Host's chief executive Bill Toner highlights colourful career

He outlined his colourful career in which he held senior and influential roles with the contract catering sector's largest companies, including serving as managing director of Sodexo and chief executive of Aramark. And he told the audience of 200 senior hospitality professionals at the Mandarin Hotel, London that if their companies did not care about corporate social responsibility they should try to persuade them on how to get involved and "make your environment a better place to work." Highlighting the "incredible work" being achieved by the trade's two charities, Toner said: "By supporting Springboard and Hospitality Action we are giving something back. All companies should do this nowadays for it helps all sectors of the trade including newcomers who are the industry's lifeblood." "In our industry, like no other, this is the place to be. This is a fantastic industry and I have enjoyed every single minute of working in it and am still doing so with Host, the national contract catering company, founded in 2004 by entrepreneur Jerry Brand," he said. "Host is a small environmentally friendly independent company with an interest in the right people aiming to be effective in a competitive market, and to deliver the best. We are doing our level best to compete while at the same time enjoying this venture." Arena guests discovered the impact that this lively Scotsman has had on the UK contract catering scene over the years; hearing that, in a changing market he decided to retire from the industry in 2005, and was then lured back five years later with an "exciting offer" from Brand which he found hard to refuse.