Seminars:

Your seminar host:

Devina is an experienced hospitality moderator and chairs the sessions at TO THE TABLE MEA.

Devina Divecha Writer, Editor, MC and Media Consultant

Wednesday 18th November

09:00 - 09:50

Seminar Presentation: Future Proofing for Luxury Hospitality

Nicolas Marzioni Vice President Food & Beverage EMEA – Marriott International

Laurent Voivenel Senior Vice President, Operations and Development – MEAI – Swiss Belhotel International

Luxury hospitality in the MEA region often co-exists with uncertainty and challenging times, so learning to adapt and become resilient is important to thrive. This important session will cover key initiatives working in the MEA region to build operating models that anticipate and contend with disruption. The travellers of the future are prioritising experience-led, personalised service, so tailoring this in a luxury setting and using technology to make smarter decisions around design, procurement and staffing will be key.

Wednesday 18th November

13:40 - 14:30

Seminar Presentation: Sustainability from the Inside Out

Stefania Chica-Jácome Global Director Sustainability – Kerzner International

Elie Badawi Regional Director of Food & Beverage, MEA – Hilton Worldwide

Duncan Fraser-Smith Founder - CRAFT Hospitality Group

Sustainability is increasingly embedded in F&B strategy across the region, but our expert panellists will scrutinise further to move beyond greenwashing and delve into the manufacturing lifecycle of products utilised, asking what responsible procurement genuinely requires. With ESG alignment becoming a defining factor for financial decisions, as well as an expectation from guests, our speakers will highlight sustainability ideas that inspire, motivate and deliver a return on investment.

Thursday 19th November

09:00 - 09:50

Seminar Presentation: Saudi Arabia's Hospitality Transformation: What Comes Next?

Maya Ziadeh Chief Development Officer, Premium, Midscale & Economy MEAT - Accor

Saudi Arabia’s hospitality landscape is evolving at an extraordinary pace, creating new opportunities across luxury, lifestyle and mid-scale development. As tourism ambitions accelerate, hospitality assets are becoming strategic front-line drivers of destination growth, with dining, culinary identity and guest experience increasingly shaping investment and development strategy. This session brings together senior regional leaders delivering projects across the Kingdom to share practical insights into the realities, opportunities and long-term potential of hospitality development in Saudi Arabia today. Let’s explore what comes next for one of the world’s most ambitious hospitality markets.

Thursday 19th November

13:40 - 14:30

Seminar Presentation: Digital Transformation & AI-Driven Hospitality

Gaurav Vijh Global Vice President Digital & Loyalty - Raffles & Fairmont

Steffi Chollet Senior Director Marketing EMEA - Marriott International

The future is happening right now as an AI-driven guest experience pairs with data-powered operations and revenue optimisation. We have brought together leading experts to talk through the adaptation of smart hotel concepts and innovations that are appealing to the next generation of guests.