Global Business Leader and Keynote Public Speaker

How Culture Drives Success

Day 1 - 1:15PM - 2:05PM

James is a multi-award-winning Global Marketing Leader behind brands like Uber, Vinted, and Innocent Drinks, Resilience & Performance Expert, Author and Adventurer. 

James has cycled 41,000 km around the world, hiked across Argentina and Norway, and completed the first triathlon of the entire UK, cycling the length, kayaking the width and climbing the height non-stop.

A CALM ambassador and trailblazer in the resilience world, James is obsessed with how we as individuals, teams and leaders can use learnings from the past to accelerate future success.

CEO & Founder of Journey Hospitality

Panel Discussion -  Managing and Marketing Your Hotel Successfully

Day 1 - 2:15PM - 3:00PM

Simon Bullingham is CEO and Founder of Journey, a leading hotel technology business. Simon has been influential in shaping the evolution of marketing technology in the hotel space for the past decade.

Simon’s talents lie in his entrepreneurial vision and spotting opportunities as to how technology can solve problems and generate revenue. Relentless in the pursuit of his goal; to revolutionise ecommerce within the hotel space, Simon is constantly pioneering product innovation and challenging the status quo.

His portfolio of products include Journey Ecommerce - the world’s first all-in-one hotel ecommerce platform; Journey EMS - the UK’s top experience management software for spa, golf and hotel experiences and Gifted - the UK’s market leading hotel gift voucher platform.

At Journey, Simon works with over 750 luxury hotel partners around the world including Beaverbrook, Calcot Collection, The Londoner, Soneva (Maldives) and Grantley Hall. His company won the ‘Exceptional Customer Satisfaction’ award at the Business Awards - Technology 2024, the ‘Innovation in Tech’ award at the Business Awards - Travel 2023 and ‘Best
Website’ (for The Elms) at the Hotel Marketing Awards 2023.

CEO, PoB Hotels

Panel Discussion - Managing and Marketing Your Hotel Successfully

Day 1 - 2:15PM - 3:00PM

Kalindi Juneja is the CEO of PoB Hotels, the leading marketing consortium for British independent hotels. With over 20 years of experience in luxury hospitality, she has worked with some of the world’s most prestigious privately-owned hotels, leveraging her creative talent, vision for change, and strategic acumen to drive growth and success.

Kalindi’s career includes senior leadership roles at renowned organisations, including her time as International Director at Relais & Châteaux, where she oversaw key regions across Europe, the UK, South America, and the South Pacific. Her deep understanding of the independent hotel sector, combined with her strong commercial focus, has been pivotal in driving strategic growth and enhancing brand visibility.

With expertise in strategic planning, brand management, marketing, and stakeholder relations, Kalindi excels in developing high-impact campaigns that elevate hotel brands. She holds a degree in Hospitality Management and a qualification in Professional Marketing. Actively involved in industry leadership, she supports various charities and serves on several industry bodies, consistently inspiring positive change and growth in the UK hospitality sector.

CEO, Crafted

Panel Discussion - Managing and Marketing Your Hotel Successfully

Day 1 - 2:15PM - 3:00PM

With over a decade of leadership experience, Ian has supported a vast array of brands to navigate the evolving world of digital.  

As Crafted’s CEO, he has established the agency as a powerhouse in the digital space, forging a path of industry recognition and success for clients such as Hotelplan, Locke and Preferred Hotels & Resorts.

Ian’s warm and relatable talks have seen him shed light on a variety of thought-provoking themes such as accessibility in marketing, the impact of AI, and digital sustainability.

CEO, UKinbound

Inbound Visitor Trends: Why Innkeepers Should Care

Day 1 - 3:30PM - 4:00PM

As CEO of UKinbound, Joss leads the award-winning trade association that advocates and lobbies for policies that drive the UK’s second largest service export sector, and plays a crucial role in developing its members inbound businesses, connecting buyers and sellers to drive profitable outcomes. 

Before joining UKinbound in November 2018,  Joss was Managing Director of Marketing at the Department for International Trade, responsible for the marketing and communications programme for UK exports and investment. He was previously Marketing Director of VisitBritain, involved in the development of the award-winning GREAT Britain campaign. Campaign successes include two gold and one silver awards at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. Prior to that he held various roles at VisitBritain and contracting sales for global theme parks.

Joss was awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours List 2023 for services to the tourism industry.

Chairman of UK Finance and author of "Born Digital"

The Financial Forecast

Day 1 - 4:00PM - 4:45PM

Profile bio coming soon. 

Sunday Times No.1 Best-Selling Author, Speaker & Coach

Driving Loyalty 3.0

Day 2 - 10:00AM - 11:00AM

Michael Heppell is a best-selling author, coach and one of the UK’s most sought-after keynote speakers. With 30 years of experience, he’s presented to over half a million people globally, delivering high-energy, humorous, and insightful sessions to diverse audiences which include over half of the FTSE 100 and leading hospitality professionals.

His best-selling books, including How to Be Brilliant, The Edge, and Five Star Service, have been published in 27 languages. 

Danny Meyer founder of Unison Square Hospitality says, ‘Michael Heppell has such an authentic and effective voice in teaching people to improve lives by providing richer service.’

Jonathan Raggett of Red Carnation Hotels calls him “The Ultimate Service Guru.”

Michael’s style is both supportive and challenging, driving people to exceed their expectations. He ensures audiences are not just motivated but ready to implement lasting change with practical tools and actionable strategies.

CEO, UKHospitality

State of the Nation

Day 2 - 9:15AM - 10:00AM

Kate Nicholls OBE has been CEO of UKHospitality, the powerful voice representing the broad hospitality sector, since its inception in 2018. Kate previously worked as CEO and Strategic Affairs Director of the Association of Licenced Multiple Retailers (ALMR).

Kate sits on the Government’s Tourism, Hospitality, and Food & Drink Sector Councils, where she represents the wider hospitality and tourism sector. As a passionate advocate for inclusivity in hospitality, Kate is also the Government’s first Disability Ambassador for hospitality.

Kate is the Chair of the Institute of Licensing, a board member of Best Bar None, and a trustee of Hospitality Action and Springboard. She has previously chaired the Tourism Alliance, London Night-time Commission, and London Tourism Recovery Board.

Kate initially worked as a researcher in the House of Commons and European Parliament on food, employment and environmental policy before joining Whitbread to work in Strategic Affairs. She has extensive experience as a political and strategic communications consultant and is a graduate of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge and Kings College London.

Professional conference and awards host

Peter Hancock will be the Hotel Leadership Conference's host for both days of the event.

Peter Hancock is an award-winning professional conference and awards host, after dinner speaker and qualified toastmaster. Peter started his career as a waiter in the late 1970s and managed small hotels in Sussex and Hampshire before becoming the UK publisher of Johansens guides (1988-2000) and Chief Executive at Pride of Britain Hotels (2000-2021).

An honorary Master Innholder, a Fellow of the Institute of Hospitality, a Fellow of HOSPA, an ambassador for James Hallam (insurance), Hospitality Action, The Gold Service Scholarship & The Independent Hotel Show, he is currently Chair of the Quality Advisory Board for the AA and VisitEngland but prefers to describe himself as “retired”.