Kate Nicholls is Chief Executive of UK Hospitality, the leading trade body representing pubs, bars and casual dining businesses. She has worked with the Association since 1998, initially as an external consultant and subsequently with in-house responsibility for public affairs and communications since 2003. She was appointed Strategic Affairs Director in 2010, to the Board in 2013 and was appointed Chief Executive in September 2014.

After gaining a degree in English and a post-graduate diploma in competition law, Kate worked as a researcher in the House of Commons and European Parliament before joining Whitbread as Government Relations Manager within the Strategic Affairs Department, advising the Board on political matters and M&A activity. Kate was Associate Director at one of the largest independent public affairs companies – heading up the Competition & Consumer Affairs Unit – before establishing her own strategic communications consultancy in 2000.