The aims of the Company are:
- The perpetuation and enhancement of the Company, its spirit, financial strength and Hall;
- Dedication to charitable giving;
- Support and promotion of excellence in the hotel industry.
The Company is governed by its Court of Assistants, led by the Master and Wardens. The Master and Wardens each hold office for a year from their Installation, which happens on the first Tuesday of each October.
The Clerk, Dr Rebecca Tomlin, is the Company’s CEO, responsible for day to day operations of the Company, along with the Assistant Clerk, Ms Claire Hollinghurst. The Beadle, Mr Andrew Draper, looks after the Hall and is responsible for the ceremonial activities of the Company.
Master & Wardens
The Master
Our Master for 2025-2026 is Sir James Wates CBE.
The Upper Warden
Our Upper Warden for the year 2025-2026 is Mr Andrew McKenzie FIH MI.
The Middle Warden
Our Middle Warden for the year 2025-2026 is Dr Richard Wylde FREng.
The Renter Warden
Our Renter Warden for the year 2025-2026 is Mr Chris Chaplin.
The Court
The Members of Court for the year 2025-26 are listed here:
The Company’s current Procedures and Guidelines may be found here:
WCI Current Procedures and Guidelines 2024
The Company’s Code of Conduct may be found here:
Innholders Code of Conduct 2024
Some current Court Members
The Master and Senior Past Master Michael Wates CBE
L-R Assistant John Beck, Upper Warden Andrew McKenzie, Middle Warden Richard Wylde and Assistant Nigel Fox
L-R Past Master Julia Sibley MBE and Past Master Graeme Groom CMG
L-R Short Term Assistant Oliver Luddington, Short Term Assistant Conrad da Cunha and Assistant Edmund Brandt
L-R Renter Warden Chris Chaplin, Senior Past Master Tony Mellery-Pratt and Senior Past Master on the Court Tony Brighton
Assistant Sean Molony
Past Master Nicholas Rettie and the Renter Warden
Past Master Graeme Groom CMG and Past Master Ian Mullins (with the Beadle Emeritus John Cash MBE)
Assistant Jason Essenhigh (with the Beadle, Andrew Draper)
The Company’s Committees
The Company has various committees which assist the Court to run the Company. These are listed below, with a short summary of the work they each carry out.
Finance & General Purposes Committee
The work of the Finance and General Purposes Committee is fundamental to the management of the Company. Amongst other things, it is responsible for reviewing and monitoring the Company’s entire financial assets, income and liabilities; agreeing annual budgets; monitoring income and expenditure against budgets, preparing the annual accounts for approval by the Court and preparing forecasts of income and expenditure.
Investment Committee
The Investment Committee (made up of members of the Company having specialist expertise in the financial sector) looks after the investments of both the Company and the Innholders’ Charitable Foundation (“ICF”), taking advice from an independent investment management firm (currently Cazenove).
Membership Committee
The Membership Committee is tasked with supporting the Company’s objectives of increasing and sustaining its fellowship, in order to ensure the perpetuation and enhancement of the Company, its spirit, financial strength and the Hall. The Committee does this through the people it recommends to join the Company, who it recommends for promotion, and the ways in which it supports communication with, and engagement of, the Company’s members.
Property Committee
The Property Committee oversees both the Company’s and the ICF’s property portfolios with a view to maximising capital values and rental returns.
Patronage Committee and Charity Sub-Committee
The Patronage Committee advises the Court (acting as corporate trustee of the ICF) in respect of the investigation, recommendation and subsequent supervision of suitable charitable grants. The Charity Sub-Committee reviews applications for smaller general charitable donations.
Catering Committee and Wine Sub-Committee
The Catering Committee oversees the provision of food at Innholders’ Hall and is responsible for the catering services contract, whilst the Wine Sub-Committee buys wine for drinking at the Hall, both now and in the future.
Members of Committees
A list of the current members of each committee can be found here. All chairs of full committees must be a member of the Court. Generally, members of committees serve one term of 3 years, which can be repeated once. This leads to broad experience of the business of a particular committee and consistent decision making. The chair of each Committee is responsible for selecting new members of the Committee, with assistance from the Clerk.