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
2018 Speakers
Ramzy Abdul-Majeed
Founder & Managing Director, Whissle Hospitality Group
Mohammed Ashour
Co-Founder and CEO, Aspire Food Group
Karl Atiyeh
Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, serVme
Giuseppe Atzeri
Managing Director, VT Capital Ltd - Niu Restaurant Project
Peter Backman
Emma Banks
General Manager, Jumeirah Restaurant Group
Nader A. Bassit
CEO, Wakira Investments
Mario C. Bauer
Entrepreneur and Advisor to Vapiano
Anil Bhardwaj
Director, A.A. Almoosa Enterprises LLC
Monique Borst
Consultant, Monique Borst Ltd
Stefan Breg
Group Strategy Director, Keane
Benjamin Calleja
CEO, Livit Design
Paul Campbell
Founder , Hill Capital Partners
Sagar Daryani
Co-Founder & CEO, Wow! Momo
Sami Daud
Managing Director, Daud Group
Mohamed El-Masri
Head of Corporate Finance, Ento Capital Management Ltd.
Dogan Eymirlioglu
Partner, Dentons
Mathieu Fabre-Magnan
Partner, Dentons
Ahmass Fakahany
CEO and Owner, Atelier House Hospitality and Altamarea Group
Duncan Fraser-Smith
Director - Global Food and Beverage, The First Group
Soumobroto Ganguly
Deputy Managing Director, Genesis Group Nigeria
Duncan Garrood
Chief Executive Officer, Bill’s Restaurants
Christian Gradnitzer
Senior Director of F&B Operations EMEA, Hilton
Sarah-Jane Grant
Director, LXA
James Hacon
Managing Director, THINK Hospitality
Walid Hajj
Executive Chairman, Cravia Group
Ryan Hattingh
Partner, Atelier EPJ
Paul Hemming
Senior Advisor, Alix Partners
Anastasia Hofmann
Co-founder, KITRO
Michael Ingemann
Executive Chairman, Claus Meyer Holding; Director, Melting Pot Foundation
Gunel Ismailova
Global Business Development Director, Ginza Project
Lisa Johnson
Marketing Director - Franchising & Business Development, Casual Dining Group
Ajay Kenth
Founder, Zindiya Streatery and Bar
Imad Khairallah
Founder, Kitchen Confidential
Jon Knight
Managing Director, Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group
Gert Kopera
Executive Vice President of Global Restaurants, Hakkasan Group
Isabelle Leroux
Senior Counsel, Dentons
Naim Maadad
Chief Executive, Gates Hospitality
Naomi MacKenzie
Co-founder, KITRO
Jillian MacLean
Founder & CEO, Drake & Morgan
Kieran Mallon
General Manager – F&B, Al Futtaim Retail
Maarten Markus
Managing Director Northern Europe, NH Hotel Group
Ruth Marshall-Johnson
Foresight Director, The Future Laboratory
Ana Martinez
Founder, YOUtopia
Babette Marzheuser-Wood
Partner, Dentons
Nick McCabe
Chief Executive Officer, Hakkasan Group
Mansour Memarian
Director of Culinary and Food & Beverage, Palazzo Versace Dubai
Daniel Mills
Co-Founder, Mastering Multi-Units (MMU)
Peter Moody
Principal, Red Pie Consulting
Barry Moroney
Head of Middle East, TINT
Richard Morris
Chief Executive Officer, Tortilla
Benjamin Mouflard
Co-founder & CEO, ChatFood
Ovais Naqvi
Managing Director, The Abraaj Group
Chris Naylor
Executive Chef of Restaurant Vermeer (1* Michelin), NH Collection Barbizon Palace
Aaron Noveshen
President and Founder , The Culinary Edge
Ian Ohan
Founder & CEO , Freedom Pizza
Reif Othman
Chef and Business Partner, Flavio Briatore Group
Ashley Palmer-Watts
Chef Director, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
Spero Panagakis
Chief Operating Officer, PSBars & Co-owner, BB Social Dining
Anupama Parekh
Head of Marketing at Wakira Investments
Aku Patel
Managing Director, Paperchase Accountancy Ltd
Jennifer Pettinger-Haines
Managing Director Middle East , Bench Events
Elmar Pichorner
Partner, Atelier EPJ
Simon Potts
Managing Director, The Alchemist Bars and Restaurants
Heleri Rande
F&B Strategist & Consulting Editor, SUPPER
Robin Rowland
Founder, YO! Sushi
Rohit Sachdev
Managing Director, Soho Hospitality
Nick Schapira
International Chief Operating Officer, Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group
Lee Sheldon
Co-founder, Mastering Multi-Units (MMU)
Martin Sherwood
Partner, Enterprise Investment Partners
David Singleton
Area Vice President EMEA/South Asia, Franchise Operations & Development, Hard Rock Café
Gaurav Sinha
Founder & CEO of Insignia Worldwide
Didier Souillat
Chief Executive Officer, Time Out Market
Alexander Stumpf
Executive Chef & Co-owner, BB Social Dining
Shabnum Stumpf
Chief Executive Officer, PSBars & Co-owner, BB Social Dining
Simon Taylor
Partner, RANt
Darren Tse
Head of Catering and Cleaning & Waste Management, Expo 2020 Dubai
Jonathan Worsley
Chairman, Bench Events, Board Director, STR Global
2018 Advisory Board
Ramzy Abdul-Majeed
Founder & Managing Director, Whissle Hospitality Group
Peter Backman
Dirk Bakker
Head of EMEA Hotels, Colliers International
Emma Banks
General Manager, Jumeirah Restaurant Group
Paul Campbell
Founder , Hill Capital Partners
Catalin Cighi
Managing Partner, Cain Hospitality Innovation (CHI)
Dan Clayton
Head of Food and Beverage, Al Futtaim Group
Emmanuel Clavé
Vice President Gulf Countries & India, Xn protel Systems
Fay Economides
Executive Managing Director, M Management Company
Jean Luc Fourrier
Senior Director Food and Beverage, Majid Al Futtaim Properties LLC
Duncan Fraser-Smith
Director - Global Food and Beverage, The First Group
Patrice Gouty
Director of Operations & Commercials in Lifestyle Dining , Emaar Hospitality Group
Sarah-Jane Grant
Director, LXA
James Hacon
Managing Director, THINK Hospitality
Troy Hickox
Vice President - Hospitality Development , Galaxy Entertainment Group
Colin Hutton
Managing Director, Umami Communications
Michael Ingemann
Executive Chairman, Claus Meyer Holding; Director, Melting Pot Foundation
Babette Marzheuser-Wood
Partner, Dentons
Harry McKinley
Editor, Supper Magazine
Ian Millar
Project Manager METRO Innovation Chair & Senior Lecturer, Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne
Andrew Morrow
General Manager, F&B Development and Operations, Roya International
Jason Myers
Chief Executive Officer, Busaba Eathai
Ian Ohan
Founder & CEO , Freedom Pizza
Ron Pearson
Partner, Bowmark Capital LLP,
Laurent Plantier
Founder, FrenchFood Capital
Heleri Rande
F&B Strategist & Consulting Editor, SUPPER
Nick Schapira
International Chief Operating Officer, Jamie Oliver Restaurant Group
Martin Sherwood
Partner, Enterprise Investment Partners
David Singleton
Area Vice President EMEA/South Asia, Franchise Operations & Development, Hard Rock Café
Gaurav Sinha
Founder & CEO of Insignia Worldwide
Simon Taylor
Head of Business Development Restaurants, Condé Nast International Restaurants,
Etienne van Unen
Partner, Director Retail, Head EMEA Retail, Colliers International
Rebecca Viani
Head of Franchising, AWJ Investments