South East business leaders recognised in the King's birthday honours

Business leaders from the South East have been recognised in the King's birthday honours. The list of region specific honourees is as follows:

Oxfordshire:

CBE: Barbara Anne Laithwaite. Managing Director, Laithwaites. For services to the Wine Industry. (Henley-on-Thames).

Elizabeth Ann Sloan. Director, Annie Sloan Interiors Ltd. For services to Interior Design. (Oxford).

OBE: Dr Timothy David Bestwick. Chair, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus. For services to the Commercialisation of Science, Technology and Innovation. (Banbury).

Dr Martin Austin Walsh. Deputy Director of Life Sciences, Diamond Light Source. For services to Science during Covid-19. (Abingdon).

Surrey:

CBE: Andrew George Haldane FRS. Chief Executive, Royal Society of Arts. For services to the Economy and to Public Policy. (Thames Ditton).

Ian Peter Kenyon. Director, Finance and Programmes, Defence Nuclear Organisation, Ministry of Defence. For services to Public Finance and to Volunteering. (Guildford).

OBE: Neil Andrew Redit. Senior Principal Engineer, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Ministry of Defence. For services to Defence. (Godalming)

MBE: Kelly Stone. Head of Airport Operations, Heathrow Airport, London. For services to Women in Aviation Engineering. (Epsom).

Hampshire:

CBE: Gary Paul John Shaughnessy - Chair, Z Zurich Foundation and Parkinson's UK. For services to Business and to Charity (Tadley).

OBE: Dr Carol Lee Tozer - Lately Director, Adult Social Services, Isle of Wight Council and Trustee, Association of Directors of Adult Social Services. For services to Social Care (Bodmin).

MBE: Virendra Mahendrakumar Patel - Technical Support Partner, John Lewis and Partners. For services to the community in Hampshire (Southampton)

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East Sussex:

CBE: Stephen Frank Welton. Founder and Chair, BGF. For services to Small Businesses and to Entrepreneurship. (Lewes).

OBE: Mark Alexander Fawcett. Chief Executive Officer, Nest Invest. For services to Pension Saving. (Hove).

Charlotte Heyes. Chief Negotiator and Deputy Director, Trade Negotiations Group,Department for Business and Trade. For services to International Trade. (Ticehurst).

MBE: David Mark Smith. Lately Chief Executive, Energy Networks Association. For services to the Energy Industry. (Brighton).

West Sussex:

OBE: Kevin Byrne. Founder, Checkatrade.com. For services to Industry and to Consumer Protection. (Arundel).

Georgina Alison May Masters. Assistant Director, HISP Multi-Academy Trust, Eastleigh, Hampshire. For services to Education. (Horsham).

Simon Richard Williams. Director, National Care and Health Improvement Programme. For services to Care. (Horsham).

MBE: Clare Elizabeth Scherer. Chief Executive Officer, The Naval Children's Charity. For services to Royal Navy Families. (Chichester).

Dorset:

Knights Bachelor: Nicholas John Varney. Former chief executive, Merlin Entertainments. For services to the Visitor Economy. (Sturminster Newton).

OBE: Michael Straughan. For services to the British Automotive Industry. (Poole).

MBE: Marie Boyce. Customer Services Manager, Department for Work and Pensions. For services to Business Transformation. (Poole).

Berkshire:

MBE: Lisa Karen Ashford. Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ethex. For services to Impact Investment. (Reading).

Dr Stewart John Harding. Lately Co-Founder, Parks Agency and Director, GreenSpace. For services to Heritage and Park Conservation. (Reading)

Buckinghamshire:

OBE: Dr Claire Marie Guest. Co-Founder, Chief Executive and Chief Scientific Officer, Medical Detection Dogs. For services to Medical Knowledge, Public Health and Wellbeing. (Buckingham).

MBE: Paula Maria Hay-Plumb. Independent Non-Executive Board Member, The Crown Estate. For services to the Public Sector. (Beaconsfield)

Caroline Sandra Brewster. Programme Management Office Lead, HM Revenue and Customs. For Public and Charitable Services. (Amersham).

Kent:

OBE: Robert David Sanders Director of Digital Customer Services, Houses of Parliament. For services to Parliament and to the State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. (Tunbridge Wells).

Nicholas Guy Baveystock DL Director General and Secretary, Institution of Civil Engineers. For services to Engineering. (Ashford).

MBE: Kevin Hewlett Managing Director and Registered Manager, Hale Place Care Homes Ltd. For services to People with Dementia. (Tonbridge).

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Gary Shaughnessy, the chair of Z Zurich Foundation and Parkinson's UK (Tadley, Hampshire), was acknowledged for his contributions to business and charity.

He said: ''The award reflects the many inspirational people in Parkinson’s UK and across the Parkinson’s Community who have motivated me and who share their positive message to those around them.

It also reflects the privilege that I have to work with the Z Zurich Foundation team, Zurich people and many of our brilliant partners, who help create a brighter future for vulnerable people across the world.''

Other proud recipients in the South East included former Merlin chief Nick Varney (Dorset) who said:

“I’m incredibly humbled and proud to have been awarded this accolade. “Having worked in the tourism and leisure industry for over 30 years, I have had the privilege of helping to build Merlin from a small British business to the global company it is today.

“This enormous honour is shared with all those at Merlin both past and present, who were part of that amazing journey. Following the difficulties the hospitality and tourism industry experienced during the pandemic, this knighthood reinforces the importance of our sector to the UK, one which contributes more than £130 billion each year to the British economy.''