Term Time Commences with the Arrival of Two New Senior Appointments for Chartwells

Chartwells, the education catering specialist of Compass Group UK & Ireland, has taken the step to focus on nuanced development and innovation with the appointment of two divisional Managing Directors. The roles, which will lead the subdivisions Chartwells Universities & Colleges and Chartwells Independent, will report into the overall Managing Director of Chartwells UK, Charlie Brown.

It’s full circle for our new Chartwells Independent managing director, Noelle Jones

As of September, the Chartwells Independent team is being led by Noelle Jones, seeing her circle back to the sector in which she began her Compass journey nine years ago, and following on from her previous role as Business Director within ESS Government Services. At ESS, Noelle expanded her knowledge outside of catering to cover both hard and soft services, providing support services to the public sector including schools, hospitals, defence and high secure Government Services sites that required the utmost integrity and trust.  

Considering the evolving impacts that the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the education market, Noelle’s role will initially oversee the unique considerations that back to school brings for the 2020/21 academic year, and focus on delivering a service which is more than just outstanding food.

Reflecting on how Chartwells are tackling the current challenges, Noelle said: “Because I have come from within Compass, I see the value of harnessing our local and global networks; we have all of the expertise at our fingertips, allowing us to establish emerging trends as they appear, and in turn make more educated and safe choices for our clients and children we serve in the UK.”

Kerry Ford lands Chartwells University & College managing director role

Kerry Ford has been appointed as Managing Director for Chartwells Universities and Colleges. Kerry has been with the business for over 17 years and has built up a repertoire of invaluable experience whilst working across a variety of operational, procurement and marketing roles within Compass. In her most recent role prior to this appointment, Kerry was responsible for delivering marketing innovation into the business. As the education sector looks at how to adapt the offer and create a truly unique student experience in our new world, Kerry will bring a fresh perspective to the business and its clients during a vital time. With a continued and focused effort being placed on the role which modern technology holds in the education dining environment, Kerry will be working with the team to enhance the initial touchpoints and bolster the overall student experience.

Discussing the future of Chartwells Universities and Colleges, Kerry Ford, Managing Director for Chartwells Universities and Colleges said: “We can’t wait for students to return to university life and experience our new normal, which is focused around providing an offer which is flexible, mobile, exciting and available at a time and place selected by them. We want every interaction they have with Chartwells to be an experience they will value. We’re using technology to underpin our efforts, so that we can deliver a stronger experience than ever before. The role truly excites me, as my team and I are always eager to step up our food provision and better ourselves; this enthusiasm is matched by our clients, which presents some brilliant prospects and opportunities for everyone involved.”

Chartwells boss delighted with new appointments

Commenting on the appointments, Charlie Brown, Managing Director for Chartwells said: “Chartwells has always taken great pride in being a people-focused business with incredible food at the heart of all that we do. I am delighted to welcome both Kerry and Noelle into their new roles. As existing members of the Compass family, they offer a great deal of knowledge about the wider business, bringing with them great insight and expertise to the education sector. The past few months have presented many challenges, but I am confident that they will continue to strengthen our business and the value that we bring to our clients across the country, as we seek to continue to provide nutritious meals to children and students across the country.”

You can watch interviews with Kerry and Noelle discussing their appointments here: Noelle, Kerry