Trust catering boss Iain Robertson has been named one of the 20 most influential people in the business.
Public Sector Catering magazine listed Iain in their 2024 top 20 most influential individuals in the food service industry after he was chosen by an independent panel of judges.
Former NHS chef Iain joined Solent NHS Trust as catering operations manager five years ago. The organisation has since become part of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. Iain’s demanding role includes leading the catering provision for patients as well as retail outlets across several sites.
Earlier this year, he introduced blue crockery at Solent’s community hospitals after trials showed it cut food waste by 20%. The scheme has since won an NHS award for excellence in waste management. In April 2024, Iain became chair of the prestigious Hospital Caterers Association (HCA), a national body which influences government policy on hospital food.
He has pledged to make the organisation more inclusive by attracting the next generation of caterers and leaders to ensure it is truly representative of the industry.
Iain, who began his NHS career in Dorset in 1999, said: “I am honoured to appear on this list alongside some truly amazing industry colleagues.”
Mark Young, Deputy Director of Estates and Facilities, said: “Iain very much deserves to feature on this list. His passion for NHS catering and improvement has always shone through, and it is great to see this recognised at a national level.”