Main caption: Doug Tetley (right), managing director of Delaware North U.K.; Paul Galvin (left), vice president (VP) of finance; and Marco Galer-Reick (center), VP of strategy enablement and human resources; took the stage to welcome 140 U.K. leaders to the annual North Stars Conference and Awards at Wembley Stadium in London, where the company has been the hospitality and foodservice provider since 2007.
Across the U.K. in 2025, Delaware North teams delivered record attendance, a high volume of major and special events, and record revenue. The annual North Stars Conference and Awards offered a chance to reflect on those achievements and look ahead to 2026, which is set to be another historic year.
The event brought together over 140 Delaware North U.K. team members and was held earlier this month at Wembley Stadium’s Three Lions Pub.
A highlight was the first-ever Innovation Panel, which brought together experts from across the business to explore how the company can continue to evolve. Discussions covered culinary development, information technology (IT) and digital transformation, food and beverage customization, and growth in non–matchday meetings and events. The panel also reviewed the first six months of the partnership with Sunderland Association Football Club (SAFC) at the Stadium of Light.
Two Michelin-starred chef Andrew Wong and “King of Pies” Calum Franklin joined Head of Culinary Neil Richards and Emirates Stadium Catering Services Director Yvette Chatwin for a Q&A on the future of stadium hospitality. Both chefs have worked across the U.K. business for several years, collaborating with teams and delivering exclusive dining experiences.
Senior leaders shared insights from the recent Delaware North Global Leadership Meeting in Nashville and outlined upcoming priorities. Marco Galer-Reick, vice president of U.K. strategy enablement and human resources, highlighted progress in data-driven insights and plans to expand that work, along with further investment in the Stadium of Light, home to one of Delaware North’s newest clients, SAFC.
Managing Director Doug Tetley closed the conference by noting growing brand recognition and the team’s role in strengthening Delaware North U.K.’s presence, through increased public relations and social media activity as well as winning notable industry awards. He ended by recalling a quote from CEO Jerry Jacobs Jr. from February’s Global Leadership Meeting: “It’s your company. You decide its destiny.”
Delaware North U.K. then presented in 2025 North Stars Awards honorees:
- Capital Court Venue Champion: Jamie Russell, profit protection manager, Delaware North U.K. – for improving processes and supporting major initiatives across the business.
- Emirates Stadium Venue Champion: Tony Prior, people operations manager – for reliability, trustworthiness, and strengthening team and community values.
- London Stadium Venue Champion: Charlie Brockwell, head of hospitality – for collaboration, continuous improvement and enhancing the guest experience.
- Pride Park Stadium Venue Champion: Steve Curry, sous chef – for a calm, dependable presence and support across teams.
- Stadium of Light Venue Champion: Jamie Harrison, controller – for dedication to colleagues and consistent support as a cornerstone of the operation.
- Wembley Stadium Venue Champion: Dan Gilbert, beverage manager – for leading through a demanding year with calm, strategic planning during record events.
- Excellence in Compliance: Pride Park Stadium – for strong food safety performance and consistent audit results.
- Excellence in Leadership 2025: Tom Harris, senior sales manager, London and Wembley stadiums – for driving measurable improvements in meetings and events, strengthening client relationships and challenging the status quo.
- Rising Star of the Year: Acia Tully, people operations manager – for stepping into leadership and building a more aligned, supportive people function.
- Excellence in Employee Experience: Harry Lomas, head of culinary, Wembley Stadium – for mentoring and developing the next generation of chefs.
- Excellence in Guest Experience: Emirates Stadium – for delivering exceptional experiences across a record number of matchdays.
- Excellence in Business Performance: Wembley Stadium – for a record financial year, turning high demand into record revenue across 51 major events.
- Delaware North Values Champion: Max Hayward, deputy general manager, London Stadium – for raising standards, supporting major projects and leading across venues.
Excellence in Culinary Innovation:
- Mark Constable, head chef, Wembley Stadium – for elevating matchday and event hospitality through improved quality, presentation and team culture.
- Pawan Khatiwoda, executive head chef, Wembley Stadium – for creativity and technical skills in redefining stadium dining at scale.
Senior Leadership Team Award of Excellence:
- IT team – for implementing new point-of-sale (POS) systems across multiple venues under tight deadlines.
- SAFC Mobilization Team – for successfully delivering a major venue transformation on a challenging timeline.
