Future Hospitality Summit Podcast

In this episode of the FHS Podcast, Riyan Itani, Director & Founder, Global Branded Residences, is joined by Nina Vithlani, Managing Director for MENA at Sectorlight, to explore the explosive growth of branded residences in Asia. They discuss the importance of emotional storytelling, evolving buyer expectations, and how developers and brands can craft meaningful, market-specific identities. From T...

In this episode of the FHS Podcast, Catherine Edwards, Chief Growth Officer, QUO Global speaks with Ho Kwonping, Founder and Executive Chairman of Banyan Group, on the rise of branded residences and how Banyan pioneered the space in Asia. With over three decades in hospitality, Mr. KP Ho shares insights on the group's multi-brand expansion, the growing relevance of standalone residences, and why s...

In this episode, Bill Barnett, Managing Director, C9 Hotelworks, sits down with Omar Romero, Chief Development and Luxury Officer at Minor International, to explore how the definition of luxury is evolving—and how branded residences are leading the change. Omar shares insights on redefining luxury through sustainability, wellness, and personalised living, while also shedding light on Minor's upcom...

In this episode of the FHS Podcast, Riyan Itani, Director and Founder of Global Branded Residences, discusses the evolution and current state of the branded residences market. He shares insights on the growth of standalone developments, the challenges faced in European markets, and the motivations of different types of buyers. The conversation also explores the role of non-hospitality brands, emer...

In this episode of the FHS Podcast, Daria Smith speaks with Ryane Binmahfooz, Brand Development Executive at Baraka, a visionary Saudi real estate company reimagining urban destinations. Ryane shares Baraka's approach to brand development, balancing cultural authenticity with modern design and innovation. They explore how projects like Monolog and Fizz Time capture the spirit of local communities...

In this episode of the FHS Podcast, Marina Franolic speaks with Rahul Chaudhary, Managing Director & CEO of CG Corp Global and CG Hospitality Holdings. Rahul shares the bold investment strategy behind CG's presence in nearly 200 hotels across emerging markets — from Sri Lanka and India to the Middle East and Africa. He reflects on building through conflict, the rise of wellness as the new luxury,...

In this episode of the FHS Podcast, Antonio López de Ávila Muñoz, Director of Innovation, Education and Investment at UN Tourism, joins host Son-Trang Nguyen to explore how education, innovation, and investment intersect to shape the future of global tourism. From developing accessible learning platforms and pioneering AI-driven tourism education, to helping Saudi Arabia and other nations become s...

In this episode, Elie Milky, Vice President Development at Radisson Hotel Group, shares insights into Radisson's expansion strategy across Saudi Arabia, Greece, Pakistan, and beyond. He discusses the role of conversion-led growth, the rise of Radisson Collection and Art'otel, and the group's strong relationships with local investors. Elie highlights Radisson's commitment to the growth of branded r...

In this FHS Podcast, Jonathan Worsley speaks with Steven Greenway, CEO of flyadeal, about the airline's rapid growth trajectory as Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 reshapes the aviation and tourism landscape. Steven reflects on his 25+ years in aviation, including past startup successes, and shares how flyadeal is building a commuter-friendly, tech-enabled network across the Kingdom and beyond. He discu...

Benoît-Etienne Domenget, CEO of Sommet Education, joins the FHS Podcast to discuss the urgent need for talent development in the global hospitality sector. He outlines how Sommet's institutions—including Glion, Les Roches, and École Ducasse—are training future leaders through a combination of operational excellence, strategic foresight, and adaptability. With over 300,000 hotel management roles ne...

Layla Alamri, Education Senior Manager at Red Sea Global, shares how the organisation is reshaping the future of luxury hospitality by investing in local talent. Through rigorous training, mentorship, and industry-aligned programs, RSG is empowering thousands of young Saudis, especially women, to pursue careers in tourism. Layla highlights key challenges, including shifting public perception and a...

In this episode of the FHS Podcast, Jonathan Worsley speaks with Maya Ziadeh, Chief Development Officer, Premium, Midscale & Economy Division for Middle East, Africa & Türkiye, Accor. They discuss Accor's expansive strategy in Saudi Arabia, including its 30-year legacy, plans to double its footprint by 2030, and a focus on both Giga projects and secondary cities. Maya shares insights on midscale a...

Saudi Arabia's hotel investment market is undergoing a major shift. In this episode, Bilal Ambikapathy explains how recent regulatory changes have simplified foreign investments, especially in key cities like Riyadh and Jeddah, and clarified foreign ownership rules in Mecca and Medina through fund structures. He highlights the surge in domestic and regional investments, the rise of tier-two city o...

In this episode of the FHS Podcast, Jonathan Worsley sits down with Maud Bailly, CEO of Sofitel, Sofitel Legend, MGallery, and Emblems. Maud shares her inspiring journey from serving the French government to spearheading Accor's luxury portfolio. The conversation explores her leadership philosophy rooted in pragmatism and emotional intelligence, the revival of Sofitel's brand identity through Fren...

In this episode of the FHS Podcast, Sean Hehir, President & CEO of Trinity Investments, joins Marina Franolic to share his insights on the dynamic world of hotel investments. Sean walks us through his 27-year journey with Trinity, explaining how the firm pivoted to focus exclusively on hospitality real estate, amassing over $6.3 billion in assets under management. He discusses favorite deals, miss...

In this episode of the FHS podcast, Dr. Fabien Fresnel, CEO of the Riyadh School of Tourism and Hospitality, joins Jonathan Worsley to discuss Saudi Arabia's ambitious plans to train 1 to 2 million young Saudis for the tourism and hospitality sectors over the next 10–15 years. Dr. Fresnel explains the urgent need for a "people strategy" to match the Kingdom's rapid development goals, how the schoo...

In this episode of the FHS Podcast, Muin Serhan, CEO of Amsa Hospitality, joins Jonathan Worsley to explore how Amsa is reshaping Saudi Arabia's hospitality landscape. Muin outlines the company's bold strategy to tap into underserved secondary markets while also expanding in major cities like Riyadh and Jeddah. He explains Amsa's four-pronged development approach—including land acquisition, JV par...

In this episode of the FHS Podcast, Calm Co-Founder Michael Acton Smith opens up about his entrepreneurial journey—from tech burnout to building the world's leading mindfulness brand. He shares how Calm evolved from a meditation app into a wellness powerhouse, now with over 190 million downloads. Michael discusses the brand's collaboration with Hilton, the future of embedding wellness into hospita...

In this special episode of the FHS Podcast, we meet Amani — a conversational AI designed to help the hospitality industry innovate, grow, and reimagine guest experiences. Amani shares smart investment insights across emerging markets like Saudi Arabia, India, and West Africa, discusses how AI enhances (not replaces) the human touch, and even reveals who she's most excited to meet at Future Hospita...

In this episode of the FHS Podcast,Adelina Phua, Managing Lyf Partner, The Ascott Limited, unpacks the evolution of Lyf from a bold idea in 2016 to a growing portfolio of over 35 properties across Asia-Pacific and Europe. Designed for digital nomads, entrepreneurs, and modern travelers, Lyf is redefining what it means to live, work, and play under one roof. Adeline discusses how Lyf uses design, d...

In this episode of the FHS podcast, host Jonathan Worsley speaks with Jake Haupert, a leading voice in regenerative tourism and co-founder of the Transformational Travel Council. From a pivotal moment on a Californian beach to a life-altering climb up Mount Kilimanjaro, Jake shares how his early experiences led him to redefine travel as a catalyst for personal growth, cultural exchange, and enviro...

In this episode of the FHS Podcast, Marina Franolic sits down with Fahad Alubailan, Group CEO and Board Member of BAAN Holding Group, formerly known as Al Hokair Group. They discuss the strategic rebranding of the company, its expansion plans in hospitality, entertainment, and catering, and how BAAN Holding is aligning itself with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030. With 23 hotels, over 3,000 room keys, a...

Hospitality design is more than aesthetics—it's about crafting seamless, memorable experiences. In this episode of the FHS Podcast, Johannes Torpe explores how authenticity, sensory design, and cultural integration are shaping the future of hospitality. From sustainable building materials to the evolving expectations of younger travelers, he shares insights on how destinations like Saudi Arabia ca...

In this episode of the FHS podcast, Jonathan Worsley speaks with Nikolina Angelkova, former Minister of Tourism of Bulgaria, about the power of strategic focus and investment in driving tourism growth. She shares how Bulgaria increased international arrivals by 35% despite a limited budget, the importance of public-private partnerships, and how Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 is reshaping the region's...

In this episode of the FHS podcast, Marina Franolic speaks with Mounib Hammoud, Mega Project Consultant at Al Nahla Group, about the group's ambitious hospitality and real estate developments in Saudi Arabia and beyond. Mounib shares insights into Al Nahla's transformative projects like the Golden Triangle in Jeddah, Taif Park des Rochers Resort, and a mixed-use development near Medina's Quba Mosq...