Acorn Awards 2025: Alice Norris, De Vere Latimer Estate

Age 29

Position Sales office manager, De Vere Latimer Estate       

Nominator Ross Blezard, general manager, De Vere Latimer Estate

Alice Norris has steadily built a reputation as one of De Vere hotel’s standout leaders – combining commercial savvy with a collaborative, team-first mindset.

Since joining De Vere as wedding co-ordinator in 2017, she has risen through the ranks to become sales office manager at De Vere Latimer Estate in Chesham, where she oversees a team of nine and manages a vast number of annual enquiries. Since stepping into the role in March 2024, she has improved conversion rates and driven a huge increase in conference and events revenue. Beverage sales also rose thanks to her creative upselling initiatives, contributing to a tangible boost in total F&B revenue. 

Her approach to leadership is structured but personal. She has built bespoke development plans for every team member, leading to multiple internal promotions and a clear culture of growth. She even sourced a ‘wedding workshop’ to educate her team on Gen-Z weddings. All of this she achieved in the absence of a director of sales for much of 2024.

Norris has also played a central role in improving operations, from streamlining proposal processes through the rollout of a new tech platform, to enhancing guest experiences with themed VIP packages tied to the estate’s Second World War heritage. Off the back of these contributions, she was named De Vere’s ‘Manager of the Year’ in 2024 and now contributes regularly to board-level reviews.

Away from the desk, Norris remains active in the community – raising funds for the Willow Foundation, a charity which supports young people with cancer, volunteering for local causes and promoting hospitality careers in schools.

Consistently hands-on and focused on outcomes, she continues to shape both performance and culture at one of De Vere’s busiest properties.