Andrew Bapniah has a wealth of experience across all areas of Chester Boyd having joined in 1993 as a catering supervisor, after originally training in accountancy. His natural talent for account management of the Livery companies and other key clients, including Barclays Capital, Deustche Bank and JP Morgan was soon recognised and he rapidly rose through the ranks, becoming General Manager in 1998 and Operations Manager in 2005.

His in-depth knowledge of the business meant he oversaw the smooth running of Farmers’ & Fletchers’ Hall in the year HRH The Princess Royal was in office as Master of the Farmers’ Company. He was also responsible for the Barclays Capital Hospitality Suite at Loch Lomond Scottish Golf Open Championship in 2004.

In 2007, Andrew was nominated for a prestigious Manager of the Year Catey Award and in 2008 won the Charlton House Excellence Award for Commercial Performance.

His duties include the daily operation of a group of city conference & events contracts. He formulates revenue cost and profit forecasts, motivates his teams and develops new business.

He is an ardent driver of change and improvements, ensuring that the needs of all Chester Boyd clients are continually met and surpassed.

Peter Martin has a long association with catering in the City. He joined CHandCo when they successfully won the catering contract for the Mansion House in 2010. Peter spent four years as General Catering Manager at the Mansion House, before becoming an Operations Manager for Chester Boyd in the summer of 2011. Peter now looks after the Mansion House, Clothworkers’ Hall and Goldsmiths’ Hall.

Peter has a strong awareness of The Cities’ traditions as a result of the 15 years he spent working for Party Ingredients prior to joining CH&Co. During this time he was responsible for numerous banquets at the Guildhall, including the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, the Queen Mother’s 100th Birthday celebrations and five Lord Mayor Banquets.

Peter lives in South London, with his wife and three children. His hobbies include running and football, although most of his spare time is now taken up with supporting his children in their own sports.

Karen Poynter joined Chester Boyd in 2000 where her talent and dedication were rewarded with her appointment to Head Chef of Haberdashers’ Hall and then her current role of Home Venue’s Executive Chef. Karen looks after nine Livery Halls and works tirelessly to ensure her team of chefs are passionate about the food that they serve, while their recipes and techniques continue to evolve and challenge expectations of what a Livery Hall might provide.

Prior to joining Chester Boyd, Karen spent seven years aboard the QE2, where she cooked for a host of eminent guests including, most memorably, Nelson Mandela. After sailing around the world seven times and working up from Commis to Chef de Cuisine, Karen felt it was time to return to solid ground. Meeting with the Head Chef and Head of Marketing at Chester Boyd, Karen was delighted by the passion for food and company loyalty they displayed and knew she had found the best place to showcase her talents. 

Highlights of Karen’s career at Chester Boyd include the many state banquets she has worked, the garden parties she has never missed and the three times she has met the Queen. Since its opening in 2002, Haberdashers’ Hall has held a special place in Karen’s heart and her food reflects this: echoing the tradition and history of the Livery Hall but balanced by exciting modern twists and touches.

Looking forward, Karen wants to see the kitchens of Chester Boyd push forward with dishes which reinvent old classics. She believes that the time is ripe to revive lost culinary arts and ensure that taste and flavour re-establish themselves as the top priority in the kitchen. 

Kate McIntosh joined Chester Boyd eight years ago and has been the driving force behind the development of It’s The Agency, who are responsible for managing the event diaries and the marketing for all of the Chester Boyd venues.
 
Kate’s passion for events developed as a result of her leisure and hospitality degree and then during her time spent working as an event-coordinator at a private members golf club, but it was the outstanding reputation that Chester Boyd has in the City that attracted Kate to Chester Boyd.

During her time at Chester Boyd and It’s The Agency Kate has seen a strong growth in the type of events held at Livery Halls. From dogs running amok on the lawn at a Dog Trust event at Haberdashers’, to Vivienne Westwood at Goldsmiths’ during London Fashion week, there is now much more production and theatre seen at events with the Chester Boyd managers continually enhancing creativity and flair.

Kate looks forward to continuing to work with the Chester Boyd team to drive an exceptional event experience through a passion and commitment that is transpired through to every guest that visits the venues. She has played a key role in developing the envied partnership of trust and understanding between It’s The Agency and Chester Boyd and will continue to challenge the Livery, whilst recognising that tradition and quality are paramount.

Paul Jackson was appointed as Operations Director at Chester Boyd in 2008 and has been Divisional Managing Director at CH&Co since 2000. He is responsible for exceptional food and service delivery and has a supremely creative talent for combining the traditional with the contemporary.

Prior to joining the company, Paul gained an impressive wealth of experience in the luxury and Five Star sphere, including working at the highly esteemed Cliveden Hotel in Berkshire. He also ran his own restaurants in London and has high a level of training and proficiency in the field.
 
He now oversees a number of prestigious contracts, including HM Treasury, Buckingham Palace Garden Parties, the Mansion House and many of the City of London Livery Halls operated by Chester Boyd. Paul’s vast knowledge of this sophisticated arena enables him to fully understand the superlative levels of food and service required by Chester Boyd clients.

He has a keen eye for detail, settles only for the highest standards from his staff, and possesses the personal communication skills required to build responsible teams who are passionate about their business.

Alison Tyler began her career within the City of London Livery Halls. Twenty-five years on, she is delighted to say that she is back serving the Livery Companies in her capacity as CEO of Chester Boyd, now part of the CH&Co group.

In June 2004, Alison was appointed Managing Director of CH&Co with particular responsibility for business development and in January 2012 was appointed CEO for the commercial portfolio of CH&Co, including caterers Chester Boyd and Ampersand.