City Catering Southampton announces Rachel Hall as Chief Executive Officer

The UK's first charitable catering company, City Catering Southampton announced that its board of trustees has appointed Rachel Hall as the Chief Executive Officer for the charity and its trading subsidiary.

Delivering 1.8 million nutritious meals a year to schools, vulnerable adults, and businesses across Southampton, Rachel will lead the charity’s goal of delivering £500,000 in charitable investments into local nutrition-related initiatives and programmes over the next three years.

Rachel Hall is a highly experienced, successful and well-regarded business leader who stepped up as interim CEO in September last year. With the confirmation of her post as CEO, Rachel takes over from the founding CEO, Steve Price. Previously, Rachel was MD of a successful leadership-development consultancy, established in 1999.

With significant skills strategy development and business leadership, Rachel’s past clients include Central Government agencies (e.g. Department for Transport and Environment Agency), alongside corporate giants such as Microsoft, Asahi (Peroni), and NHS Blood & Transplant. Rachel combines strong leadership and business experience with a passionate personal commitment to enabling people to reach their full potential.

Commenting on her new appointment, Rachel Hall said: "I am delighted to lead City Catering Southampton as it commits to a new vision and ways of working that will have a significant positive impact on the community. We already have a great reputation for delivering nutritious meals across the city. We are ambitious for growth and greater impact, and our people are truly talented. I am proud to be working with a team that puts quality, care and kindness first."

Rachel’s appointment was confirmed in March by the charity’s Chair of Trustees, following a rigorous recruitment and interview process including external candidates. Rachel and the board of trustees will be meeting with members to share strategic plans and future goals at the charity’s AGM in July.