CEO Today United Kingdom Awards

www.ceotodaymagazine.com 22 CEO Today United Kingdom Awards 2018 CHARITY ANNE KINNES CEO of The Black Watch Castle and Museum ABOUT ANNE KINNES Anne Kinnes graduated in 1983 and began her career in Yorkshire in a variety of management roles including a Michelin Star restaurant and a luxury hotel. In 1992 she moved to Scotland and into her position at Scotland’s Larder which at that time was the only Food and Drink based visitor attraction in Scotland. During this time Anne was also Chairperson of Fife Attractions Forum and then Fife Tourism Association; this led to her working with VisitScotland as Strategic Development Manager and latterly Business Product Manager. These two consecutive roles involved managing national strategy in key areas of food and drink, rural access and transport. Anne’s passion for tourism and hospitality led her to become a Springboard Ambassador for which she was nationally recognised. She continues to work with Springboard through visiting schools to inspire the next generation of tourism and hospitality workers and has joined their mentoring programme. Anne has attended the Disney Institute and is also a licenced trainer. She uses this experience to deliver customer services training in-house and with external companies. She is committed to nurturing staff, developing their skills, cultivating knowledge and enabling them to provide a world class visitor experience. In 2010, Anne moved to Morrison Bowmore Distillers to become Visitor Centre Operations and Development Manager. During her employment across all three distilleries visitor numbers and income generated increased by 32.6% and 42.6% consecutively. Leading a team of over 40 staff Anne was responsible for providing leadership and strategic direction whilst ensuring consistent delivery of world class service to visitors. Anne led the build and renovation of the Bowmore Bistro and acquisition of the Harbour Inn. In January 2015 Anne was appointed CEO at The Black Watch Castle and Museum. Anne’s wealth of knowledge, commitment to Scottish tourism and providing exceptional experiences has been the driving force behind the growth and successes achieved since her arrival. Anne has chaired a judging panel for VisitScotland’s Thistle Awards for the past 3 years and is a director of the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions. In 2016 Anne was named No. 4 in the Courier Impact 100 list for her role in bringing the Poppies: Weeping Window sculpture by Paul Cumming artist and Tom Piper designer to Perth. Since joining The Black Watch Castle and Museum Anne has led her team to achieve a succession of prestigious regional and national industry awards. FIRM PROFILE The Black Watch Castle and Museum is a 5 star multi-award winning visitor attraction located in the beautiful city of Perth, Scotland. The venue comprises of The Black Watch Museum, Café, Gift Shop and learning and access programme. The Black Watch Museum is housed within the historic Balhousie Castle, the origins of which are said to date back to the 12th century. A visit to the ancestral Home of The Black Watch brings the history of Scotland’s oldest Highland Regiment to life, through artefacts, paintings, photographs, personal stories and interactive displays. The Castle Café provides a high-end informal dining experience with professional, friendly table service. The seasonal menu offers an appealing selection of meals, snacks, soups, desserts and afternoon tea created with quality ingredients of local provenance. The popular Castle Gift Shop showcases a range of quality gifts, regimental memorabilia and branded products with an emphasis on providing an enjoyable shopping experience within a Scottish Castle. The organisation is committed to using the educational potential of The Black Watch Museum to create and provide inspiring learning experiences for all. The learning programme provides a range of engaging and interactive workshops for primary and secondary school aged children that are linked to the Curriculum for Excellence. This distinguished heritage venue is a unique and compelling location which can also host weddings, offer private dining, exclusive use of the Castle, as well as, group and bespoke tours. CONTACT E: anne@theblackwatch.co.uk T: 01738 638152 W: www.theblackwatch.co.uk