Influential Businesswoman Awards 2024, Acquisition International | 43 Hospitality Businesswoman of the Year 2024 (South East England): Holly Saunders commercial trading arm of the Rothschild Foundation, Rothschild Waddesdon Ltd hosts luxury private events through its boutique hotel, The Five Arrows. Specialising in weddings, the hotel has become a worldwide attraction, bringing in brides and grooms from across the globe, eager to experience that which has been called extraordinary. Of course, it also caters to locals and weekend getaway guests, with all profits feeding right back into the foundation it operates under. Holly has been leading her team at Rothschild Waddesdon Ltd now for nearly four years, capitalising on a skillset born from hard work, tested experience, honesty, diligence, and a people-focused outlook. “I believe that knowing your people is the key attribute to succeeding. Looking after your teams and having their trust means that they have your back when you need it. I believe that being genuine is key. People will follow you if they believe in you. I wouldn’t have succeeded in this current role if I hadn’t had that. I am incredibly proud of my team and have always made it the main priority to nurture, develop, support, and lead them in order to succeed.” With this foundation in mind, Holly’s focus for the future is on consistent, sustainable growth, with the near future heralding another property to join The Five Arrows and expand on the team’s already impressive offerings. “The aim is for us to keep building year on year. We have created super foundations, and now our business is beginning to grow firmly in the direction that we want it to go in. We are renovating a pub in the village, which will open in the autumn and be the sister property of The Five Arrows hotel. “In terms of private events, we were delighted to be the host venue of Fantasia III in March, a floral masterclass by globally renowned floral artist Amie Bone, which culminated in a gala dinner where the top industry players from around the world attended. We hope that this will really put us on the world stage as an events venue!” I aim to create a working environment where everyone feels able to be themselves and enjoy their work. I find it makes for a happier place to be, and you then get the best from people. Unlike many other industries, hospitality remains one of the most open to women, and indeed can be described as ‘women-dominant’, at the very least outside of leadership positions. Even when the latter isn’t true, the landscape is constantly in shift and the scales are moving towards an equilibrium. For Holly, moving from an environment dominated by men to her current position was refreshing, offering opportunity to collaborate with link-minded women in her day-to-day responsibilities. “Hospitality is renowned for being a career that is chosen because it’s sociable, and people orientated. My speciality of private events sees a lot of highly organised, creative women that stay calm under pressure. In most cases, as a woman, you tend to still be outnumbered by men the higher up the ladder you go. I think time and experience in these situations makes them less daunting, but confidence and power dressing for any important meeting has always helped.” Ultimately, Holly is planning on starting a family while balancing the needs of her career. “I hope to be able to start a family of my own one day and manage my career alongside being a mother. I have worked hard for my career but look forward to adapting that to try and do both, like many of my friends and colleagues.” Under Rothschild Waddesdon Ltd, and working alongside her highly capable team, the future looks incredibly bright for Holly and The Five Arrows. Company Name: Rothschild Waddesdon Ltd Contact Name: Holly Saunders Address: Rothschild Waddesdon Ltd, Windmill Hill, Silk St, Waddesdon, Bucks, HP18 0JZ Web Address: https://www.waddesdonenterprises.co.uk Contact Email: [email protected] Telephone Number: 07725342279 Success in hospitality demands a dedication to excellence, partnered with an understanding of what makes something memorable. Special. It’s about exceeding expectations and knowing just what your customer wants. This is especially true for the luxury sector. Working under Rothschild Waddesdon Ltd, part of the Rothschild Foundation, Holly Saunders has excelled in the hospitality space. We spoke with Holly to find out how she has thrives in this ever-shifting industry. A “ ”
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