Grace Harding walks the talk of brave leadership

There was laughter, then a hush. Grace Harding, the chief executive of Ocean Basket, didn’t deliver a packaged acceptance. She offered something far rarer, a glimpse of the person behind the profit and loss. Harding started her acceptance speech by calling herself a “flop Jew”, but her award and career shows that she is not. 

She spoke about growing up in a blended family with a Sephardi mother and English father. She thanked the Chevrah Kadisha for support when times were tough, saying, “Without the Jewish community, I don’t know what I would have done.” She remembered a season of temporary homelessness with her sister at Arcadia Children’s Home, and a schoolgirl’s sting watching others take home prizes. 

“At King David, I watched awards go to other kids,” she said, grinning, before cheekily throwing up zap signs. The room roared. Then she pivoted to the message she wanted the community to hear. “Be vulnerable, work hard. Someone has to tell you there’s snot in your nose if you don’t know it.” It was disarmingly frank and tender in its way. 

During her tribute video, Harding spoke about the 14 years she has spent in the Ocean Basket group, which prides itself on being the only seafood-exclusive group in the world. In its 30th year, Ocean Basket proudly boasts more than 180 restaurants in 16 countries. Harding said the group’s aim is to bring excellent quality seafood to the middle-class of the countries in which it operates, and that accessibility is at its core. 

For Harding, keeping the business strong and safe is imperative, because she believes that without that foundation there can be no growth. She said the system on which a business is built must be sustainable to create longevity. 

One way Harding does this is by engaging stakeholders. “Business is no longer about one person winning, and the other people just tagging along. If there isn’t value derived and felt by everyone from staff to franchisees to suppliers, then that doesn’t contribute to a healthy reputation.” 

Harding said the hospitality industry is a major employer, and she loves it. She thanked Ocean Basket founder Peter Lazarides for his mentorship, and Marc Kahn from Investec for his support. 

The applause for Harding also felt like a tribute to the many women who carry family and business at the same time. She spoke of a “blended” identity, and how it sharpened her instinct to question. She also said it grounded her belief that opportunity in this country must be built, not begged for. Her call was practical: train people well; pay attention to life skills; and partner with organisations that can grow a pipeline of talent.