Sam Lee

Experience

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  Forte Posthouse

  Jan 1997 - Jan 1999

  Deputy General Manager
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  Grosvenor House, A JW Marriott Hotel

  Jan 1999 - Jan 2001

  Liquor Manager - Conference and Banqueting
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  Kensington Moat House Hotel / Elstree Moat House

  Jan 2001 - Jan 2004

  Operating a 90 room hotel, 60 seater restaurant, 50 seater lounge bar, three Conference and Banqueting Suites.

  • General Manager

    Jan 2002 - Jan 2004

  • Deputy General Manager

    Jan 2001 - Jan 2002
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  Tate Britain Gallery

  Jan 2005 - Jan 2006

  Operations Manager

  Fully responsible for all catering outlets at Tate Britain including the Rex Whistler fine dining restaurant, specialising in British cuisine and an award winning wine list, 152 seater cafe and various kiosks.

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  Sanderson Hotel, Morgans Hotel Group

  Jan 2006 - Jan 2009

  Bars Manager
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  Virgin Limited Edition, The Roof Gardens and Babylon Restaurant

  Jan 2009 - Feb 2018

  General Manager

  - Deputy General Manager (2009 – 2011)For nearly 10 years, I was charged with overseeing the development and growth of this multi-purpose and award-winning venue that included an Events and Private members Club, the Babylon Restaurant and The Roof Gardens Venue with a capacity of 500. To uphold reputation and prestige as the ‘go-to’ venue in London, I coordinated high-profile celebrations and utilised effective PR techniques to boost awareness and cultivate new customers. In order to sustain its growth, I directed a team of 16 Heads of department and 200 personnel to understand budget limitations and formulate strategies. This also enabled me to introduce some creative initiative in collaboration with Sales, Marketing, PR and Operations teams to solidify brand credibility and market position. This tenacious approach led to increased turnovers from £9m to £11.9m.Some notable achievements include:✔ Achieved 3 Star SRA rating and was nominated for a Catey under ‘Sustainability’✔ Best Medium Group Restaurant Employer 2013 (runner-up 2015, shortlisted 2016)✔ Best Bar None Award 2008, 2012 & 2015✔ Awarded Bronze Medal at Chelsea Flower Show Show less

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  House of Retro Rabbit

  Feb 2018 - Oct 2019

  Director / Hospitality Consultant

  Clients: Revelry / Partisan, Edu / La Nonna, Market HallFor these select clients, I was asked to support their development and growth by identifying new opportunities and restructure existing practices to enhance operational efficiencies and reduce costs.✔ Conceptualised and proposed a 5-year business plan for Revelry / Partisan to highlight CAPEX spend and team structures that will maximise the launch of new concepts.✔ For Edu / La Nonna, I was successfully trained staff on policies and standards while sourcing suppliers that complimented concepts and supported expansion plans. ✔ To effectively implement a ‘grass root’ design for a market hall concept within the creative district in London, I recommended the best venue layouts and introduced a more artsy feel to attract specific audiences. Show less

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  Partisan LTD

  Aug 2019 - Apr 2020

  Director Of Operations

  After establishing strong connections with the owners of the company, I was asked to join the team as Operations Director to support the development of an upcoming social entertainment site in the heart of London. To achieve this, I created a 5-year budget plan and strategies that outlined operational costs and identified the need for additional investment to guarantee development. Since this was a new venture, I needed to create a brand identity and drafted concepts that used more modern influences and encapsulated the venue’s image, appealing to younger audiences. I defined objectives for marketing teams and designers while liaising with interior designers to ensure briefs were followed. In addition to the physical designing and operational functions of the business, I was actively involved with procuring licencing agreements for late-night venues. By engaging with legal teams and the Police, I was able to develop licencing packs that outlined protocols and presented the plans to the Board for approval. Show less

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  ISS A/S for EY

  Aug 2021 - Aug 2022

  Project Manager/ Workplace Experience Lead

  Develop and implement the future workplace design and experience strategy • Developed service designs that complement technology, hybrid working and varying physical office typologies and uses • Created, design, implementation and review various pilot programs and new initiatives across workplace delivery driving continuous improvement from customer and user group feedback and forums • Managing senior customer and stakeholder relationships • Produced Service Fulfilment Plans, Operational Playbooks, Standard Operating Procedures and Training documents• Reviewed office redesign and refit of 4 sites in London, Glasgow and Birmingham to incorporate hybrid and collaboration working including a refit of the Food and Beverage areas • Engaging with wider stakeholders and ensure optimal buy-in into the workplace experience strategy• Working with client design teams and project leads to anticipate future service experience • Managing a budget of 35M• Strategized comms and marketing for the project• Managing senior customer and stakeholder relationships• To produce Service Fulfilment Plans, training plans and SOP’s• Oversee construction, risk management, scope of works• Oversee operational roll out of the sites• Data capture and analysis to advise key stakeholders on future CAPEX roll out for other sites Show less

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  Thames Luxury Charters/ Oceandiva shipping LTD

  May 2022 - now

  Managing Director/ Project manager

  Transitional takeover for Thames Luxury Charters • Oversee all aspects of the Thames Luxury Charters events fleet business• Implementation and review brand and marketing • Project management and delivery of a new vessel for the UK• Ship licensing and premises licensing* Health and Safety for Fleets* Finance management* Pier management and logistics• Reviewed all aspects of existing aspects of the Thames Luxury Charters events fleet including finance, HR and business development and catering aspects, managing a team of 60• Rebrand and marketing alignment*. Review of systems and processes and integration of new technologies* Sustainability management, electrical infrastructure roll out• Project delivery• Budget and finance reporting for Ocean Diva and Thames Luxury Charters• Engaging with wider stakeholders for the ship build, snagging and delivery of the vessel• Budget management of circa 25 million ship build from the UK branch• Client management with Smart Group as the key operators for the new Ocean Diva vessel• Legal management including Premises licence, Ship licences• Managing stakeholder relationships in the UK and Holland• Roll out of Service Fulfilment Plans, training plans and SOP’s Show less