As the industry prepares to gather and celebrate the 20th anniversary of the International Hotel Investment Forum , the programme for the 2017 event is announced.
Created from delegate feedback, Advisory Board recommendations and the most topical and current trends across the industry, the IHIF programme is proudly the very best in class. This year’s programme has been carefully curated to lead delegates through the event in a logical and structured way with specific areas of focus for each day.
Day 1 – Reflect & Adapt – will focus on the economics of hotel investment throughout the global hospitality industry and provide the anchor for the subsequent content. In addition to the expected sessions on global economics and market trends, will be “Investors on the Spot; Updating the Fundamentals of Hotel Investment”, led by Nick van Marken, Global Head – Hospitality, Deloitte, who will challenge a panel of investors on how they intend to evolve to ensure continued growth in this ever-changing hotel investment landscape. Leaders from banking, asset management and hotel brands will take a close look at the evolving fundamentals of the sector and the changing international environment to secure future growth. Additional speakers on Day 1 include:
· Arne Sorenson, President & CEO, Marriott International
· Richard Solomons, CEO, IHG
· Cody Bradshaw, Senior Vice President and Head of European Hotels, Starwood Capital Group
· Simon Vincent, President EMEA, Hilton Worldwide
· Tim Helliwell, Head of Hotels, Barclays Bank
Day 2 – Strategise & Develop – of IHIF will examine the changing business models across the industry and the respective innovation involved, particularly the significant dependence on digital technology new business models are built on. Interviews, presentations and discussions on this area will form the basis of the programme for the second day of the event. Delegates can expect insights from hotel investors and owners, international hotel brands in the classic CEO panel, as well as digital brands talking partnerships rather than disruption. Key speakers on Day 2 include:
· Sébastien Bazin, Chairman and CEO, AccorHotels
· Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO , The Expedia Group
· David Kong, CEO, Best Western Hotels & Resorts
· Pierre-Frédéric Roulot, CEO, Louvre Hotels Group and CEO, Jin Jiang Europe
· Stefan Leser, President and Group CEO, Jumeirah Group
The final day – Innovate & Grow – will combine the previously discussed areas of investment and business evolution and explore the various alternative hospitality brands, their offering, points of differentiation to a traditional hotel business and the growth and sustainability of these businesses. Notable speakers on Day 3 include:
· Hans Meyer, CEO, Zoku
· Terri Scriven, Industry Head Hospitality, Google
· Olivia Byrne, Company Director, Eccleston Square Hotel
· André Gerondeau, Executive Vice-President for Hotels, Meliá Hotels International
· Hannes Spanring, CEO, MEININGER Hotels
