Award Committee »
More information about our judging panel is shown below.
JASON GALE
Creator of the London Lifestyle Awards and Handmade UK
Jason Gale Managing Director of Handmade UK a integrated PR company and the creator of the London Lifestyle Awards.
“I believe we live and work in the greatest city in the world, leading the field in many of our lifestyle industries. This should be celebrated and those who make this happen rewarded.
The London Lifestyle Awards hopes to become an annual event creating a unique platform for participating industries to come together in one fantastic evening” Jason Gale, founder of bespoke integrated marketing and PR consultancy, Handmade UK, and now the creator of the London Lifestyle Awards.
Born in Hull, Gale moved to London full of ambition and excitement, believing this was where the money was yet always with the intention of returning to his beloved Yorkshire. Little did he know that whilst riding on the number 53 bus through our capital city on a sunny day back in September 1998 that he would fall in love with London and it would become a huge part of him, his life and a path to his success story.
Gale says ‘ I always thought I would come to London but I would only stay for a year or two, make some money and move back to be with friends and family and build a Yorkshire pub empire.’
Gale pursued countless ventures in marketing, promotions, TV and modelling including working with David Beckham, Kelly Brook and a regular on This Morning. The low point came though working for John Menzies when the company were an ‘actor’ short for a planned stunt and Gale, with a certain amount of courage, dressed up in an emu costume alongside his then girlfriend, who had him on a lead, dressed as a Zookeeper, walking around a huge shopping centre for 8 hours.
With a dream in his sights, Gale set up Handmade UK in 2003. Handmade UK, a bespoke lifestyle integrated PR and marketing consultancy, was thought up as Gale saw a gap in the market for a lifestyle agency that effectively communicated their clients’ product, really caring about their clients and genuinely wanting the best for them.
With clients ranging from London venues Molton House, Zebrano and Platform, beauty clients Vita Liberata, jewellery designers and retailers Brilliant Inc. and work over the last year with celebrities such as Sinitta and Toby Anstis, a great bespoke agency has developed looking after a varied bunch but working passionately and closely. He was now happy and particularly delighted to be able to combine his love of London lifestyle businesses such as restaurants, bars and the theatre with his work.
After 5 years of success (2008) at Handmade UK, Gale became to dream a little bit more and the London Lifestyle Awards was thought up. Gale looked around our capital and believed it would be in everyone’s best interest if lifestyle companies worked together more.
“In the same day, I could potentially use two coffee shops, two restaurants and a theatre, a bar or even a club, in between that getting a quick haircut or popping to the gym. I, like many other consumers want to seek out the best businesses in each industry and the London Lifestyle Awards is a great way to do this.”
The London Lifestyle Awards 2010 presented by View London is a celebration of London and the lifestyles within. The aim of the Awards is to honour those whose work has made an outstanding contribution to the ‘London lifestyle’, and who continue to make London what it is by redefining the standards of excellence and diversity throughout London.
SINITTA
Founder of Attinis “the futurology of talent” website
As a child, Sinitta trained at the Russian Ballet School, Legat. In her school holidays she spent time at the Pinapple Studios in Covent Garden with Charles Augand and Arlene Phillips. During that time Choreographer Gillian Gregory cast Sinitta to play Francine in the Rocky Horror Show. Soon after she also performed in the musical, Cats, which led to Sinitta winning roles in several other west-end productions.
It wasn’t long after that Sinitta signed her first record deal in the 80’s and became a hit artist with songs like “So Macho” which stayed in the uk chart for over 9 months. Over the past few years Sinitta has worked with Simon Cowell on all 6 series’ of the uk talent show the X Factor and was a judge on ITV talent search Grease is the word.
Sinitta is the founder of Attinis ‘the futurology of talent site’. For more information please visit www.attinis.com
LUCY TAYLOR
Toptable.com
Since joining toptable more than nine years ago, Lucy’s role has steadily grown within the company and she is now responsible for overseeing all UK and US based restaurants featured on www.toptable.com. Her background includes a BA and CIM diploma in marketing, but it is her passion for food and her wide experience of restaurants that drives her work at toptable. She has seen how the restaurant industry has evolved in Britain over the past decade and is pleased to have been asked to be involved in recognising the great talent and efforts that go into making London one of the most exciting capitals in the world.
MARK O’DONNELL
View London
Mark O’Donnell is the editor of View London (www.viewlondon.co.uk), the award-winning guide to London, which is read by over 1.6 million people every month.
As well as managing a large team of reviewers dedicated to finding the hottest new openings and best kept secrets across the city, Mark helps set the editorial tone and direction for the site through reviews of keynote venues and blogs on pertinent industry trends.
Mark was previously the editor of ATM Magazine, the world’s longest standing drum and bass publication, managed Decks 4 Schools, a charitable project which provided schools and youth centres with music and dance workshops, and built up a credible reputation as a DJ at legendary clubs like The Warehouse Project, Sankeys and Ministry of Sound.
AKASHIA HOOSEIN
London Talent
London Talent is a company set in hospitality set up by Akashia Hoosein. London Talent specialises in investment, head hunting, PR, Accounting, Payroll services, Design and Build and other key industry roles through a team of experienced, well regarded industry specialists assembled and managed by Akashia. www.londontalent.co.uk
Akashia has 20 years hospitality experience in London, New York, Miami and Las Vegas. Her background includes senior management, recruitment, training, development and running operations in leading high end restaurants, bars and clubs. She has worked with industry notables at the infamous Bowery Bar and Chaos simultaneously, eventually becoming a key person in setting up ‘Chaos’ in Miami and their relocation in NYC.
She also includes Cafeteria, V bar (where C4 filmed Las Vegas: Uncovered featuring Akashia ) Lotus NYC, Teatro, The Breakfast group, Sanctum Hotel, Molten House and The Bowery Bar NYC as past clients.
Prior to this Akashia started at the bottom and worked up in all areas of the restaurant trade including the kitchen gaining her 706/1 and 2, and honed her bar skills whilst training with renowned mixologist Alex Turner.
This wealth of experience has provided Akashia with a deep and clear understanding of her clients’ various needs and in the past two years Akashia has placed and worked with Michelin and Rosette venues in a variety of retail food and beverage operations.
She currently chairs the committee for the London Lifestyle Awards and has a range of projects imminently pending from writing for a lifestyle magazine, being a Brand Ambassador and working on creative concepts alongside recruitment.
MARK FULLER
Embassy London
Owner of the world famous celebrity hot spot Embassy London; Mark Fuller is currently gearing up to bring the esteemed club to the Middle East, as Dubai’s very first late-night supper club gets ready to open its doors later this summer at the Grosvenor House Dubai, Tower Two.
After almost 30 years on Embassy London still remains at the forefront of the London celebrity clubbing scene. The members-only venue just can’t seem to stay out of the papers, as it continues to attract a fresh and classy crowd, with a strong mix of A-list celebrities and London fashionistas alike, including high-profile stars such as Kimberley Wyatt of pussycat dolls, David and Victoria Beckham, Madonna and Gwen Stefani.
In addition to his work with Embassy clubs worldwide, Mark Fuller is also renowned within the UK hospitality industry, having worked with esteemed culinary legend Marco Pierre White on the opening of the Sugar Reef restaurant in 2000 and Red Cube Bar & Grill in 2002 in central London. Shortly after opening, both venues soon became two of the most popular nightspots in London, with former Michelin-starred chef Gary Hollihead at the helm. The dynamic duo later sold the restaurants for £7.5m.
In 2003 Mark joined forces with Iron Maiden manager and chairman of Sanctuary Music Group Andy Taylor to form Concept Venues. They went on to open Inn on the Green in Cookham Dean, Berkshire, a fine dining restaurant and hotel, before buying and refurbishing upmarket fish and chips restaurant Geales in Chelsea in 2007. Shortly after, both partners embarked on their most ambitious project yet, opening the five star, £10 million boutique private member’s hotel Soho Sanctum in March 2009, which continues to be a roaring success, attracting both home grown and global stars from all over the world.
Mark Fuller also has close ties to the UK Royal family, having worked with The Prince’s Trust events in Hyde Park since its inception. In 2007 Mark was specifically asked by Princes Harry and William to do the backstage VIP hospitality at the Diana Memorial Concert at Wembley Stadium. Mark regularly runs the VIP hospitality for high profile concerts such as Live8 and Live Earth, in addition to prominent music festivals including Hard Rock Calling, Wireless, Sonisphere and Download to name but a few.
In addition to The Prince’s Trust, Mark is heavily involved with a number of other charitable organisations including Shooting Stars; a Children’s Hospice charity which provides care and support to children and young people living with a life-limiting condition and Help for Heroes, a Charity that supports wounded soldiers. He also regularly holds charity dinners in his venues for Nordoff Robbins – a charity which uses music therapy to help learning in children and adults. This charity is close to Mark’s heart as he has a love for music and enjoys working with charities that are hands-on and demonstrate highly successful results.
ARIANE BUTEUX
Entertainment News
Ariane Buteux is Editor at Large for The Profile Group’s suite of forward planning titles, including the UK’s leading celebrity and lifestyle diary Entertainment News.
Featuring thousands of exclusive events and opportunities across the UK and US at any one time, Entertainment News prides itself on being the first port of call for media professionals working within the showbiz and entertainment industries.
Ariane also works across celebrity contacts directory Red Pages and fashion and beauty insider bible Fashion Monitor, with well-placed contacts across the capital allowing her to keep a close eye on all the latest goings on; from news and trends to launches, hotspots and industry behaviour.
She has also written for numerous celebrity and entertainment titles, frequents the West End as a reviewer for BroadwayWorld.com and has been a regular contributor to the Itchy City Guides and Brighton’s Insight City News.
