The Board
Stuart Coutts (Chair)
Executive Chairman, Connect Vending
Stuart is originally from the East Midlands (Nottingham) and moved to London and started his vending career 35 years ago with Banbury Drinks in August 1987. With short stints running Clipper Coffee and in the fledgling Express Vending in the early 90s he started Connect Vending. His businesses have navigated through power cuts, miners strikes, the cold war the Falklands war, yuppies and the Filofax, Black Wednesday, Black Monday and interest rates at 15%. More recently the crash of Lehman Brothers and the Man on the Moon. Finally, Coronavirus and Lockdowns. Most of this was the backdrop to safely steering Connect Vending to where it is today.
Natalie Baker
Finance Director, Westways Vending
Natalie has been working within the family company for 20 years gaining a wealth of knowledge of the vending industry. She became a Fellow Member of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) in 2018. As Finance Director her current role encompasses Business Development and Management, with the future of the family business safely in her hands.
Richard Brinsley
Managing Director – Westomatic Vending Services Ltd.
Richard joined Westomatic in 1966 and is a very “hands-on” member of the team. The company is a global supplier of new machines, dispensing hot drinks, water, milkshakes, as well as food, snacks, and confectionery. Westomatic is also renowned for remanufacturing all types of vending machines. Over his 57-year career, Richard has earned a reputation for innovation, introducing many new vending concepts that are now considered industry norms. Richard travels extensively and has developed a great understanding of the changing tastes, needs, and requirements around the world. He hopes to share his wealth of knowledge with the AVA board and continue to support the vending industry.
Michelle Hefferon
NIVO, General Manager, Montagu Group Ltd
Michelle brings over 30 years of experience in the vending and drinks industry, beginning with 15 years at Coors Brewers, where she progressed to Team Leader in customer services. She has spent the last 17 years at NIVO, advancing from Business Support Executive to General Manager, working directly with over 280 Operator Members and 50 Supply Members. Her career has been dedicated to building strong relationships across all sectors of vending — from operators and machine manufacturers to ingredient suppliers and technology providers. Michelle offers in-depth knowledge of vending operations, supply chains, payment systems, and industry trends. With a BA in Business, board-level experience, and a passion for innovation and sustainability, she brings both operational expertise and strategic insight to support the AVA and its members.
Carl Hunter
Account Controller - Automated Retail & New Business, Foods Division, Kepak
Carl, originally from the North West of England, has built an impressive career in the food industry, bringing extensive expertise to the AVA Board. Now based in Shropshire, he began his journey with Compass Contract Catering before transitioning into hospitality in the early 2000s. Managing large hotel events and F&B operations led him to own and operate pubs, until family life inspired a shift to sales. Rising through the ranks at Coca-Cola and now Kepak Group, Carl has spent 13 years driving innovation and progress in automated retail, shaping the sector with his forward-thinking leadership and industry insight.
Adrian Pratt
Environment, Legislation & Marketing Manager, Benders Paper Cups
Adrian has been in the vending market as a manufacturing supplier of ingredients, snacks and confectionery, and packaging consumables for thirty years. He has been member of the AVA Environment Committee for ten years, and represented AVA in other aligned industry bodies, to support and promote best environmental practice, and now to ensure that the huge amount legislative intervention currently being introduced from a European perspective, as well the UK and the Home Nations Governments acknowledges the essential role of vending.
Chris Skipper
Technical & Operations Director, NVCS Ltd
Chris has been involved in the vending industry since 1984, starting in a family business which was purchased by NVCS in 1993. He has developed his career in the operational and technical aspects of the industry and became a director of NVCS in 2006. Passionate about raising industry standards, Chris has served on the AVA technical committee for over 15 years and has been instrumental in advocating for industry-specific training for technical staff. An avid AVA supporter, Chris looks forward to adding further value to membership and the industry during his tenure on the board.
Jason Vincent
Chief Technology & Product Officer, Co-founder, Boost Inc
Jason’s career in vending started with writing the vending management system for Rentokil-Initial, managing over 35,000 machines — a system still in use today, sixteen years later. Through a series of controversial moves including going fully cashless in 2015, Jason and team built an award-winning range of automated retail technology spanning vending, coffee, fridges/freezers and micro-markets. His company Aeguana has an international reputation for being among the most innovative in automated retail, leading to a strategic merger with Boostbar in 2022 to create what is now Boost Inc. Now CTPO, Jason helps build the smart vending ecosystem of the future that seamlessly integrates hardware and software, underpinned by operator experience; making vending exciting — and profitable.
Tom Williams (Treasurer)
Managing Director, Coinadrink Ltd
Tom has been involved in vending his whole life as part of the family business. Returning to the business in 2015 after a decade in retail management, Tom initially rejoined as Sales & Marketing Manager before taking over as Managing Director in 2022. Coinadrink are a vending operator dedicated to great service, at a fair price, with a personal touch. Tom is passionate about the vending industry and is keen to drive innovation, best practise and reputation whilst representing the operators within the membership. Tom is also a current member of The AVA Environmental Committee.