Thank you to our GRIF 2019 speakers
Raymond Blanc OBE
Chef Patron, Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons; Founder, The Raymond Blanc Consultancy; President of The Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA)
Marco Pierre White
Renowned chef, restauranteur and TV personality
Luca Baffigo
Chief Executive Officer, Eataly
Jacob Jan Boerma
Signature Chef, The White Room, NH Collection Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam
Ron Simpson
Founder, The Avocado Show
Victor Lugger
Co-founder, Big Mamma Group
Kate Nicholls
Chief Executive Officer, UKHospitality
Yossi Eliyahoo
Founder and co-owner, The Entourage Group
Robin Rowland OBE
Operating Partner, TriSpan LLP
Frances Adams
Group Director, Brand Strategy, Endemol Shine Group
Chris Miller
Founder, White Rabbit Fund
Maarten Markus
Managing Director Northern Europe, NH Hotel Group
Etienne van Unen
Partner, Director Food & Beverage, Co Head EMEA Retail, Colliers International
Chef Tomer Agay
Santa Katarina
Arne Altmann
Managing partner for Le Pain Quotidien The Netherlands
Lesley Bamberger
Managing Director, Kroonenberg Groep
Peter Backman
Principal, Peter Backman
Ginger Flesher Sonnier
Founder/CEO, The Ginger Companies
Reinder Bakker
Owner, Overtreders W
Mario C. Bauer
Advisor to Vapiano; Co-Founder, Curtice Brothers
Lynne Bellinger
Director of Food & Beverage Development, Marriott International
Rohan Bilimoria
Legal Counsel, KFC Asia and Pizza Hut Asia Pacific, Yum! Brands
Loui Blake
Managing Director, Kalifornia Kitchen
Rudolf Brand
Executive chef at Circl Restaurant, Amsterdam
Benjamina Bollag
CEO & Co-founder, HigherSteaks Limited
Monique Borst
Consultant, Monique Borst Ltd
Stefan Breg
Group Strategy Director, Keane
Bas Buvelot
Director Asset Development, CBRE Global Investors
Paul Campbell
Founder , Hill Capital Partners
Emily Chambers
Marketing Consultant, Think Hospitality
Zing-Kyn Cheung
Co-founder of Foodhallen & Kanarie Club
Adrian Cummins
Chief Executive, Restaurants Association of Ireland
Arturo Dalhuisen
Chef De Cuisine The White Room* At NH Collection Amsterdam Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky
Olgierd Danielewicz
Chief Operations Officer, AmRest
Daan de Geus
Innovation Manager & Startup Liaison, ISS Netherlands
Sukru Dincer
Representative, #FairKitchens
Stef Driessen
Sector Banker Leisure, ABN AMRO Bank
Elise Duitshof
Marketer, Circl
Michael Ellis
Chief Culinary officer, Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts
Viktoria Elman
Global Key Account Sales Manager, TripAdvisor Restaurant Solutions
Helen El Mettouri
Regional Director, Keane
Isidoro Martínez de la Escalera
Chief Marketing Officer, NH Hotel Group
Yasha Estraikh
Associate Partner, Piper Private Equity
Dogan Eymirlioglu
Partner, Dentons
Ahmet Faralyalı
Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Mediterra Capital
Hendrik Franken
Director Marketing & Concepts, Vermaat Groep
Duncan Fraser-Smith
Vice President, TFG, Food & Beverage
Chris Fung
Former CEO, CRUSSH – Fit Food & Juice Bars
Ido Garini
Founder & Creative Director, Studio Appétit
Sarah-Jane Grant
Director, LXA
James Hacon
Managing Director, THINK Hospitality
Ronald Huiskamp
Owner, H-Hospitality
Gunel Ismailova
Global Business Development Director, Ginza Project
Brian Johnston
International Managing Director, Wagamama
Christopher Jones
President Franchise & Concession AmRest
Herman Klok
Regional Director of Operations Amsterdam, UK, Switzerland, NH Hotel Group
Marloes Knippenberg
Chief Executive Officer, Kerten Hospitality
Gert Kopera
Executive Vice President Restaurants Global, Hakkasan Group
Afroditi Krassa
Creative Director, AfroditiKrassa; Co-owner and designer, Bala Baya
Uri Lahav
Santa Katarina
Mat Lake
Managing Director and Co-owner of Junkyard Golf Club, Bunny Jackson’s & Wilderness Trading Co.
Isabelle Leroux
Senior Counsel, Dentons
Naim Maadad
Chief Executive, Gates Hospitality
Jillian MacLean
Founder & CEO, Drake & Morgan
Babette Marzheuser-Wood
Partner, Dentons
David Mattin
Global Head of Trends & Insights, TrendWatching
Harry McKinley
Writer, Editor and Hospitality Consultant
Ian Millar
Manager of Inst. of Business Creativity & Senior Lecturer, Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne
Chris Naylor
Executive Chef of Restaurant Vermeer (1* Michelin), NH Collection Amsterdam Barbizon Palace
Virginia Anne Newton
Director of Media Relations & Special Events, Restaurant Geranium
Aaron Noveshen
President and Founder , The Culinary Edge
Marjan Oosting
General Manager, Circl Restaurant & Bar
Roger Payne
Chief Executive Officer, Enhanced Hospitality
Jennifer Pettinger-Haines
Managing Director Middle East , Bench Events; Co-Founder, GRIF
Maxim Polzikov
Partner & CEO, Ginza Project
Heleri Rande
F&B Strategist & Consulting Editor, SUPPER
Rohit Sachdev
Chief Executive Officer, Soho Hospitality
Sven Sallaerts
Co-Founder, Younique Concepts
Jeremy Scarf
Managing Director, Keane
Nick Schapira
Chief Executive Officer, Vapiano Franchising International
Johannes Schuster
Director Business Development, L’Osteria
David Singleton
Area Vice President EMEA/South Asia, Franchise Operations & Development, Hard Rock Café
Nick Taplin
Chairman and CEO, Black and White Hospitality Ltd
Simon Taylor
Founder, Swiperight
Merijn van den Bergh
Director and Initiator, Circl
Marlijn Van Straaten
Vice President Marketing & Communication, HMSHost International
Philip Verey
Commercial Director, Winnow
Kuif Klein Wassink
Partner, Dentons
Jenna Webb
Project Manager, The Culinary Edge
Jon Yantin
Chief Executive Officer, Stake Concepts
How we choose our speakers
Our Speakers are key influencers in the global restaurant market. Our speaking faculty is chosen for their industry knowledge, experience and insight that they are happy to share.
If you would be interested in speaking at the Global Restaurant Investment Forum please email Jennifer Pettinger-Haines
The Advisory Board
The advisory board has been carefully selected from our attendees, speakers and sponsors. It is their role to help build the agenda and put forward the issues that are pertinent to the industry. Advisory boards are held in London and Dubai to capture the global reach of this event.
2020 Advisory Board
Chris Naylor
Executive Chef of Restaurant Vermeer (1* Michelin), NH Collection Amsterdam Barbizon Palace
Etienne van Unen
Partner, Director Food & Beverage, Co Head EMEA Retail, Colliers International
Ravi Chandran
Chief Executive Officer, Liwa Minor (Middle East and North Africa)
David Singleton
Area Vice President EMEA/South Asia, Franchise Operations & Development, Hard Rock Café
Babette Marzheuser-Wood
Partner, Dentons
Peter Backman
Principal, Peter Backman
Yasha Estraikh
Associate Partner, Piper Private Equity
Sami Daud
Managing Director, Daud Group
Harry McKinley
Writer, Editor and Hospitality Consultant
Monique Borst
Consultant, Monique Borst Ltd
Martin Sherwood
Senior Development Director, Kin Capital
Heleri Rande
F&B Strategist & Consulting Editor, SUPPER
Chris Fung
Former CEO, CRUSSH – Fit Food & Juice Bars
Naim Maadad
Chief Executive, Gates Hospitality
Michael Ellis
Chief Culinary officer, Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts
James Hacon
Managing Director, THINK Hospitality
Michael Ingemann
Executive Chairman, Claus Meyer Holding; Director, Melting Pot Foundation
Tyrone Reid
Chief Executive Officer, Alabbar Enterprises
Sven Sallaerts
Co-Founder, Younique Concepts
Nick Schapira
Chief Executive Officer, Vapiano Franchising International
Mario C. Bauer
Advisor to Vapiano; Co-Founder, Curtice Brothers
Chris Miller
Founder, White Rabbit Fund
Robin Rowland OBE
Operating Partner, TriSpan LLP
Michael Marlay
Managing Director - F&B, Al Futtaim Group Real Estate
Jillian MacLean
Founder & CEO, Drake & Morgan
Troy Hickox
Assistant Senior Vice President - Hotel & Lifestyle Development, Galaxy Entertainment Group
Paul Campbell
Founder , Hill Capital Partners
Ian Millar
Manager of Inst. of Business Creativity & Senior Lecturer, Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne
Peter Moody
Principal, Red Pie Consulting
Emma Banks
Managing Director, JRG Dubai
Fay Economides
Executive Managing Director, M Management Company