Sodexo appoints Jo Bates catering services director at Blenheim Palace

Sodexo Prestige has appointed Jo Bates to the role of catering services director at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire.

Bates will be responsible for visitor catering, conferences and banqueting at the palace, which is home to the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.

Last year, Blenheim Palace catered for more than 230 corporate events, in addition to 65 weddings and 14 park events. Bates has previously spent 10 years developing catering and hospitality services at the Eden Project in Cornwall, and prior to this held the role of banqueting manager at the National Film Theatre on London's South Bank.

Speaking about taking on the role she said: "I am really delighted to be the new catering services director for Blenheim Hospitality and I am very much looking forward to taking on this exciting and challenging role."