Industry News Premier Hospitality

Casual Dining Unveils its Biggest Ever Keynote Line-Up

Aspire Executive Lounges, Swissport's global airport hospitality brand, has joined the British Institute of Hospitality, the world’s leading and award-winning membership body for hospitality professionals. Aspire Executive Lounges becomes the first business partner from the airport lounge hospitality sector to join the Institute of Hospitality. Aspire Executive Lounges, the fast-growing Swiss brand in the airport hospitality business, has joined the British Institute of Hospitality (IoH), the world’s leading membership body for professionals working and studying in the hospitality leisure and tourism industry. Aspire Executive Lounges is the first business from the airport lounge sector to become a member of IoH. The collaboration will foster an exchange of expertise and insights: IoH will benefit from Aspire's expertise in airport hospitality, while Aspire, by sharing its wealth of experience with IoH members, can extend its professional network to the hotel and catering sectors and hospitality management schools. “Our vision for Aspire Executive Lounges is clear and simple: We want to deliver a guest experience that is similar to what our guests are used to from their preferred hotels, meeting the needs and exceeding the expectations of today’s travelers,” says David Collyer, Global Vice President of Executive Lounges at Swissport International AG. “We strive to deliver an unparalleled experience and set a benchmark that transcends our industry, redefining excellence across the hospitality sector. The Institute of Hospitality is a great network to exchange insights and experiences, and to learn from others in the hospitality sector, which will help us bring our vision to life.” Robert Richardson, CEO of the Institute of Hospitality: “Our aspiration at the Institute of Hospitality has been to develop and grow our membership, the number of countries we operate in, and the number of hospitality sectors represented within our organization. With that in mind, it is a natural partnership for us to welcome Aspire into our family, and to learn from their teams, who serve travelers with passion and dedication. As two organizations with similar values, we look forward to collaborating in promoting high levels of excellence within our profession.” With over 30 years of experience, Aspire Executive Lounges is Europe’s largest brand in the airport lounges sector. In 2023, Swissport welcomed more than five million customers worldwide at over 69 lounges in 20 countries. The airport hospitality brand recently opened new lounges at Toronto City Airport in Canada, and Helsinki-Vantaa Airport in Finland. Aspire Executive Lounges recently created a new lounge concept in partnership with the airline alliance oneworld. The first oneworld branded lounge was launched at Incheon Airport in Seoul, Korea, in December 2023. Aspire Executive Lounges is owned by Swissport International AG, the global leader in aviation services, serving airlines at 286 airports in 44 countries across 6 continents
Written by Amy

Dishoom, Hawksmoor, wagamama, M&B, Oakman Inns, PizzaExpress, Fuller’s & Loungers confirmed

 2019 is already set to be a record year for Casual Dining show, as it announces its free Keynote line-up featuring some of the biggest names from the nation’s best casual dining operators.

Visitors to the show, taking place at the new venue of London ExCeL on 27-28 February, will benefit from expert insights from 50 speakers appearing in 25 free business seminars across two dedicated keynote theatres (sponsored by Yumpingo).

The addition of a second theatre ensures there’s even more great content from over 25 new show speakers.  Among them are CEOs, founders, and senior directors from Dishoom (Shamil Thakrar), Carluccio’s (Mark Jones), Hawksmoor (Will Beckett), Mowgli Street Food (Nisha Katona), Jamie’s Italian (Ed Loftus), Pizza Pilgrims (Thom Elliot), The Alchemist Bars & Restaurants (Simon Potts), MEATliquor (Scott Collins), PizzaExpress (Jane Treasure), BrewDog (David McDowall), Swingers (Matt Grech-Smith), Albion & East (Sarah Weir), Blacklock (Gordon Ker), Harcourt Inns (James McCulloch), Flight Club (Steve Moore), and Social Entertainment Ventures (Toby Harris).

Also making their debut are: head marketeers from wagamama (Andre Johnstone), Mitchells & Butlers (Anna-Marie Mason), Bill’s Restaurants (Lesley McIlroy), Revolution Bars Group (Kate Eastwood), and Las Iguanas (Lucy Harwood); operations directors from The Ivy Collection (Baton Berisha), YO! (Jo Childs), Browns Brasserie & Bar (Dave Lewis), and Pizza Pilgrims (Gavin Smith); plus wagamama’s executive chef Steven Mangleshot.

As previously confirmed, the CEOs of UKHospitality, Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group, Pizza Hut Restaurants UK, Casual Dining Group, The New World Trading Co (NWTC), and Oakman Inns will also be giving their take on the challenges and opportunities of competing in this dynamic market.

For full details and timings, please visit www.casualdiningshow.co.uk/keynote-programme.

“Casual Dining has already established itself as the destination show for restaurant, pub and bar operators.  It’s the only UK event that annually attracts so many leading innovators, influencers, trailblazers and decision makers from across the sector together in one place at one time.  And, this incredible free Keynote line-up, makes it even more unmissable,” says event manager Eva Ellis.

“In these turbulent times, it’s more important than ever that our great industry gets together.  I’m very happy to be speaking at our industry trade show, Casual Dining.  See you at ExCeL,” says Dishoom’s Shamil Thakrar.

Speaker highlights (Keynotes & panellists) include:

  • Steve Richards, CEO of The Casual Dining Group
  • Jon Knight, CEO of Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group
  • Mark Jones, CEO of Carluccio’s
  • Jens Hofma, CEO of Pizza Hut Restaurants UK
  • Shamil Thakrar, co-founder of Dishoom
  • Nisha Katona, CEO & founder of Mowgli Street Food Restaurants
  • Will Beckett, founder of Hawksmoor
  • Chris Hill, CEO of The New World Trading Co
  • David McDowall, CEO – Retail at BrewDog
  • Peter Borg Neal, CEO of Oakman Inns
  • Scott Collins, co-founder & MD of MEATliquor
  • Gordon Ker, founder of Blacklock
  • Steve Moore, CEO & co-founder of Flight Club
  • Brian Whiting, owner of Whiting & Hammond
  • Matt Grech-Smith, co–founder of Swingers
  • Toby Harris, CEO of Social Entertainment Ventures
  • Paul Merrett, chef director at The Jolly Fine Pub Group
  • Kate Nicholls, chief executive, UKHospitality
  • Tim Foster, co-owner & head of being awesome at Yummy Pubs Co
  • Thom Elliot, co-founder of Pizza Pilgrims
  • Simon Potts, MD of The Alchemist Bars & Restaurants
  • Jo Fleet, MD of Flat Iron
  • Sarah Weir, MD of Albion & East
  • James McCulloch, director of Harcourt Inns
  • Jane Treasure, food & beverage director at PizzaExpress
  • Paul Dickinson, director of food at Fuller’s
  • Ed Loftus, group F&B director at Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group
  • Glenn Evans, head of food development at Las Iguanas, La Tasca & La Vina
  • Antony Bennett, head of food at Loungers
  • Steven Mangleshot, executive chef at wagamama
  • Chris Knights, group exec chef at Young’s Pubs
  • Baton Berisha, director of operations at The Ivy Collection
  • Jo Childs, people & operations director at YO! Sushi
  • Dave Lewis, operations director at Browns Brasserie & Bar
  • Gavin Smith, operations director at Pizza Pilgrims
  • Brian Trollip, operations director at Dishoom
  • Anna-Marie Mason, director of brand marketing at Mitchells & Butlers
  • Andre Johnstone, UK marketing director at wagamama
  • Lucy Harwood, brand & marketing director at Las Iguanas
  • Kate Eastwood, sales & marketing director at Revolution Bars Group
  • Lesley McIlroy, head of marketing at Bill’s Restaurants
  • Mark McCulloch, founder & CEO of WE ARE Spectacular
  • Jay Morjaria, chef & food consultant, and winner of the BBC’s My Million Pound Menu
  • Peter Martin, director of CM&Co and VP of CGA
  • Fiona Speakman & Chris Jeffrey, client directors at CGA
  • Simon Stenning, founder of FutureFoodservice.com
  • Peter Backman, principal of Peter Backman Foodservice
  • Mark Stretton, MD of Fleet Street Communications

Free advance trade registration

Casual Dining will take place at the new venue of ExCeL London on 27-28 February 2019.

The pre-registered visitor list, to date, also includes key decision makers from AccorHotels UK & Ireland, Admiral Taverns, Aramark, Azzurri Group, BaxterStorey, Be At One, Bourne Leisure Group, Brewhouse and Kitchen, Center Parcs, Daniel Thwaites, Domino’s Pizza Group, Ei Publican Partnerships, Elior UK, Glendola Leisure, Greene King, Hall & Woodhouse, Hollywood Bowl Group, ISS Facility Services, Prezzo, Punch Taverns, Roadchef, Sodexo, Star Pubs & Bars, TGI Fridays UK, The Restaurant Group, Tortilla, Warner Leisure Hotels, Whitbread, and many more.  Over 5,000 attendees are expected.

To register for a free trade ticket, please visit www.casualdiningshow.co.uk and use priority code CD80 (direct link: www.eventdata.co.uk/Forms/Default.aspx?FormRef=Cas29Visitor&TrackingCode=CD80).

 

About the author

Amy