Mark Lewis to step down as CEO of Hospitality Action
Mark Lewis, CEO since 2017, will leave Hospitality Action in March 2027 after expanding its EAP and unlocking over £1M in welfare benefits for hospitality workers in crisis.
Mark Lewis — Photo by Hospitality Action
Hospitality Action has announced that Mark Lewis will step down from his role as Chief Executive in March 2027 after nine years at the charity.
Mark joined Hospitality Action in 2017 having previously spent 14 years at The Caterer, where he served as editor and publisher.
A long-time supporter of the charity, Mark also served as a trustee to the organisation for 11 years prior to joining Hospitality Action as Chief Executive.
During his tenure, Mark has led the charity through significant challenges facing the hospitality industry, including Covid, Brexit and global economic turbulence.
At the same time, his mission to strengthen the charity's support services for people who work, or have worked, in hospitality when they find themselves in crisis has always been his top priority.
Mark has overseen the expansion of Hospitality Action’s Employee Assistance Programme, making it best-in-class in the sector, the development of countless new fundraising initiatives and more recently, the introduction of a welfare benefits advice service which has already unlocked more than £1 million in unclaimed benefits entitlements for beneficiaries, all of which have served to strengthen the charity's 'we've got you' commitment.
Reflecting on his departure, Mark said:
It’s been the honour of my life to be the custodian of our beautiful charity. Hospitality needs and deserves a strong charity to act as its safety net, and I’ve always believed that when you understand what Hospitality Action is and what it does, you can’t help but fall in love with it. I’ve been blessed to work alongside a fantastic team focused single-mindedly on improving the lives of others. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved together and deeply grateful to everyone who has supported Hospitality Action along the way. I’d love to live in a world where there was no need for a charity like Hospitality Action to exist. Sadly, the need for our services continues to rise, not diminish. I look forward to seeing our charity’s impact continue to grow in the future and I urge everyone working in hospitality to ‘pay it forward’ by finding a way to support our work.
“It has been a privilege to serve the UK’s hospitality industry and to be part of a charity that delivers daily on its promise, ‘We’ve got you.’
I would like to thank Mark for everything he has done for Hospitality Action during his nine years as Chief Executive. On behalf of myself and the Trustees, I wish him all the very best for the future and know he will remain a passionate advocate of this much-loved and essential charity for the hospitality industry
Jonathan Raggett, CEO of Red Carnation Hotels and Chair of Trustees at Hospitality Action
Mark will remain in post until March 2027, helping launch a year-long programme of celebrations to mark Hospitality Action’s 190th birthday celebrations next year.
About Hospitality Action
Hospitality Action is the trade charity for the hospitality industry. Registered Charity number: 1101083.
Hospitality Action’s Employee Assistance Programme provides a wide range of practical and emotional support including a 24/7 adviceline, access to counselling services (where clinically appropriate), legal information, debt advice and parenting support.
How we help
Behind their smiles and slick service hospitality workers can fall upon hard times just like anybody else. Ours is a stressful industry, with long hours, high pressure environments and physically demanding work. Since 1837 we’ve been here for chefs, waiters, housekeepers and managers. We’ve been here for concierges, receptionists and kitchen porters. And we’ve been here for every sommelier, bartender, catering assistant and cook throughout the UK.
The last six years have been transformational for our industry, the people who work within it and for Hospitality Action too. Our grant-giving, advisory services and EAP provision continue to evolve to meet the ever-changing demands of the industry in the face of the cost-of-living crisis.
In 2025, Hospitality Action awarded over £1.05 million in grants – the highest annual figure since the pandemic. In addition, over £500,000 in unclaimed benefits was unlocked, and hundreds of cases were referred to specialist housing advocacy and debt restructuring services. Whatever you do in hospitality #wevegotyou.
For more information about Hospitality Action visit www.hospitalityaction.org.uk