EUROPEAN SUMMIT

Managing Director at THINK Hospitality & Co-Founder of Restaurant Marketer & Innovator. James has worked with more than fifty hospitality brands in ten countries as a senior executive & consultant, including Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group, IHG, Thai Leisure Group, Casual Dining Group, Radisson Hotels, Krispy Kreme, Greene King & Sodexo. He specialises in refining and defining brands, understanding the market, facilitating strategic development and maximising growth opportunities.

Mark Bentley is the Business Development Director at Hospitality Data Insights (HDI), passionate about helping hospitality operators and their suppliers make better data-led decisions. Mark specialises in insights and Category Management to drive performance, with extensive experience across the retail and hospitality sectors, covering retailer, supplier, and agency-side roles. He is also a qualified beer sommelier and a judge for the 2025 Restaurant Marketer & Innovator Awards.

Mark Wingett is an award-winning journalist. He started out as a writer on the retail sector before spending two years as news editor across leading hospitality titles and newswires - M&C Report, Hotel Report and Leisure Report. He then spent three years as head of media relations with leading property advisory firm Christie & Co. After leaving Christie & Co, he spent six years as editor of the hospitality sector title MCA, and for the past six years has been group editor of leading sector newswire Propel.

Graham has over 25years hospitality experience and is responsible for all commercial, strategy & growth projects at the leading bar group Drake & Morgan. He was previously Managing Director for CAU within the Gaucho Group, Ennismore’s restaurant division & All Star Lanes and is also currently a Non-Exec Director at the sector marketing agency Me:Mo.

Tasos Gaitanos, Co-founder and Managing Director of Brother Marcus, is a creative innovator who, alongside co-founder Alex Large, has created a celebrated restaurant brand that redefines Eastern Mediterranean dining in London.

With the recent launch of their fifth location in Covent Garden, Tasos has played a pivotal role in defining the brand’s culinary offering, strategic marketing direction, and overall identity. Under their leadership, Brother Marcus earned the coveted “Emerging Brand” award at Peach 20/20, a testament to their innovative approach and commitment to excellence. Passionate about “creating memories in the Eastern Mediterranean way,” Tasos fosters a culture that deeply connects both the team and guests.

Drawing from his roots, Tasos brings a personal touch to Brother Marcus. Half Cretan, he spent his childhood in Crete, helping at his father’s taverna during weekends and school holidays. These formative experiences inspired many of the dishes on the original Brother Marcus menu and remain central to its ethos. With a degree in fine arts, Tasos combines his creative background with his rich culinary heritage to craft unforgettable dining experiences.

Lisa is recently appointed Global Chief Retail Officer for BrewDog bars and hotels. Having worked in hospitality all her career, most recent roles have included establishing LTR (Leisure TV Rights) in conjunction with ITV brands and senior roles in Wagamama and Cote restaurants.

Relentlessly focussed on people, brand and operational excellence, an industry mentor and super passionate about growing careers and innovating brands. Lisa also works as a charity trustee in a bid to utilise her business acumen for community benefit. 

Katy is the founder and MD of KAM, an insight consultancy that she started in 2014. She is passionate about pubs, bars and restaurants (and not just about being in them). Katy founded KAM as she saw a gap in the market for a hospitality and food service insight consultancy that puts creativity at its heart.

She is a Bii Trustee and an advisor for Only a Pavement Away. She is also a judge of the Bii Licensee of the Year Award, Restaurant Marketer and Innovator Awards and the Great Taste Awards.

Katy and KAM created Hospitality Rides (formally Pedalling for Pubs), the hospitality initiative that raises money and awareness for the LTC and OAPA.

Andreia has spent over 20 years in hospitality in both operational roles (Walt Disney World, Starwood Hotels, McDonald’s) and marketing roles (Jamie Oliver, Wagamama, Wasabi & The Restaurant Group PLC, Wingstop). With a keen interest in brand equity and digital marketing, she has now opened over 80 restaurants in her career globally. Andreia is passionate about growing brands using non-traditional marketing tactics with a “go big or go home” approach to campaigns.

Shona joined Ottolenghi in 2023 during a transformative period for the brand. Since stepping into her role, she has played a key part in shaping its future, from refreshing the brand’s identity and launching Ottolenghi products in Waitrose to introducing new platforms like Substack. Shona also led the in-house team on the campaign launch for Ottolenghi’s latest book, Comfort, supported the opening of two new sites, and helped set the stage for the brand’s first international restaurant in Geneva, opening in 2025.

Shona’s career has centered on brand storytelling and harnessing digital technology to connect with customers and foster brand loyalty. At Google, she partnered with top fashion and luxury brands to enhance customer engagement, leveraging Alphabet’s tools to create meaningful, omnichannel connections. At Mulberry, she focused on strategic expansion, launching the brand into the US and China while redefining its identity to elevate global awareness.

Now leading marketing and growth at Ottolenghi, Shona combines her passion for food, a consumer-focused approach, and extensive business expertise to future-proof the brand and deepen its connection with customers.

Emma leads brand, marketing and innovation at Hawksmoor, with a key role in delivering special restaurant experiences across the UK, Ireland, and the US. Her passions include scaling with integrity, digital and data excellence, and brands. 

Emma also co-founded Gail’s Bakery, creating an iconic brand that people love in some of the loveliest UK neighbourhoods, and was Managing Director of Radio Alice.

Louise has proven track record in the growth of businesses within the hospitality sector. She has successfully led commercial, communications, and marketing teams for renowned brands such as Malmaison and Hotel du Vin, Virgin Active, The Ivy Collection, Caprice, and most recently, The Wolseley Hospitality Group.

Dan Brookman is the CEO & co-founder of Airship.co.uk and useToggle.com, hospitality tech platforms focused on increasing customer visit frequency and loyalty through Airship, and delivering pre-visit revenue through Toggle. He has over 30 years of experience in hospitality, having started his career serving pints in Sheffield before buying and converting a derelict swimming pool into a 600 capacity live music venue aged 23.

Dan took over the reins at Airship in 2018 when the company was in distress. He repositioned the business from a full service agency to a SaaS platform. In 2019 the business raised £500k of private equity investment to scale its products and build out the team. They accelerated through the pandemic, raising a further £750k to support growth. 

Airship & Toggle grew 600% in 3 years, and in October 2022 sold the business to Zonal, one of the leading hospitality technology companies in the UK. Dan remains as CEO of the business and is now on the exec board at Zonal.

Today, Airship & Toggle serve 800+ UK hospitality brands, delivering over 1 billion emails and generating £120 million in gifting revenues, in 2024 Airship underwent a £500k transformation with a new lightning fast tech stack and the rollout of the V1 of their AI Insight tool, Flight Assist.

Dan is a seasoned entrepreneur and mentor. He's an investor and NED in Joli, the creator platform and El Tab, the drinks subscription app.

Laura Mimoun has 15 years of experience within the retail and hospitality sectors and is passionate about growing brands and growing people. 

In mid-2024, she joined Fulham Shore as Chief Marketing Officer to lead the next stage of growth for Franco Manca and The Real Greek.

Laura began her career with international brands and local gems, including Cadbury, Green & Black’s Organic, and Pepsi. She later founded and scaled a food start-up making her an holistic business leader and a more agile marketer. 

Her salad rolls concept launched in eight London locations, including Harrods and Selfridges, received several awards and expanded internationally through franchising in the U.S. and supermarkets in the Netherlands.

Driven by ambitious projects, Laura thrives on challenges and delivers with a clear and simple vision. Her North Star is to build brand love and make customers feel something.

With over 20 years of experience in Retail, Leisure and Hospitality, Andre has held senior marketing roles at Paddy Power, Greene King, Domino’s, Cineworld, Papa Johns and The Restaurant Group amongst others – with extensive experience in Digital Transformation, International Marketing and Growth Marketing.

At Greene King, as Marketing and Brand Director, Andrew is responsible for the 900-strong Greene King pubs estate, with a remit to drive brand growth through impactful and effective strategic marketing plans and campaigns.

Specialising in creative content and brand development, Rosie builds multi-channel communication strategies that help brands cut through the noise and reach their commercial objectives.As well as her role as Creative Director, Rosie has a roster of freelance clients across UK and previously worked in inhouse roles for Petersham Nurseries and Jamie Oliver Group. 

With a career spanning various global brands, Russell has held innovation and strategy roles at companies such as Tesco, YUM Brands, KFC, P&O Cruises, Cunard, and UK pub groups Greene King and Punch Pubs & Co. Renowned for challenging the status quo & creating transformative and disruptive brands, he now leads the brilliantly diverse Laine Pub & Brewing Company.

Now brand & marketing director at Boston Tea Party, the purposeful cafe operator born in Bristol, Lucy has spent more than twenty years immersed in the world of hospitality. After a spell in the kids’ play sector, Lucy joined a fledgling Las Iguanas, at the time still a Bristol-based independent, and helped to grow it into an award-winning national brand. Last year she returned to her indie roots, joining BTP on their journey to make things better for their customers, their team and the planet, most recently launching their Hey Big Coffee Chain campaign, calling for a ban on single-use coffee cups.

Lesley is the Marketing Director at Ole & Steen, bringing a wealth of expertise from a career dedicated to the hospitality industry. With experience spanning pubs, casual dining, and competitive socialising, she has held key roles at renowned brands such as Greene King, Bill’s, Hijingo, and Hall & Woodhouse.

Recognised for her ability to craft and execute strategic sales and marketing initiatives, Lesley consistently drives footfall and delivers business growth. She has successfully led teams through transformational rebranding projects for established brands, as well as the launch of innovative new concepts from inception.

A passionate advocate for the industry, Lesley played a pivotal role in shaping and launching Hospitality Rising, the award-winning campaign designed to attract Gen Z talent to the dynamic world of hospitality.

With over a decade of experience in 'Head of' and 'Director' level marketing roles in the hospitality industry, James now works as a freelance marketing director for growing hospitality brands and suppliers. James specialises in driving commercial return for his clients across 4 key services: research & insight, data & CRM, loyalty & retention and launches & campaigns. 

Mark McCulloch is one of the leading Hospitality brand and marketing minds in the world. Mark is currently Fractional CMO at Prezzo and has over 20 years Brand, Marketing and Employee Engagement experience and held senior / board level positions at lastminute.com, Barclaycard, YO! Sushi and Pret A Manger. Mark is also a Virtual CMO, NED, Broadcaster and Speaker and helps brands become more famous and more loved inside and out. Everything starts with the teams living and breathing your brand every second of every day. Mark also founded Hospitality Rising to attract the next generation of talent into hospitality. 

Gabby brings over 15 years of experience in hospitality, spanning both premium and casual sectors. Recently joining Lane7, her career includes leadership roles at D&D London, Hawksmoor, The Restaurant Group, and PizzaExpress. Passionate about combining creativity with data-driven insights, Gabby focuses on delivering impactful customer campaigns that enhance brand presence in competitive markets.

Nicole is an award-winning marketing director with more than 25 years’ experience across FMCG, drinks brands and hospitality. She has been with a Middle Eastern & North African based restaurant group Comptoir for more than a year and a half. Before that she worked with Big Drop Brewing Co, the alcohol-free beer producer. Nicole also held marketing leadership and brand roles with Jägermeister for eight years and skincare group Nivea for five years.

With over 14 years of expertise in the hospitality sector, Michelle is a seasoned professional specializing in Marketing & Sales., Michelle has spearheaded the digital agenda, orchestrating the introduction of a transformative digital infrastructure focused on guest data and acquisition, alongside innovative initiatives like guest-facing apps, website enhancements, and paid media strategies to boost pre-booked sales across her roles.

Ali Earl-Gray, Senior Marketing Manager at Kricket, has been with the company for eight years, driving its success through her expertise in events and marketing strategy. Before joining Kricket, she worked on the Apple Music team at Apple. Named one of hospitality's most influential women in 2020, Ali continues to shape Kricket’s brand with creativity and innovation.

With 25+ years of experience in SaaS, CPaaS, MarTech, and CX, Mark is a seasoned B2B product strategy and marketing leader. He helps businesses translate complex technology into standout messaging, uncover unique customer insights, and solve problems others miss.

Mark’s data-driven approach drives purposeful innovation and empowers teams to shift from selling software to delivering business solutions. His proven Product Marketing playbook amplifies product awareness and market impact.

An accomplished speaker, Mark has delivered keynotes at global events, sharing expertise on digital marketing, customer engagement, and product strategy.

As part of the senior team driving at Popeyes, David became Chief Technology Officer in March 2021, driving the company’s digital and technology strategy. Previously he was Digital Director at The Restaurant Group and Wagamama and held UK and international senior marketing roles at Papa John’s.

Guy has worked in hospitality for 25 years in roles covering front and back of house, restaurant management, operations management, data science, martech, and technology. He is passionate about delivering great customer experiences, both digital and physical.

Matt leads the digital operations strategy for EMEA at Subway. This remit spans across over 3,000 restaurants, covering both in-restaurant technology and off-premise (3PD / mobile order) channels. Matt has a genuine passion for unlocking enhanced value for guests and franchisees, utilising technology. His robust operational experience allows him to be the operators conscience in the centre, ensuring technology seamlessly meets with operator requirements & guest experience for the long-term.

Managing Director at THINK Hospitality & Co-Founder of Restaurant Marketer & Innovator. James has worked with more than fifty hospitality brands in ten countries as a senior executive & consultant, including Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group, IHG, Thai Leisure Group, Casual Dining Group, Radisson Hotels, Krispy Kreme, Greene King & Sodexo. He specialises in refining and defining brands, understanding the market, facilitating strategic development and maximising growth opportunities.

Anthony is a Marketing and Brand Strategy Consultant, working with a diverse portfolio of B2B and B2C clients in the hospitality, leisure, and travel sectors. Specialising in brand development, marketing strategy, and audience engagement, he helps businesses enhance their presence and drive commercial success.

Previously, Anthony was the Sales and Marketing Director at Incipio Group, where he led the marketing strategy and creative direction for a portfolio of experiential venues, including Pergola, Lost in Brixton, and The Prince.

Before joining Incipio, Anthony was Managing Director at Elliotts, a leading hospitality strategy agency, where he played a key role in launching and marketing some of London’s most successful bars and nightlife venues, such as Mahiki, Steam & Rye, and Tropicana Beach Club.

Recognised for his contributions to the industry, Anthony was named Future Marketing Leader of The Year by Restaurant Marketer & Innovator in 2018 and shortlisted for Marketer of the Year 2024.

Claire Scullion is a specialist in menu optimisation and design, with recent work spanning leading hotel groups like Four Seasons, Fairmont, and Travelodge, as well as high-street brands such as Côte and Vapiano. She also runs a successful Paint and Sip events business, driving new customers into pubs and restaurants through creative social experiences.

With expertise in menu strategy, consumer psychology, and operational efficiency, Claire delivers impactful solutions that enhance guest experiences and increase revenue. Her mission is to help hospitality spaces thrive through innovative, profit-focused strategies and customer engagement.

Laura Vana holds a MSc in Food Innovation and Health from Copenhagen University where she found her passion in gastrophysics and sensory science. Her topic of research has been about developing methods to educate children about the taste of food. 

At the moment she is working on establishing the sensory education method in kindergartens and elementary schools at the national level in Estonia. In addition, she is leading the research and development in the best restaurant group in the Baltics- Siigur Restaurants. 

Maria Vanifatova is a CEO and founder of Meaningful Vision, a supplier of a competitor intelligence platform, offering insights into pricing, promotions, locations, and traffic data to the UK foodservice industry. This solution empowers companies to assess their market performance relative to competitors and identify avenues for growth.

She is an executive professional with 25 years of international experience in consultancy, market research, and data analytics for the Retail, Consumer Markets, and Foodservice industries. She has held C-level positions in global market research firms, including her role as the Vice President and Head of European Foodservice Practice at The NPD Group. Her passion for data and insights, particularly their practical application, stems from her PhD studies in Knowledge Management.

Jo is Marketing Director at Heartwood Collection and plays a key role in the Group’s ambitious growth strategy, fuelled by an exciting rebrand last year which won a DRUM EMEA award for Best Rebrand. Since then, the Group has moved into pubs with rooms, with 8 new site openings in the past 12 months and an ambitious growth pipeline, of which communications, digital integration and guest experience is at the heart.  

With over 18 years’ experience in international drinks and hospitality, Jo was previously Marketing Director at Shepherd Neame and has held senior international marketing and business development roles in Bacardi, Pernod Ricard and Edrington, as well as various NED positions including Visit Kent. Jo also holds an Executive MBA from London Business School.

Jo has a real passion for developing talent and is a qualified Executive Coach and previous mentor for Balance The Board’s Plan B initiative.

Siobhan is currently the Head of Marketing at 200 Degrees Coffee, a speciality coffee roaster with a strong presence across the Midlands and North of England. She is responsible for brand management, menu development and strategic marketing of the whole estate comprising of 22 coffee shops, 7 barista training schools, wholesale and e-commerce. Recent achievements include driving a new menu strategy which resulted in a 33% increase in volumes sold and winning Best Use of Data, Insight and Research at RMI 24.

Mariam French is the Marketing Director at LEON Restaurants, overseeing Brand, Marketing, Digital, and Guest Experience. As digital strategy lead, she recently launched LEON's Coffee Subscription product (Roast Rewards). She's no stranger to the restaurant operator hustle herself, as before LEON, Mariam opened her own restaurant in 2019.

LEON turns 20 this year, and with 76 restaurants, a fast-growing Grocery range, and a new international market just launched in Italy, she's excited about expanding LEON's presence across more and more channels in the coming months.

Morena Oliveira is the Marketing Director at Lina Stores, where she leads marketing, comms and brand strategy. She’s a strategic and passionate marketing leader with extensive experience developing one of London’s most revered hospitality brands. Instrumental in Lina Stores’ evolution from humble Italian delicatessen in London’s Soho to a multi-site restaurant, retail, bar and lifestyle group, Morena’s philosophy is centred around creating big impact, excellent storytelling and long-lasting brand loyalty. Covering all elements of marketing – from launch strategies to creative campaigns, from PR to CRM, and from consumer insights to product development – Morena has developed multi-channel brand strategies through both a highly commercial and analytical as well as a creative and brand-driven eye.

Steven has been Managing Director of HGEM since 2008. Over that time, he has worked closely with leading hospitality operators to pioneer the business discipline of Guest Experience Management and develop the tools and services to support it. He also has extensive consultative experience from multiple sectors in change management, business process improvements, and helping businesses to successfully onboard tech platforms.

Claire Scullion is a specialist in menu optimisation and design, with recent work spanning leading hotel groups like Four Seasons, Fairmont, and Travelodge, as well as high-street brands such as Côte and Vapiano. She also runs a successful Paint and Sip events business, driving new customers into pubs and restaurants through creative social experiences.

With expertise in menu strategy, consumer psychology, and operational efficiency, Claire delivers impactful solutions that enhance guest experiences and increase revenue. Her mission is to help hospitality spaces thrive through innovative, profit-focused strategies and customer engagement.

Having started out in front line hospitality 16 years ago, Lizzie has worked in menu innovation and insight across several of the industry’s leading hospitality brands including Wagamama, Bill’s, The Ivy Collection and most recently Côte Brasserie, where she is Head of Food and Drink.

Established in 2007, Côte Brasserie is the UK’s leading French casual dining brand with 76 locations across the country. Lizzie looks after the menu development process for both Côte and its At Home brand, ensuring they continue to stay at the forefront of innovation, representing the very best of French cuisine on the high street.

CHRIS STAGG is the ultimate pub man ​with over 30 years experience. He joined Peach Pubs as Operations Director in 2015 after a stint at Brunning & Price​ and before then spent 10 years with family ​brewers, Hall & Woodhouse. He has served as Brand Operations Director for The Revel Collective (formerly Revolution Bars Group) since they acquired Peach in 2022, continuing to 'Make Life Peachy' and maintain the brand's award-winning culture and values well-known across the industry. 

Michael Radley is the Co-Founder of Joli, the influencer marketing platform for hospitality. Michael's background in hospitality technology coupled with his micro-influencer side hustle in the industry led him on to launching the first end-to-end influencer management tool, designed specifically for hospitality & leisure brands. 

Joli works with over 100 hospitality businesses up and down the UK. The app vets and curates micro and nano influencers based on reach, following, location, audience demographics, content style, category and even dietary requirements. Then matches and connects the right influencers for hospitality businesses based on their specific requirements. The platform streamlines, and now fully automates, the booking management process which notoriously has involved lots of influencer outreach, admin and back and forth communications when arranging collaborations. Joli is designed to remove all of this and save brands time and money. Joli's dashboard also tracks and stores all influencer-generated content and measures the impact so brands can monitor the success influencer marketing is having on the business.

Hannah heads up marketing for Bone Daddies group, with a focus on delivering great guest experience and rewarding loyal noodle fans. Bone Daddies has been serving rock ‘n’ roll ramen in the heart of London since 2012, and is famed for its homemade 20+ hour pork broth. Hannah also leads on marketing and strategy for the group’s sister restaurants Flesh & Buns and Shackfuyu.

Hannah started her marketing career with 5+ years at JD Wetherspoon, leading on the implementation of the Wetherspoon app and other digital projects. She moved to tech start up PepperHQ, where she developed loyalty marketing strategies and campaigns with 50+ top UK hospitality brands, including Itsu, Young’s Pubs, and Chopstix. She’s also on the Board of Trustees for The Royal Association for Deaf people, and is passionate about accessibility in hospitality.

Katie is the Social Media and Marketing Manager at Little Door & Co, where she oversees the digital strategy for five colourful cocktail bars in London, all styled on fictional flatshares, known for throwing fabulous house parties, dinner parties and bottomless brunches: The Little Scarlet Door, The Little Yellow Door, The Little Blue Door, The Little Orange Door and The Little Violet Door. With a keen eye for branding and a passion for creative marketing, Katie has played an instrumental role in elevating the profile of the Little Doors, utilising her expertise in digital content, community engagement, and influencer partnerships.

Before joining Little Door & Co, Katie served as Head of Marketing at Rocket Leisure, where she led the marketing initiatives for the popular Records live music venues. Beyond her professional role, Katie is the creator and curator of Battersea Beat and Wandsworth Beat, two vibrant community Instagram pages dedicated to local news, events, and stories, where she connects businesses, residents, and visitors in South West London. Katie combines her expertise in marketing with a genuine passion for her community, making her a dynamic force in both the restaurant and local business scenes.

Dylan Yelavich is the Head of Marketing at Market Halls, where he leads the growth and brand strategy for one of London’s most vibrant food businesses. With over a decade of marketing experience in hospitality, Dylan has held senior roles at Hilton Hotels, Mildreds, Abokado and Restaurant Associates UK, where he delivered creative and commercially successful 360° campaigns, spearheaded digital transformations and launched innovative new dining concepts.

Previously recognised as a Rising Star by Restaurant Marketer & Innovator in 2020, Dylan is known for his strategic approach to marketing and his ability to craft creative campaigns that resonate with diverse audiences. Passionate about food, storytelling and community, Dylan brings a unique blend of strategic insight and creative execution to all his projects.

Amy heads up Marketing at NQ64, the neon-splattered drinking den which started down an alley way in Northern Quarter Manchester. Driving class experiences and getting NQ64 on the grid is the key focus. Creating unique concepts and stripping things back to what really matters - doing fun shit, is what makes NQ64 a place for literally anyone. 

The brand is on an exciting growth mission to bring drinks and button bashing to cities across the UK. Purveyors of retro gaming, NQ64 brings together the nostalgic video games of your childhood with classic arcades and consoles to boot, all sourced from across the globe, with the likes of Street Fighter, Tekken or Mortal Kombat, and classic consoles including SNES, MegaDrive, Gamecube and PlayStation. NQ64 are all about creating a sick space for booze, gaming and shit hot parties.

Amy has almost 10 years experience in competitive leisure industry, working at Junkyard Golf Club from 2016, when experimental experiences was just starting up, she led the brand implementation across digital, out of home, in-venue and everything in between. She thrives off experimental and alternative ways to get guests through your door. Amy is also a big advocate for supporting mental health initiatives, being neurodivergent and experiencing the pro’s and cons in a fast paced career is something she is passionate about.

Claire is Marketing Director at Elior UK, one of the UK’s leading contract caterers across the Stadia, Concessions, Education, Healthcare and B&I sectors. She joined the team in 2021 as Director of Innovation, leading digital, NPD and concept innovation. Prior to this she spent 3 years at SSP UK as Head of Commercial, managing SSP’s owned brand portfolio, including Upper Crust and Pasty Shop. Graduating from Cambridge with a degree in Natural Sciences, she transitioned into the hospitality sector, as Brand Manager for Frankie & Benny’s at the Restaurant Group and Group Marketing Manager at ETM. Claire is the proud winner of a 2018 RMI 30 Under 30 Award and 2022 30 Under 30 Acorn Award.

Polly Lamy is Head of Commercial & Brand at Elior UK, where she leads innovative strategies to drive revenue growth, optimise costs, and enhance brand value across the business. With over a decade of experience spanning hospitality, retail, and contract catering, Polly honed her commercial expertise across retail, QSR, and franchise sectors, including roles with SSP UK and Fortnum & Mason before joining Elior in 2022.

A passionate advocate for collaboration and progress, Polly thrives on delivering impactful solutions that elevate both business outcomes and customer experiences through initiatives such as recipe and range innovation, digital transformation, and supplier partnerships. Polly believes in combining creativity with data-driven strategies to deliver lasting success in F&B.

Olivia is MD at Feed It Back, leading a team of detail-obsessed guest-experience experts. Passionate about using tech to enhance customers' experiences, Olivia has broad expertise in developing and implementing growth strategies for B2B propositions within the hospitality sector, having previously held senior roles at Zonal, Planday, Bookatable and Majestic Commercial. She’s motivated by the game-changing results that technology can deliver but is also a great believer that any tech implementation must have people at its heart to succeed.

Tom has been working in hospitality for over thirty years since his first job collecting glasses in his local pub. He went on to be a senior manager for Henry J Beans, Revolution and two independent restaurants in Jersey and Bristol. 

For the last 15 years he’s been a director of a wide variety of businesses including Jamie’s Italian, Coppa Club and Harbour Hotels.

He joined Bill’s in October 2021 as Group Operations Director and had been Managing Director of the well-loved all day casual dining concept for the past two years. With his management team,  Bill’s has gone on to deliver record sales, 50% growth in Ebitda over consecutive years and a return to the expansion trail in November 2024. 

Nicola Blackford is the Chief Commercial Officer at State of Play Hospitality, a global leader in multi-brand social entertainment. She oversees international growth strategies for the company’s owned brands, Hijingo (bingo) and Bounce (ping pong), focusing on strategic partnerships, joint ventures, and franchise expansion. In her role, Nicola also drives product and tech innovation initiatives that elevate customer experience, optimize revenue streams, and improve operational efficiency. Before joining State of Play, Nicola served as CCO at an immersive large-scale events company and has advised top-tier retail and consumer brands across the UK, Europe, USA, and China with Boston Consulting Group.

Jonathan co-founded The Breakfast Club in 2005 and has led the business through the last 2 decades, from a single caf in Soho to 15 locations across London, Brighton, Oxford, Gatwick and Chelmsford. He believes great hospitality is always the key to surviving the endless challenges faced by the industry. That and surrounding yourself with great people. Jonathan can’t remember a life or career before The Breakfast Club. It’s been that long!

Peter is the UK CEO of TRISON, leading the transformation of physical spaces into digitally immersive environments for global hospitality, retail, and leisure brands.

TRISON delivers 360° digital solutions, combining consultancy, creative design, innovative hardware and software platforms, and robust technical expertise to redefine how brands interact with their audiences. Under Peter’s leadership, the team focuses on creating seamless digital ecosystems that enhance experiences and deliver measurable value.

With a passion for innovation, Peter drives the integration of technology, data, and creative solutions to shape environments that inspire and perform. His commitment to collaboration and long-term partnerships reflects TRISON’s mission to make the extraordinary possible.

Mary Coriano has been with Merlin for over eight years, initially managing the global rollout of the company’s admission system and driving productivity initiatives from a technology perspective. Prior to joining Merlin, Mary spent approximately 15 years leading business transformation initiatives at EMI Music and later at Transport for London (TFL). Since September 2020, Mary has been responsible for shaping the technology strategy and innovation roadmap for Merlin’s commercial systems, including retail and F&B, as well as digital and payment solutions such as the mobile app, digital signage, car parks, CRM, and SWP. Additionally, she oversees employee systems, encompassing productivity, HR, and payroll.

Jessica has spent 15 years in a range of commercial sales and marketing roles across magazines, consumer goods and retail. She started her career as an analyst at the Walt Disney Company before moving into consumer goods, setting up the shopper marketing function for Perrigo consumer healthcare, followed by 18 months as a national account manager. After her time with Perrigo, Jess moved to Tesco Media (dunnhumby), which enabled her to work across the wide spectrum of categories, including Fresh, Grocery, Nestle, and business development. She spent 7 great years building and innovating retail media solutions for her clients. This experience, and her MBA from UCL School of Management, enabled her to springboard into her new role as Director of Media & Loyalty at Stonegate Group (Slug & Lettuce, Be at One, Walkabout, and 4000 community pubs). Her responsibilities include building a retail-style media and loyalty network through the newly launched MiXR app and media platform. On top of the ‘day job’ in marketing strategy, Jess is passionate about advancing gender equality and DEI initiatives to ensure she creates a more inclusive culture anywhere she goes. 

Zoë has spent twenty plus years working in the hospitality industry, starting in ops before moving into marketing for Peach Pubs and then ETM Group. For the past decade, Zoë has been specialising in hospitality focused CRM & data strategy. She is now Head of Commercial for Wireless Social & Acteol, part of Access Hospitality under The Access Group – a leading provider of fully connected, hospitality-focused software solutions, designed to empower operators and deliver exceptional guest experiences.

Laura has fifteen years of experience in developing and executing innovative marketing and sales strategies for premium brands, including at Gordon Ramsay Restaurants. Not only passionate about creating memorable dining experiences for our guests, Laura has been hugely impactful on commercial growth, implementing cover and revenue driving systems that have resulted in record breaking sales years. Furthermore, she has been fundamental to JKS brand growth since joining four years ago. Championing a collaborative and supportive work culture, Laura is an invaluable mentor to many across the business, empowering teams and inspiring the next generation of talent.

Managing Director at THINK Hospitality & Co-Founder of Restaurant Marketer & Innovator. James has worked with more than fifty hospitality brands in ten countries as a senior executive & consultant, including Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group, IHG, Thai Leisure Group, Casual Dining Group, Radisson Hotels, Krispy Kreme, Greene King & Sodexo. He specialises in refining and defining brands, understanding the market, facilitating strategic development and maximising growth opportunities.