Richard Tudor-Thomas

Richard Tudor-Thomas is an experienced professional in operational excellence and the food service sector, currently serving as a Purple Storyteller at Purple Story since March 2023 and as a founder in retail and food service operations at OPAL Operational Excellence since January 2023. Prior roles include Associate Director of Food and Beverage at the University of Birmingham from March 2022 to February 2023, and Head of Product Development at the National Trust from September 2018 to March 2022. Richard's extensive background in hospitality management includes notable tenures at Waitrose & Partners, where responsibilities ranged from Operations Manager for catering operations overseeing 300 locations, to Branch Manager managing multi-million pound P&Ls. Prior to a successful civilian career, Richard served as a Surface Warfare Officer in the Royal Navy from 1996 to 2003. Richard holds a degree in Zoology and Aquatic Biology from Queen Mary University of London.