The European Summit will focus on marcomms strategies, proposition and concept development, the latest market insights, technology and digital developments, diversification of revenue streams and how brands are adapting to the new normal. Taking place on 20 and 21 January at Hilton Bankside in London.
A one-day ticket for operators is £320 plus VAT while a two-day ticket is £575 plus VAT. Supplier tickets are £950 plus VAT for the two days. Propel Premium Club subscribers receive a 20% discount.
To book, email kai.kirkman@propelinfo.com
DAY 1 – 20th January ~ MAIN STAGE
9.00am-10:00am: Networking and registration
9.00am-9.20am: Official welcome and headlines of 2025: James Hacon, managing partner at Think Hospitality, welcomes the audience and shares a whistle stop tour of the headlines that shaped hospitality in 2025.
9.20am-9.40am: Understanding value today: Maria Vanifatova, chief executive and founder of Meaningful Vision, shares what the latest data reveals about how hospitality brands are shaping perceptions of value, adjusting pricing strategies, and designing promotions. She explores emerging patterns and how operators are shaping offers and making pricing decisions in a shifting, competitive market.
9.40am-10.00am: Market movers: who’s winning and why: Mark Bentley, business development director at HDI, breaks down who is outperforming in hospitality and who is under pressure, and what is driving those shifts. He shares the latest market picture, the forces shaping performance and the signals operators should be watching as trading dynamics continue to evolve.
10.00am-10.40am: Inside the boardroom – growth, marketing and what really matters: What do boards really value from marketing and growth teams? A new survey of chief executives and managing directors reveals how boards view growth, what they expect from marketing and where confidence truly sits. James Mobbs shares the findings before a candid conversation with industry leaders on proving impact, earning influence and aligning with board priorities. The panel features Sara McKennedy, managing director at Coco di Mama, Éadaoin McDonagh, chief operating officer at White Rabbit Projects, Laura Irving, managing director at JKS Restaurants, and Lucy Worth, chief executive at Mowgli Street Food.
10.40am-11.05am: Creating a new category – drinking chocolate: Romy Miller, chief marketing officer at Knoops, shares how the brand carved out a new category in the crowded drinks space, cutting through noise to create a cult following. She reveals how to disrupt established habits, drive awareness and grow fast when no roadmap exists.
11.05am-11.30am: From bowl to brand: scaling Pho: Libby Andrews, marketing director at Pho, talks to Charlotte Mair, founder and managing director at The Fitting Room, about guiding the brand from just three sites to 50. She reveals how Pho has pivoted at key stages of growth, adapted to shifts in ownership style and evolved its brand and marketing to stay fresh, relevant and distinctive at scale.
11.30am-12.00pm: The north stars that drive Dishoom: In conversation with Fleet Street Communications chief executive Mark Stretton, co-founder Kavi Thakrar talks about what drives Dishoom – the tenets of the brand, the importance of poetry, why the hospitality imperative always trumps growth, and what bringing “seva” to every guest means.
12.00pm-1.00pm: Lunch break
1.00pm-1.25pm: Breaking Into Britain: Alexis Melikov, chief executive of Tigermilk, shares the story of bringing the brand from Paris and Brussels to London. He reveals the strategy behind localising the concept, designing photogenic spaces and launching with a bang in a hyper-competitive market.
1.25pm-1.55pm: Fans, not followers: Lessons from three founders who transformed neighbourhood favourites into loyal movements, scaling successfully across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Jordan Graham, founder of Sugar Snap, in conversation with Paul Catterson, director at Orto Pizza, Sam Shephard, founder at Juice Jar, and Peter Coleman, co-founder of Seed, about how they built distinctive concepts, scaled into multi-site brands, and innovated through product development – all while cultivating organic community.
1.55pm-2.15pm: Aqua at 25: stories beyond the view: Marie Guenot, marketing director at Aqua Restaurant Group, marks the brand’s 25th anniversary by sharing how its content has evolved. Polished visuals are now balanced with real life and accessibility, celebrating the people and produce behind the scenes and forging deeper guest connection as Aqua enters its next chapter.
2.15pm-2.40pm: Scaling hospitality marketing without scaling the team: Michael Radley, co-founder at Joli, is joined by Hilary Ansell, marketing consultant and interim marketing director at Wasabi, Hester Mitchell, digital marketing manager at Bleecker Burger, and Tom Patrick, marketing director for Banana Tree and Las Iguanas at Big Table Group, to explore how hospitality brands can use creators as extensions of lean marketing teams. With small teams stretched thinner than ever, creators can act as on-the-ground storytellers, content producers and community voices.
2.40pm-3.00pm: Big launch energy: Evie Horsell, head of communications UK & Ireland at Big Mamma Group, reveals how the team is rewriting the rulebook on restaurant launches. She shares the secrets behind creating PR buzz, harnessing storytelling and crafting experiential rollouts as they expand their wildly successful concepts across Europe.
3.00pm-3.30pm: Coffee break
3.30pm-4.00pm: Generation Z unlocked: Russell Danks, managing director at Laine Pub Co, explores how the group built a brand strategy designed around Generation Z. From community-driven experiences to social-first storytelling, he reveals what it takes to connect with the next generation and what this means for the future of hospitality.
4.00pm-4.25pm: Leading with insight – the human side of transformation: Kiran Quinn, group marketing director at RedCat Hospitality, shares how a blend of strategic marketing and psychotherapeutic insight has shaped a major year of change. She reflects on her experience in redefining sub-brands, delivering an £8m investment programme and building CVPs, digital capability and loyalty with empathy and clarity. A session for leaders driving growth and transformation across complex estates.
4.25pm-4.50pm: Game on – scaling The Box: Laura Lewis, marketing director at Arc Inspirations, reveals how The Box has grown from student nights in Leeds to a nationwide sports bar powerhouse. She shares how the business built brand loyalty, expanded into new markets and made sports social.
4.50pm-5.00pm: Day one wrap up
DAY 1 – SECOND STAGE ~ INNOVATION
1.00pm-1.25pm: Pizza with principles: David Tester, head of marketing at Franco Manca, is joined by George Lamb, co-founder of Wildfarmed, to share how simplicity guides its new product development strategy and partnership. They explore how “Pizza with Principles” comes to life from farm visits to menu development and impact across people, planet and profit, and how purpose and collaboration drive growth.
1.25pm-1.55pm: Five concepts, one vision — Incipio at Olympia: Rory Graham, marketing and brand director at Incipio Group, shares how the company is set to transform the £1.3bn Olympia London redevelopment with five bold new venues. He reveals the strategy and creative process behind developing these diverse concepts, from rooftop restaurants to the UK’s largest Italian and how Incipio is shaping guest experiences for the ten million visitors expected annually.
1.55pm-2.15pm: Pubs reimagined: Jayson Perfect, chief operating officer at Butcombe, explores how the business is redefining the traditional pub model. He shares how diversification into brunches, weddings, comedy and cinema is creating community destinations, driving revenue and keeping heritage venues relevant.
2.15pm-2.40pm: What’s Next in Hospitality? The 2026 Playbook: James Hacon, Managing Partner at Think Hospitality, breaks down the most important trends and innovations shaping hospitality in 2026 – and what they mean in practice for operators, brands and investors.
2.40pm-3.00pm: Feeding the GLP-1 generation: What happens when your customers literally lose their appetite? Katy Moses, managing director at KAM, will unpack new research showing how diet drugs will impact eating, drinking and socialising and what it means for hospitality brands, menus and marketing strategies.
3.00pm-3.30pm: Coffee break
3.30pm-4.00pm: Well-being at the centre of socialising: With health and balance increasingly shaping how people choose to eat, drink and socialise, this panel explores how well-being is influencing the future of hospitality. Expect insights on designing experiences that go beyond indulgence, creating spaces that nurture connection and how brands are weaving wellness into the heart of socialising. Heleri Rande, partner at Think Hospitality, in conversation with Chris Miller, founder at White Rabbit Projects, Loui Blake, co-founder at Long Lane, and Nicci Clarke, marketing and culinary director UK at Sodexo Live!.
4.00pm-4.25pm: Creative spaces, bold moves: Anthony Knight speaks to Tom Kidd, founder of SetList, takes us behind the scenes of creating a riverside bar that is more than a venue – it is a platform for collaboration. He shares how four trailblazing female chefs came together in one kitchen at Somerset House and how hospitality spaces can be activated through culture, community and creativity.
4.25pm-4.50pm: When hospitality meets entertainment: The lines between hospitality, entertainment and leisure are blurring. From social gaming and live music to immersive dining and hybrid venues, this panel explores how to thrive in a space where experience drives loyalty. Hear how leading operators balance great food and beverage with energy, atmosphere and creativity to keep guests coming back for more. Michael Ingemann, partner at Think Hospitality in conversation with Charlie Gilkes, chief executive and co-founder at Inception Group.
DAY 2 — 21st January ~ MAIN STAGE ~ MARKETING
9.00am-9.35am: Round tables: Join some of the sector’s most inspiring leaders for guided round table discussions exploring key themes shaping hospitality today. These intimate, idea-led sessions are designed to spark inspiration, share best practice and connect you with peers tackling similar challenges and opportunities.
9.35am-9.40am: Welcome back
9.40am-10.00am: Thinking out of the box: Michelle Farrell, chief growth officer at Boxpark, shares how the brand is evolving beyond its iconic food halls. She explores how Boxpark is pushing boundaries with BoxHall, shifting from fixed locations to immersive experiences and reimagining the future of destination-led dining.
10.00am-10.25am: The neighbourhood effect: Ankur Wishart, co-founder at Boxcar, shares how it is building a multi-faceted collection under one brand. He reveals how Boxcar is expanding with a family of neighbourhood concepts rooted in quality, consistency and the kind of hospitality that keeps regulars coming back.
10.25am-10.45am: From discounts to desire – reinventing Bella: Megan Trimble, marketing director at Bella Italia, shares how the brand has pivoted from a discount-led operator to one driven by experience, exclusives and innovation. She reveals how Bella is responding to a changing demographic, reinforcing value and differentiating from competitors. Expect insights on marketing-led menu development, viral activations such as “Bella Appreciation Day” and “Spritz Day”, and how a heritage brand can reassert itself in a crowded market.
10.45am-11.05am: Refreshing tradition: Laura Plum, marketing and communications director at St Austell Brewery, reveals the process behind reimagining a heritage brand. She shares how the new identity is being rolled out across the pub estate and how the balance between tradition and modern relevance is helping connect with today’s audiences.
11.05am-11.30am: Reinventing an Icon — The Prezzo evolution: Mark McCulloch MBE, fractional chief marketing officer at Prezzo Italian, shares the story behind revitalising one of the UK’s most recognisable restaurant brands. He reveals how Prezzo has evolved its positioning, experience and communication to reconnect with guests, stay relevant in a changing market and set the stage for its next phase of growth.
11.30am-12.00pm: Building the marketing blueprint: Madeleine Phillips, marketing director at Various Eateries, shares her approach to defining a marketing ecosystem that drives alignment, maximises stakeholder buy-in and prepares for the future. She reveals how she brings boards, investors and teams on the journey, including how artificial intelligence is changing discovery and decision-making.
12.00pm-1.00pm: Lunch Break
1.00pm-1.25pm: Scaling hospitality the right way – what every leader can start doing today: Deborah Jones, senior client success manager at Proinsight, speaks to Michael Farquhar, chief operating officer at ETM Group, about the career lessons that shaped his leadership and the impact of ETM’s Hospitality Heroes programme. Together, they distil his biggest learnings into practical takeaways that today’s hospitality leaders can put into action.
1.25pm-1.50pm: Interactive session: Global recruitment – what employees and employers say: Krishnan Doyle, founder at COREcruitment, leads an interactive exploration of global recruitment, unveiling fresh insights from its latest international survey. This participative and energising session dives into what employees and employers really think about today’s job market – highlighting emerging trends, key challenges, and new opportunities shaping talent acquisition worldwide. With £500 of prizes up for grabs, attendees will gain practical takeaways to stay ahead in attracting and retaining top talent.
1.50pm-2.15pm: The multi-concept challenge: Markus Thesleff, founder of Thesleff Group, shares the story behind building and scaling a portfolio of distinctive restaurants. He discusses the art of creating winning concepts, managing the pressures of a multi-concept portfolio and offers a glimpse into his future plans as one of hospitality’s most dynamic entrepreneurs.
2.15pm-2.40pm: Lines around the block — Dave’s Hot Chicken’s digital activation: Peter Critchley, UK chief executive at Trison, is joined by Keyana Mohammadi, head of marketing at Dave’s Hot Chicken, to explore how digital innovation fuels their rapid UK expansion and forthcoming European growth. They discuss how thoughtfully executed in-store activations and social-led touchpoints elevate the guest journey, and how blending technology with brand storytelling drives engagement and impact with Generation Z’s digital-native audience.
2.40pm-3.05pm: Beyond the plate – building brands with global impact: Tessa Graham, group brand director at Tashas Group, reveals how the company has built a portfolio of global hospitality brands. She explores the thinking behind brand-building, scaling premium experiences and unlocking new revenue streams through creative diversification.
3.05pm-3.30pm: Coffee break
3.30pm-3.55pm: Have a seat at the Bill’s boardroom – how Bill’s turned guests into execs: Olivia Fitzgerald, managing director at 125 Data & Insights, speaks with Tom James, managing director at Bill’s, about how it became the first hospitality brand to invite its customers quite literally “into the boardroom”. Following a brand perception research project, ten Bill’s customers were invited to join the Bill’s board for the day and spend time with the executive leadership team. The project delivers a powerful model for guest-centric innovation, education and commercial impact.
3.55pm-4.15pm: AI advantage – how smart guest platforms will redefine hospitality marketing: Dan Brookman, chief executive and co-founder of Airship & Toggle, explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping hospitality marketing as traditional CRM evolves into intelligent guest-operations platforms. He’ll show how AI connects every stage of the journey – from discovery to re-visit – turning data into timely, human-feeling interactions, reducing friction in spend, supporting teams with real-time service cues, and unlocking new revenue through smarter capacity and margin decisions. The result: fuller seats, stronger margins, and more personal guest experiences.
4.15pm-4.40pm: How to think like a behavioural scientist: Daniel Bennett, global head of behavioural science at Ogilvy Consulting, explores the hidden forces that shape how people really think, decide and behave. With a gamified twist running through the session, you’ll test your instincts against real-world behavioural science experiments and discover how thinking like a behavioural scientist can unlock smarter, more human-centred strategies.
4.40pm-5.00pm: Originality in the age of AI: In a world of endless imitation and artificial intelligence-generated sameness, how do brands rise above the noise? This panel explores bold strategies to spark true innovation, craft distinctive identities, outpace the copycats and create space where imagination thrives. Heleri Rande, partner at Think Hospitality, in conversation with Afroditi Krassa, founding director of Afroditi, and Bob Conwell, managing director at Mr Lyan Studio.
DAY 2 — SECOND STAGE ~ DIGITAL & TECHNOLOGY
9.40am-10.00am: Digital marketing for growth: Sector leading operators in year-on-year growth speak about how marketing technology can transform guest retention and drive growth. They will explore how omnichannel marketing, loyalty, real time personalisation, guest insights, advocacy and artificial intelligence are contributing to outstanding business performance year on year. Carey Benn, chief executive at Guestwise, in conversation with Naddy Onions, marketing director at Prezzo Italian, James Metcalfe, sales and marketing director at Urban Pubs & Bars, and Ewa Turney, senior product lead at Mitchells & Butlers.
10.00am-10.25am: The Alchemist online – where brand meets technology: Aaron Morgan, head of marketing and Paul Jones, head of IT at The Alchemist, share how the brand transformed its website from a simple booking tool into a seamless digital extension of the guest experience. They reveal how marketing and technology teams work hand-in-hand to create a platform that drives revenue while capturing the theatre, storytelling and innovation The Alchemist is known for.
10.25am-10.45am: How data changed everything – a live conversation with Dojo: In an era where guest expectations and market conditions shift faster than ever, the operators winning today are those who truly understand their customers. In this conversation, Jon Knott, head of data projects at Dojo, will reveal how its new platform, Dojo Intelligence, turns the UK’s richest payments data pool into clear, actionable insights.
10.45am-11.05am: Cash-strapped luxury – how younger generations deal in taste, not wealth: Oliver Cousins, strategy director at Screen Pilot, explores how the luxury market is being redefined by a younger generation of cash-strapped, yet intensely aspirational consumers – and why hospitality is at the centre of the action.
11.05am-11.30am: Serving up loyalty – the future of restaurant data: Hear how operators are using data to personalise experiences, drive repeat visits and create loyalty that lasts. From smarter segmentation to technology integration across booking, delivery and in-venue touchpoints, discover how leading brands are using CRM to serve guests better – and more often. Laura Vana, associate partner at Think Hospitality, in conversation with Kat Schofield, sales and marketing director at Permanently Unique Group, Holly Hilton, marketing director at Market Place Food Halls, and Ria Pattni, director of marketing at JKS Restaurants.
11.30pm-12.00pm: Scaling with sanity – navigating technology in multi-site growth: As hospitality brands expand, so do the complexities of managing operations, consistency and guest experience. In this session, three successful multi-site leaders lift the lid on their evolving technology stacks—what’s worked, what’s broken under pressure, and what’s still on the wish list. From integration headaches to the tools that help preserve brand identity at scale, hear how they’re using technology to stay agile, aligned and guest-focused. Laura Vana, associate partner at Think Hospitality, in conversation with Tasos Gaitanos, co-founder at Brother Marcus, Alex Large, co-founder at Brother Marcus, Tommy Giraux, head of restaurant systems at Honest Burgers, and Bjarke Just Nielsen, director at Norrlyst.
12.00pm-1.00pm: Lunch Break
1.00pm-1.25pm: Aligning technology for real-world impact: Joe Comiskey, digital director at Stonegate Group, shares how the business is uniting digital and technology functions to unlock the full value of guest, operational and commercial data. He reveals how Stonegate is aligning systems, teams and decision-making to drive smarter product ranging, sharper operational execution and stronger commercial outcomes. He also looks ahead at the technologies and capabilities set to shape the next chapter of data-driven hospitality.
1.25pm-1.50pm: Pricing optimisation – fixing the execution gap: Hospitality is losing revenue not because pricing strategies are wrong, but because execution is slow and manual. This session explores how operators can unlock immediate profit by automating proven tactics like event menus and granular price bands. We look at where execution breaks down, why chasing airline-style dynamic pricing is a distraction and how modern tools use triggers and testing to turn missed revenue into measurable gains. Joel Robinson, chief executive at Openr, in conversation with Toby Herbert, head of IT at Hall & Woodhouse, Sara McKennedy, managing director at Coco di Mama, and Mark Bentley, business development director at HDI.
1.50pm-2.15pm: The Digital Playbook for Scaling Restaurant Brands: Popmenu shares practical strategies for driving growth across multi-site restaurant businesses. Using real-world examples, this session explores how to increase brand visibility, attract new guests and drive repeat visits, all while protecting margin. A clear, actionable playbook for scaling with confidence in the year ahead. Popmenu in conversation with Charlie Wood-Jones, Co-founder at Cawsburger.
2.15pm-2.40pm: Airship / Toggle Panel
2.40pm-3.05pm: A cut above – The Butcher’s Club: Mark Warburton, founder of Cow & Sow and Alan Armstrong, fractional marketing director, reveal how The Butcher’s Club is redefining loyalty. They also explore how the brand is driving growth through commercial and marketing partnerships, while evolving from a start-up mindset to a structured model supported by fractional expertise and scalable frameworks for long-term success.
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