SCOTLAND PANEL
MICHELLE HAZLEWOOD
Michelle is a Partner at John Gaunt & Partners having joined the company in 2000. She is a specialist Licensing Solicitor, focusing on the Licensing Act 2003. Michelle has a wealth of experience in relation to all aspects of the leisure industry, especially the licensing of brown and greenfield sites. She has provided advice and represented many clients at difficult reviews during her time at John Gaunt.
Michelle is the Vice-Chair of the PICA-Service.
KENNETH MACKENZIE
Kenny has operated within the hospitality industry for over 40 years. He has worked for Stakis Hotels and Restaurants in UK wide locations and for two seasons at Gleneagles Hotel . He worked as a GM for Allied Domecq Inns becoming an Area Manager within L+T after 5 years. He has also worked with Punch Taverns before joining Belhaven and subsequently Greene King. He made moved into Managed Houses as an Ops Director in 2007. He has extensive L+T experience and Managed Partnerships agreements.
His most recent position was Regional Director for the Greene King Pubs business in Scotland and the North of England with 150 sites and 2500 colleagues. He was a Trustee of the Scottish Licensed Trade Benevolent Fund for four years and Chairman of the Lanarkshire Licensing Forum for two years.
AUDREY JUNNER
Audrey is a Partner at Hill Brown Licensing a Division of Miller Samuel Hill Brown Solicitors LLP where she heads up the Licensing Department. Audrey has specialised solely in licensing law for over a decade and has experience across all industry sectors. She represents both independent and multiple operators from the on and off trade across Scotland in all matters connected with gambling, liquor and civic licensing.
ROBERT SHEPHERD
Robert began his career in hospitality in the early 1980s managing various venues ranging from traditional community pubs to city centre destination bars.
He was also bar manager at the Edinburgh Sheraton Hotel. At that time, Robert was Area Secretary for the East of Scotland branch of the United Kingdom Bartenders Guild and competed successfully in IBA cocktail competitions – winning the UK Martini Grand Prix in the process. After a few years in marketing, Robert returned to his first love of hospitality in 2018 as tenant of the Belhaven owned Thistle Street Bar in Edinburgh. In 2021 he was the first licensee in Scotland to become a Greene King franchisee with the famous Mather’s bar in Broughton Street on the east side of Edinburgh.
JO GRAHAM
Jo has a wealth of experience within the Licensed Trade and Hospitality sector, helping businesses to enhance performance and profitability by effective people and business management. She has owned and operated licensed premises so has a number of years hands-on experience in the trade.
Jo is also an experienced trainer, delivering practical, effective solutions using her experience to ensure her training is credible and relevant.
Jo is Managing Director of The Whisky Ambassador and is passionate about all things whisky and the contribution this can make to business success. Jo is the Chair for BII in Scotland and spends her spare time, what there is of it, sitting on the Children’s Panel, being a leader within the Scout Organisation and with family and friends. She enjoys travelling and keeps fit by walking the dog, horse riding and swimming.
SUE ALLEN
Sue has over 35 years’ trade experience within UK brewers and pub operations and was formerly President of the Scottish BEN charity and the Scottish Beer and Pub Association.
Formerly Commercial & Membership Director at the BII, Sue now runs her own licensed hospitality training company, providing front of house staff training, BDM & Area Manager coaching and helping to re-launch pubs throughout the UK following investment.
