Blog. Meet Sinead Mallozzi our newest Patron
August 20, 2019 | Author: Mark Lewis
I am proud to announce the appointment of Sinead Mallozzi, Chief Executive Officer of sketch, as HA’s newest patron. Sinead joins a list of notable advocates including Tom Kerridge, Michael Caines MBE and Principal Patron, Jason Atherton.
I recently met Sinead to learn a little more about her and the great work sketch is carrying out on our behalf.
Tell us a little about yourself. What was your route to becoming CEO of sketch?
I completed a degree in Hospitality Management, after graduating I won a place as a fast track graduate trainee with Swallow Hotels. Within seven years I had become the youngest and only female London Hotel General Manager at that time. This was followed by working at Somerset House with Oliver Peyton where I became very involved in public events and the Arts. This led to me discovering sketch and embracing the idea of combining food, drink, art, and music under one roof and offering our customers a chance to escape from the banality of everyday life. Seventeen years later, I continue to be at the helm of a business which is continually evolving and changing.
And tell us a bit about sketch - your business and customers.
sketch is a complex and unique site. Conceived by French Masterchef Pierre Gagnaire and restaurateur Mourad Mazouz, we have myriad food, drink and entertainment styles on offer throughout our 18th century townhouse. A Grade II listed building, sketch was formerly the headquarters of both RIBA and Christian Dior. It was also the first place where Dame Millicent Garrett Fawcett gave her first speech about women’s equality. sketch consists of the Gallery designed by India Mahdavi and David Shrigley, which serves afternoon tea and dinner, the Parlour designed by Andres Ros Soto, the 2 Michelin starred Lecture Room & Library designed by Gabhan O’Keeffe, the Glade designed by Carolyn Quartermaine and Didier Mahieu, and the East Bar.
Our customers are truly a mix – we have our regulars and locals, and we also cater to many international guests. sketch has a footfall of over 8,500 per week.
Describe your company culture
We promote optimism and thinking outside the box. We are all part of a collaborative effort to bring the best to our teams. Dynamic, rewarding, creative, collaborative, supportive of our staff’s individuality. We champion success.
Mechanisms to look after employee wellbeing
We take an interest in employee’s life outside of work, their hobbies, interests, and try to accommodate requests in order for them to develop a healthy work-life balance. We value each employee’s input and allow everyone to bring their ideas to the table. For example, we give the option to work on a 4 or 5 day basis, allowing individuals with outside commitments to have a fair balance and thrive in both their personal interest and professional career. We create a family atmosphere where everyone can have a sense of belonging, helping them in their daily life in London.
When did you first become aware of HA?
I became aware of HA when I met you Mark at the Cateys in 2018. This lead to a further conversation, which is when I became convinced that this was a truly necessary and important charity to be involved with.
Why do you think the hospitality industry needs a charity like HA?
We need a charity like HA to ensure that our staff are cared for so that they can care for our customers. This is the most important element of what we do in hospitality.
What would you say to operators considering engaging with HA’s services?
We would suggest really taking the time to implement this within the business structure and get the key people involved from day 1. The results and outcomes of it are so beneficial, there is a great motivation to monitor this closely and to take initiatives to get educated on various subjects that are worth tackling in this industry.
And what tips would you give to operators wanting to fundraise for HA?
HA has many inspiring stories and examples of ways in which it has helped people through adversity, helping individuals who had nearly lost everything. This should be demonstrated to all teams to engage them into various activities and internal initiatives involving smaller but more regular fundraisings, such as running or cycling for example. This is not always easy to achieve, given that at sketch we operate 7 days a week and extended hours, therefore it can be quite a challenging task. My tip to operators would be that hotels usually have good deals for theatre shows and musical, and these could be sold at a reduced price to staff, for which the funds would go to HA.
How does your fundraising work and how has it impacted the business and staff morale?
We add a voluntary £0.50 on to every bill a guest pays, which goes straight to Hospitality Action. We have raised £34,000 since we implemented it in October 2018. Staff are aware of the service offered by Hospitality Action. We have flyers on our noticeboards. We include the monthly donations on our newsletters, which shows the employees of the good that comes from all their hard work. Booklets can be found in the HR Office for managers to explain in depth to their employees if needed and we have a smaller leaflet for them to keep.
How does HA’s work apply to your team?
We have received positive feedback from employees using your services. It has come as a huge help for managers, who now feel a lot more confident interacting with their teams regarding sensitive matters. We see a healthier relationship between management and teams when staff members have a greater trust in their managers and feel that the company genuinely cares for their welfare.
How do your customers respond to the fundraising ‘ask’ that accompanies their bill?
Many of the guests do not question it, and those who do are always really interested in the initiative. It gives us a great opportunity to start a conversation about the charity with our guests and we also have a flyer which accompanies the bill.
What does HA mean to you now?
Listening
Counselling
Friendship
What does it mean to you to be a patron of your industry’s benevolent charity?
An absolute honour and I am very proud that I am part of this very necessary and worthwhile charity.
Needless to say we’re delighted to have Sinead as a Patron. She has been an inspirational motivator for the charity and her team’s fundraising efforts are nothing short of amazing. If you’d like to learn more about our £1 / 50p on the bill initiative give me a call: 07919 324978.