Sector director at Company of Cooks, Laurent was appointed vice chair of ACE last year and has been a board member since 2022. Laurent automatically takes over the chairmanship this year from predecessor Francois Gautreaux.
Commenting on his appointment Laurent said: “My fellow board members and I are focused on driving ACE to be ready for the next generation coming into the industry, and building on the brilliant foundations established by our former chairs.
“Having hosted previous events in amazing locations. We’ve got some brilliant venues already lined up for our upcoming events to continue providing exciting industry recognition opportunities including our beloved competitions, the ACE Robyns Award and Ready Steady Cook.”
Natalie Mainwaring, brand experience director at BaxterStorey has been appointed vice chair, with new board members including Emma Williams, chief operating officer at Green & Fortune; Rebecca Hawkes, director of sales and events at Searcys; Angela Ward, venues director at Graysons; and Alice Barrett, head of human resources for Restaurant Associates Venues.