2026 Programme

09:40 – 10:25 Market Insights

Beyond the Horizon

A sharp, data-driven deep dive into the financial and economic currents shaping the UK hotel industry. The panel will unpack raw macroeconomic data, tying CPI changes and debt finance realities directly to RevPAR, ADR, and disposable guest spend.

Jeavon LolayLloyds Banking

Dave NorthLloyds Banking

10:25 – 11:10 Operations

Frontline Fortitude

Hotel operators are caught in a pincer movement: skyrocketing supply chain and labour costs on one side, guests demanding flawless value on the other. This panel digs into asset management, smart cost-control, and building operational agility across diverse portfolios.

Julie WhiteAccor

David AndersonAimbridge EMEA

David HartRBH Hospitality

11:30 – 12:15 Leadership

The Modern Anchor

Managing a modern hospitality workforce demands a shift from old-school hierarchy to empathetic, visionary leadership. These industry standard-bearers explore how to inspire loyalty across multi-generational teams, foster open communication, and maintain personal mental resilience.

Christian Mastersart'otel Hoxton

Caroline GregoryThe Lovat Hotel

Simon NumphudAA Media Services

12:15 – 13:00 Events Market

The New Roar of MICE

The MICE sector looks radically different than it did a few years ago. From hyper-personalised retreats to tech-heavy hybrid conventions, this session uncovers what today's corporate planners actually want from a venue — and how to maximise yield per square foot.

Shonali DevereauxMIA

Varun ShettyThe Belfry Resort

14:00 – 14:45 Development

Blueprint for Growth

Despite tight credit markets, the appetite for strategic hotel development remains fierce. Brands and asset managers discuss the shift toward conversions, brand repositioning, and adaptive reuse over ground-up builds.

Tim DavisPACE Dimensions

Gavin TaylorClermont Hotels

Paul BlackmoreHilton

David JM OrrResident Hotels

14:45 – 15:30 Technology

Beyond the Buzzwords

AI is already driving revenue and plugging labour gaps. This panel cuts through the jargon to showcase how automated guest messaging, contactless check-ins, and predictive analytics can save thousands of labour hours.

David BeersChoice Hotels

RBH

AI SpecialistRBH Management

Canary PanelistCanary Tech

15:55 – 16:40 People & Culture

People First

Recruitment is tough, but retention is where the real battle is won or lost. Industry leaders share actionable advice on mental health initiatives, flexible working models, and defined career progression pathways.

Mark LewisHospitality Action

Suzanne SpeakRadisson Group

16:40 – 17:05 Crisis Management

When the Custard Hits the Fan

In a 24/7 digital world, a single bad incident can escalate into a viral PR nightmare within minutes. A compressed, highly practical session delivering an actionable blueprint for emergency communication and brand protection.

PR Leadership TeamCustard Comm.

Companies Joining Us

Canary Technologies: The #1 AI-powered guest management system. Trusted by 20,000+ hotels, Canary streamlines operations via contactless check-in, AI guest messaging, and secure transactions that reduce chargebacks by 90%.

Hop Software: A cloud-based Property Management System (PMS) built to reduce hotel expenses and drive direct bookings via commission-free engines. It simplifies complex operations for properties of all sizes at a fraction of legacy costs.

HBD Partners: Industry specialists in hospitality recruitment with 30 years of expertise. HBD focuses on sourcing elite talent and interim leadership to help leisure and travel firms achieve their impact goals.

REPORT: Ones to Watch – Technology 2016

Tech Talk

Michael Northcott

Tuesday, 12 April 2016, 15:27

1 min read

Latest Podcast Episode

Inside The Culpeper Family: Where heritage and storytelling meets sustainability Listen

In this episode we speak to Nico Tréguer, co-founder of Roberts and Treguer and The Culpeper Family. Nico spoke about founding the group alongside his longtime friend Gareth, having had a vision for bringing more nature spaces to cities, the planned extension of The Buxton in Spitalfields, and how the site’s storytelling engages guests and the local community, how the Culpeper Family’s core sustainability ethos helped it secure its B-Corp status and why hospitality has a responsibility to educate and innovate when it comes to sustainability.