Message from the Chair

It is a tremendous honour and privilege to have been chosen as the chair for the upcoming 2026 Hotel Leadership Conference.

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As someone who has attended the conference many times, I know first-hand that it’s not just another event – it’s a place to come together and challenge the status quo. It’s where ideas are shared that help ensure we are future-proofing our industry. It’s also a space where we give back and empower those to excel, raising crucial funds so that others in our industry who may not have access to management training and professional development have the opportunity to do so. 

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These are just some of the many reasons why chairing the 2026 Hotel Leadership Conference means so much to me. It’s about uniting around a common purpose, a key aspect of this year’s theme of ‘Stronger Together, Breaking the Mould’.

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Stronger Together is a challenge to us all. In hospitality, we meet a lot, we network endlessly, but how often do we truly unite around a common purpose? How often do we stop protecting our silos and start lifting each other? That’s what I want this conference to ignite.

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And Breaking the Mould? That’s the wake-up call. We’ve spent years saying “we’ve always done it this way.” Unfortunately, that’s not good enough anymore. If we’re going to survive, thrive, and future-proof our industry, we have to unlearn the habits that are holding us back—like glorifying burnout, overpromoting too quickly, and ignoring the changing expectations of our workforce.

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We need to be like chameleons—not in the sense of blending in, but in having the agility to read the environment, adapt fast, and survive smartly. That’s leadership in 2026. It’s bold, it's nimble, and it doesn’t wait for permission.

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The conference is where these big conversations happen. It’s where we stop reacting and start designing the future we want—smarter structures, healthier teams, fairer opportunities, and more inclusive leadership.

This year, I want every single person to leave the room sharper, bolder, and more empowered. It means having the courage to break habits and lead by design.

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I believe everyone has their own personal mission at the Hotel Leadership Conference, and that is to be responsible to take the ideas shared and try and implement them in their own business. We need leaders who are thinking beyond their own career path—who are leading to build stronger teams, healthier cultures, and a more resilient industry. That’s the goal.

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Whether you have been before or it’s your first time attending, my advice would be to make the most of the experience. Walk up. Say hello. The networking opportunities I’ve had at the conference over the years are second to none, so speak to each other, speak to our sponsors and question our speakers where you can.

After all, the Hotel Leadership Conference is where these big conversations happen. It’s where we stop reacting and start designing the future we want—smarter structures, healthier teams, fairer opportunities, and more inclusive leadership. If we don’t shape it, someone else will—and we may not like the result.

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At the end of the day, this isn’t just an event — it’s a movement. Stronger Together isn’t a tagline—it’s a promise. And I’m proud to be driving that forward.