 18 months in this role, where she exceeded sales targets, she moved back to Portland Place as sales and marketing manager and has since exceeded sales targets by 60%. Prior to the coronavirus, she managed to increase repeat business by 101% year-on-year.
As a prominent member of CH&Co's venues collection, she has raised her industry profile, representing CH&Co as a member of the Prince's Trust charity, which the company pledged to support at the end of 2019, and plays a strategic role for the group.
In view of the recent time spent locked out of hospitality, what did you miss the most?
In events, we all know everything moves at 100 miles an hour and no two days are ever the same – that's what I love about it, how fast-paced and diverse it is. So to go from planning and running events daily with clients to working from home was a real adjustment.
Do you think the hospitality industry could be more sustainable? Not just in terms of plastics and waste but in terms of careers and diversity, training and growth?
In an ever-changing and growing industry there will always be new ways to improve. Now more than ever, it is important that we invest in our people. By doing that, we are investing in the future of the business.
Who is your hospitality hero?
It may sound like a cliché, but our managing director Katy Thompson. She is so inspirational, and the perfect example of how hard work pays off. Over the years she has had an instrumental role in the growth of the venues business and shaped who we are today.