The voices in the room.

Julie White leads Accor's regional commercial team with responsibility for driving the business revenue strategy for the company across the Europe and North Africa markets. The commercial team encompasses areas including sales & distribution, marketing, loyalty and customer experience, and revenue management.

Based in London, Julie has over 20 years of experience in the global travel industry in a range of commercial leadership roles covering distribution, CRM, revenue management, digital, sales and marketing.

Jeavon Lolay leads the market insights team at Lloyds Corporate & Institutional Banking, with a focus on UK economics and global developments that impact major financial markets. His team communicates the views of Lloyds Bank externally through regular written commentary and formal presentations.

An experienced professional economist, Jeavon regularly presents at events across the UK and internationally, helping businesses understand the macroeconomic trends shaping investment conditions and commercial decision-making.

Suzanne manages a portfolio of 44 hotels across the UK and Ireland, a figure set to grow to 48 by the end of the year. With over 28 years of experience in hospitality leadership, her background includes hotel acquisitions, revenue strategy, and the management of large-scale venues.

Her current remit focuses on strengthening owner relationships, driving brand excellence, and ensuring consistent stakeholder delivery across the Group's managed and franchise operations.

Dave North is head of hotels within corporate and institutional banking at Lloyds Banking Group, leading the group's growth strategy for hotels with a focus on prime markets. He works closely with clients to provide the financial resources needed to support strategic objectives, including acquisitions and accretive capex.

In his role, Dave partners with hotel owners and operators to help fund investment and long-term growth, drawing on Lloyds' broader corporate banking expertise to support businesses across the sector.

With more than 30 years' leadership experience across luxury, midscale, and resort hospitality, he oversees a broad portfolio spanning the UK, Ireland, Continental Europe, and the CIS. His career has included senior positions with Wyndham Hotel Group, Dolce Hotels & Resorts, and SUN Ltd.

David has played a key role in integrating Interstate Hotels & Resorts into the Aimbridge structure and in driving strategic growth across the region. He holds a BA (Hons) in Business with French and has completed executive studies at HEC Paris.

During his tenure, David has overseen the rebrand of five Nadler Hotels and the launch of The Resident brand in 2020, along with new openings in Covent Garden and Edinburgh. He is also leading the development of The Resident Farringdon, planned for 2029, and managed the acquisition and successful transition of Sleeperz and Cityroomz to Marriott International's Four Points Flex by Sheraton brand.

A seasoned hotel CEO and entrepreneur, David co-founded City Inn (later Mint Hotels), which was sold to Blackstone in 2011, and subsequently led a series of projects through Urbanist Hotels before joining Resident Hotels.

With 30 years' experience and 25 years as a board-level executive, he advises travel and hospitality brands, technology firms, and investors on performance and competitive strategy. Before founding PACE Dimensions, Tim spent 12 years at Hilton, leading global functions across marketing, distribution, eCommerce, commercial development, and technology.

He serves as a trustee and board member of the Worldwide Sustainable Hospitality Alliance and has held senior non-executive roles across travel technology organisations and military charities. Tim lives in Camberley, Surrey, with his family and is also a keen private pilot.

Gavin took over as CEO of Clermont Hotel Group in 2023 after being CFO since 2019. CHG (formerly glh Hotels) is one of the largest owner-operator hotel groups in London with over 4,000 rooms across all segments of the market and has a turnover of c.£300m.

Gavin has been instrumental in driving CHG's ongoing investment strategy that is taking place across the portfolio including the addition of the innovative restaurant concept, Hell's Kitchen at The Cumberland Hotel. Hell's Kitchen forms part of CHG's partnership with Gordon Ramsay Restaurants Global and will be the first in the UK.

With 20 years' experience in the hospitality industry, more than 15 of which have been at RBH, David drives the strategic growth of the business via the wider executive team with a clear focus on establishing RBH as the partner of choice for hospitality investors.

David's wide-ranging experience of listed companies through to smaller, private businesses, he is ideally placed to ensure RBH delivers for its various investor partners. David has also been instrumental in the creation of RBH's strategic alliance with Gatehouse Hospitality, representing a tangible strategic move towards the Asia-Pacific market.

Christian Masters joined art'otel in 2023 as Hotel Manager for art'otel London Hoxton, where he played a pivotal role throughout both the pre-opening period and the successful launch and operational stabilisation of the hotel, instrumental in establishing the hotel's reputation from day one.

Throughout his near 20-year career in the hospitality industry, Masters has built a track record of operational excellence and high-performing team leadership. His previous roles include Director of Event Management at the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel, and Director of Rooms Operations at Conrad London St. James.

Leading with vision, dedication and care, under his tenure, the resort has achieved record-breaking revenues, remarkable growth, and a sustained increase in occupancy. All done whilst steering The Belfry through an £85million expansion project which included the launch of a state-of-the-art events venue, cutting-edge leisure club and the addition of 149 brand-new bedrooms.

With a thoughtful commercial strategy, sharp operational acumen, and a deep understanding of guest needs, Varun has cultivated a culture of excellence that radiates through every department, empowering his team to elevate every aspect of the guest experience, and embedding responsible tourism throughout the resort.

Mark Lewis leads Hospitality Action, the UK hospitality industry's charity, which provides vital financial, emotional, and crisis support to past and present sector workers. Under his leadership, the organisation acts as a crucial safety net for the hospitality workforce during times of hardship.

An experienced industry figure, Mark spent fourteen years as editor and publisher of The Caterer before joining the charity in 2017. He regularly shares his deep sector insight to help operators understand the essential workforce welfare strategies and sustainable leadership practices needed to protect business resilience.

Caroline Gregory is the owner of The Lovat Hotel and Restaurant in Fort Augustus, the area's only 4-star, 3 AA Rosette property. Alongside her husband, Head Chef Sean Kelly, she has pioneered the unique Highland "coftie" hospitality concept, combining outdoor adventure with authentic guest care.

A passionate advocate for environmental responsibility, Caroline has led award-winning sustainability initiatives, earning the hotel a prestigious Catey Award. She helps independent hoteliers understand how to successfully embed robust eco-strategies into their operations while building a highly distinct, commercially successful regional brand.

As vice president of development, Paul is responsible for driving Hilton's growth across the UK and Ireland for all non-luxury brands, with a current focus on collection brands including Curio Collection by Hilton and Tapestry Collection by Hilton, as well as the premium economy segment following the debut of Spark by Hilton.

Paul has more than 20 years' experience in hotel development, with a strong track record across some of the world's most dynamic markets. Since joining Hilton in 2017, Paul has held senior leadership roles across Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia Pacific and Europe, most recently serving as vice president, architecture, design and construction for Europe, Türkiye and North Africa.

Shonali Devereaux was appointed CEO of the Meetings Industry Association (MIA) in November 2024, bringing with her 30 years of experience in high-profile events, including the Olympics and Commonwealth Games. With two decades in senior leadership roles and board positions, including vice-chair of the Tourism Alliance, Shonali is a driving force in the industry.

A passionate advocate for mentorship and diversity, Shonali volunteers with the Fast Forward 15 mentorship programme and the Meeting Needs foundation. As a co-founder of the Diverse Speaker Bureau, she also champions inclusivity by amplifying underrepresented voices in key debates. Alongside her leadership responsibilities, Shonali has inspired future generations of event professionals as a lecturer in Events and Tourism at the University of Hertfordshire, while empowering her industry peers as an emcee and facilitator across a range of industry events.

Simon is Managing Director of AA Media, the hospitality services and ratings division of The AA. Widely recognised across the UK hospitality industry, he has become a respected voice on hotel quality, guest experience, standards and tourism trends. Simon works closely with Hotels, Restaurants, Inns and hospitality operators throughout the UK, helping businesses enhance quality, improve customer experience and strengthen commercial performance.

He is regularly involved in industry conferences, judging panels, awards programmes and media commentary, offering practical insight into the challenges and opportunities facing the sector. Under his leadership, AA Media has continued to evolve its trusted inspection, accreditation and advisory services while maintaining the long-standing reputation associated with the AA's hospitality schemes.