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William Drew
Director of Content
William is the Director of Content at 50 Best. He was a journalist and editor for more than two decades, spanning business-to-business and consumer magazines, as well as national newspapers. He is a former editor of style magazine Arena and continues to write and comment on food and restaurants in the UK and international media. He oversees all content and communications at 50 Best, including the creation of the lists, talent liaison and digital output, and is a spokesperson for the brand.
Rikki Tidball
Operations Director
After nine years helping to organise The World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards, since 2019 Rikki has been heading up the operations team full-time to manage the global 50 Best events programmes. A long-serving member of the William Reed team, she previously worked on business events across the portfolio, from the UK's National Restaurant Awards and Publican Awards to international study tours in Copenhagen, Cannes and Chicago. Fun-loving but ferociously well-organised, Rikki has a passion for all things logistics- and operations-focused.
Roger Betriu
Group Partnerships Director
Roger joined the 50 Best portfolio after The World’s 50 Best Bars became part of William Reed in 2017. Roger was the Commercial Director for hospitality, the wine and spirits magazine and events at Drinks International. He has over 10 years of experience in marketing and sales in the publishing sector and played a key role in the creation of The World’s 50 Best Bars brand. Originally from Barcelona, he has previously held roles in the aviation, hospitality and drink sectors.
Jo Wattar
Digital Development Director
Jo joined 50 Best in 2022 as Digital Development Director. She brings to the role 14 years’ experience within William Reed’s UK hospitality division, where she led the brand's portfolio of magazines, websites and events as publisher of Restaurant magazine, including the National Restaurant Awards. When not in front of a screen, she can be found out and about with her family and friends and doing her best to tick as many restaurants and bars off her (never-ending) wish list.
Erica Schecter
Director of PR
Erica joined the team in 2021 with more than a decade of public relations agency experience, having worked with a range of hospitality clients from small independent venues to large restaurant groups, hotels and chef personalities, always with a strong focus on F&B. Having worked in both New York and London, Erica has developed and implemented successful global communications strategies and holds extensive international media contacts.
Emma Sleight
Head of Content: Bars & Hotels
Emma joined the 50 Best team in 2023 as Head of Content for Bars and Hotels, based in the UK. She has extensive experience as a journalist, editor and content consultant, including as head of food & drink content at Marks & Spencer for eight years leading its food photography, social media, content partnerships and editorial creative. A recipe developer and writer, she is also a cocktail aficionado, trained sommelier, Associate of Cheese and runs marathons around the world raising money as a trustee for education charity Bright Sparks that provides free education to some of India’s poorest children.
Faye Huggett
Head of Partnerships
Faye joined the 50 Best team in 2024 as Head of Partnerships for Restaurants after nearly two decades of strategic partnerships experience in financial services and hospitality technology. Her career included managing multi-year event sponsorships, working with chefs on private dinner series, delivering consumer presales for globally renowned music artists and even the production of the odd music festival or two. In her spare time, she loves to travel the world as often as possible to satisfy her thirst for culinary knowledge with her family, friends, and a good book in hand.
Felix Barlow
Head of Partnerships - 50 Best Hotels
Felix joined the team in 2024 as the Head of Partnerships for 50 Best Hotels, bringing with him more than 20 years of experience in media and events in the travel retail and yachting industries. Having held senior roles in these markets, Felix honed his customer-centric approach working with luxury brands on complex multi-platform campaigns and partnerships. As a nature lover, his perfect day includes cycling or skiing in the Alps, finishing with a fine dining meal with his family.
Clelia Di Casola
Group Marketing Manager
Clelia joined the team in 2021 as Group Marketing Manager, ready to take the reins on promoting 50 Best events around the world. Over the last 12 years, her hospitality experience has spanned marketing, project management, business development and restaurant operations. Clelia has worked to create and nurture successful F&B brands, defined by quality and consistency. Her passions are dining, hospitality and the community and culture that surrounds them.
Bethany Hamilton
Social Media Manager
Bethany – or Beth as she is known within the team – brings more than 15 years’ experience in the food and beverage industry to 50 Best. Her background includes expertise in digital technology, hospitality and event management in interaction-focused bars. As the Group Social Media Manager, Beth oversees the social media team, focusing on increasing brand visibility through strategic social media campaigns, compelling content creation and fostering online community engagement. In her personal time, she enjoys travelling to new cities and participating in food tours to sample unique local specialities and cocktails.
Lex Driver
Group Operations Manager
Lex joined the team in November 2023 as Group Operations Manager bringing 20 years of hospitality and large-scale event delivery experience to the team. She has a background in venue management and festivals and a passion for travel. In her spare time, you can found her exploring new restaurants and bars, or cooking some delicacies at home.
Rachael Hogg
Senior Content Editor
Rachael joined the 50 Best team in 2024 as Senior Content Editor. She started out as an automotive journalist, and spent years at AutoTrader, where she presented the first all-women car review series. Making the move from driving to dining, she was editor of FoodTribe and online editor at M&S, launching the brand’s recipe site and developing a cookbook’s worth of dishes and drinks. In her spare time, she is busy working towards her level 3 WSETs and putting her music degree to good use playing piano and saxophone.
Josh Ong
Senior Content Creator
Josh joined the 50 Best team in August 2022 to create editorial for the 50 Best website and events, with a focus on the bars and hotels brands. Prior to joining 50 Best, he worked at Business Insider on lifestyle content and gained experience at food magazines while studying for an MA in Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. Food, drink and travel have always been his major passions, and he spends most of his time in his kitchen or eating his way around cities.
Imogen Taylor
Senior Event Manager (parental leave)
Imogen joined the 50 Best team in 2021 to work across the 50 Best portfolio as Senior Event Manager. She brings to the role her experience working as a theatrical stage manager in New York and has a strong background in producing large-scale, public-facing events in London. With a keen eye for artistic detail, Imogen brings her creative flare to 50 Best's international events portfolio. In her free time, you’ll find her busy running a side hustle – a small loungewear company – swimming in the sea or cooking.
Florence DeCarteret
Senior Event Manager
Florence – or Flo as she’s known within the team – is 50 Best’s Senior Event Manager, dedicated to delivering the brand’s portfolio of global events. After studying marketing and fashion at university, she joined the William Reed hospitality team working on UK food and drinks events such as Publican Awards, Top 50 Gastropubs and Top 50 Cocktail Bars. In her free time, she volunteers to support mental health in the company and beyond, or looks out for the latest fashion items online.
Marisa Cannon
Senior Digital Editor
Marisa joined 50 Best in 2024 as the brand’s Senior Digital Editor. With more than 10 years’ experience, she’s worked as an editor for British Airways, Mandarin Oriental and Jaguar Land Rover, covering business, travel and luxury. She’s also written for CNN Travel, Conde Nast Traveller, National Geographic Traveller, Eurostar’s Metropolitan magazine and many more. When she’s not at her keyboard, she loves shopping for second-hand clothes, wild swimming and ordering takeaways.
Max Barnes
Multimedia Production Lead
Max joined the 50 Best team in 2024 as the Multimedia Production Lead, combining his main passions in life: food and drink with video and photography production. He has more than 10 years of experience in creating multimedia content for broadcast television and digital content platforms, such as the BBC. In his spare time, Max loves nothing more than experiencing great food in good company and exploring the world with his lovely family.
Alex Pickles
Events Manager
Alex is an event manager with over 10 years of expertise in the hospitality, corporate and public sectors. In 2024, she joined 50 Best as an event manager after her tenure at IWC. Passionate about boxing and kickboxing, she recently earned her red belt. Outside of work, you can find Alex in the boxing ring or enjoying a cocktail with friends, balancing her love for fitness and socialising.
Samuel Behr
Partnerships Manager - Restaurants
Sam joined the 50 Best team in 2024. He focuses on expanding global partnerships and ensuring alignment with the brand image. With a background in Hospitality and Restaurant Management, he has held various sales, account management and partnership roles in the hospitality and tech industries. Sam is also an avid foodie and previously worked for Pierre Hermé the World’s Best Pastry Chef 2016, where he developed operations in the UK and indulged in his love for macarons.
Sam McKay
Senior Partnerships Account Manager
Sam joined 50 Best team in 2023, with a vast experience in Partnerships and event. He brings with him a background in international marketing, sport, sustainability and content. Sam leads the Partnerships Account Management Team, on the Operations side of 50 Best, building relationships with commercial partners and host destinations, and delivering their dynamic brand presences at our events. He is an impassioned gastronome, an inquisitive traveller, and an admirer of first-rate bars and unique hospitality experiences.
Laura Crossley
Partnerships Account Manager
Laura joined the team in July 2023 as one of our Partnerships Account Managers. With a strong background in client services and operations, she is dedicated to working with partners to ensure they have the best experience sponsoring 50 Best events. With a deep passion for exploring new cultures, she went travelling around Asia the day after she turned 18 and worked during two ski seasons in the French Alps. In her spare time, you will find her discovering new places to eat or seated at the hottest cocktail bar in town with an espresso martini or a glass of bubbles in hand.
Clara Reitze
Deputy Social Media Manager
Clara joined 50 Best in June 2022 as part of the social media team, helping grow the brand’s accounts by creating engaging content, monitoring the online community and covering live events. A member of William Reed since 2019, she left a role in marketing to pursue her burning passion for food and drink. Clara is always on the look-out for the next city break to discover the newest cocktail bars and restaurants. In her free time, you might find her on a pilates mat, hunting for London's best pastry or sipping on a spicy margarita or two.
Tasia Goodwin
Assistant Producer
A member of the team since January 2024, Tasia previously worked in a production house as a Producer for short-form content, including food and drink adverts for TV. She joined the 50 Best team to pursue her passion for finding the best food, drink and hospitality in the industry and helping to spread the word through video content. She loves good food and trying the latest concoctions mustered up from master cocktail makers. Her passions lie in visiting new places, especially islands or any city close to the sea.
Alex Groce
Senior Social Media Executive
Alex joined the 50 Best team in May 2023, and has since been assisting the social team with content creation and campaign execution for all aspects of 50 Best. An enthusiastic traveller, she is originally from the U.S., but now lives in London and loves to spend her time exploring the U.K. and the world. With a passion for the bar and restaurant scene, you can usually find her trying the latest food stall or supper club she’s come across. When not exploring and eating, she likes to play video games or watch films curled up on the sofa, with a hot mug of tea in hand.
Sherita Tuntirattanasoontorn
PR Account Executive
A member of the team since September 2022, Sherita was a marketer prior to becoming 50 Best’s PR Account Executive, supporting Erica across the company portfolio. The author of a paper on communicating sustainability through ethical restaurant practices, she’s a food enthusiast who can talk endlessly about a simple dish or her new favourite restaurant. Having grown up in Bangkok, she had the chance to closely observe the evolution of the city’s bustling food scene – but also spent a few years in France and a good amount of time travelling the world, tasting and discovering new cuisines.
Clarissa Mason
Senior Marketing Executive
Clarissa started at 50 Best as a Senior Marketing Executive in early 2024. She is bringing her rich background in luxury hotels, hospitality, and event management. Originally from Mauritius, she has lived in Australia and London, adding a global perspective to her role. Clarissa is passionate about travel and always eager to discover new countries and cultures. Outside of work, she enjoys fitness, cooking, trying new restaurants, and spending time by the ocean.
Grace Mallinder
Social Media Executive
Looking to combine her passions for social media and her love for food and drink, Grace joined the team in September 2023. She brings to the role her experience working in social media with some of the UK’s most loved brands. When not scrolling through her socials, looking for the latest trends and the next travel destination to add to her bucket list, you’ll find her down at the stables with her horses.
Emma Whiteley
Guest Experience Executive
Emma joined 50 Best in January 2024 as Operations Administrator, supporting the organisation and coordination of the team. Also studying for a BA degree in Geography alongside working at 50 Best, Emma enjoys learning about different cultures around the world, especially how these are intertwined in the food and drink industry. In her free time, Emma loves to play hockey, explore new places and tackle adventurous hikes.
Lucy Keane
Operations Assistant
Lucy joined the team in 2024 as an Operations Assistant. She brings to the role a decade of experience in the hospitality, furniture, insurance and retail sectors. With a passion for the Bar and Restaurant scene, Lucy had an eye on 50 Best for years and was elated to become a part of the 50 Best team. Despite being raised in the UK, Lucy is a proud Bermudian and in her spare time, can often be found hosting game nights, writing songs, or curled up on the sofa watching a good movie.
Robert Proctor
William Reed Company Secretary and General Counsel
+44 (0) 1293 610401Sergey Kvitkin
William Reed Data Protection Officer
+44 (0)1293 610323
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