Sector: Our Staff

Andy Young

I grew up and went to school and college in Norwich and Nottingham, gaining a Business Studies degree and a postgraduate diploma in Marketing. I moved to London in the early 1990s and very much enjoy living in Ealing.

 

My career has spanned a wide range of roles, focusing primarily on how to help run a diverse range of public venues and events efficiently and attract audiences. These have included Wembley Stadium’s Arena and Conference Centre, the Millennium Dome, Science Museum, O2 Arena and the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. I have also been a consultant on many infrastructure projects and also new training programmes for universities, both here and overseas — including in Brazil, Japan and Canada.

 

Since becoming Chief Executive of the National Liberal Club in May, my focus is on supporting the staff team, delivering consistently good service to members and securing the financial health of the Club. I have a real passion for building high-performing operating teams, empowering staff to find ways to improve service for our members so we can provide a positive experience for everyone who walks through our doors.

 

Outside work I enjoy cycling, and completed the Land’s End to John O’Groats nine-day ride in 2021, finally making good on a pledge made back in 1988, when I completed the course in the opposite direction, that I would one day do the ride back again. It was much easier 23 years earlier! I’m also a season ticket holder at Brentford FC and enjoy attending other sports events and live music. Usually guitar-based and what used to be called Indie, but my tastes are definitely softening with age.

Jon Oates

 

Originally from Epping in Essex, I cut my culinary teeth in fine dining at a restaurant in the Peak District after graduating in History from Sheffield Hallam University. I was then fortunate to make rapid progress through the ranks, gaining my first head chef position at the age of 24 across three Michelin-rated restaurants.

I moved back to the south in 2010, where I worked across London and Hertfordshire, again retaining Michelin Guide recognition and winning Hertfordshire’s best restaurant awards two years running.

Most recently, I spent several years at the Brocket Hall estate in Hertfordshire, where I was responsible for all the food-led outlets: the stately home, private members’ golf club & the Auberge du Lac restaurant.

My ambition for the Club: I would like our food to reflect our eclectic and diverse membership base, which in turn replicates my cooking style. I like to keep menus fresh, fluid and seasonal, evolving constantly throughout the year.

I live in rural Hertfordshire with my wife, Ashley, and two young children, Archie and Isla. When I’m not working, I enjoy, football and golf among other sports, and I’m a season ticket holder at Arsenal FC.