Suite Talk

In this episode of Suite Talk , hosts Jade Evans and Declan Wale are joined by Anne Golden , General Manager of Pan Pacific London , and recently crowned Hotelier of the Year at the Hotel Magazine Awards. Recorded in one of Pan Pacific London's stunning suites overlooking the city skyline, Anne reflects on an extraordinary career journey that began as an "accidental hotelier" arriving in London wi...

In this episode of Suite Talk , hosts Tom Woolin and Declan Wale are joined by Mike Baxter , founder of House of Gods , for a candid and entertaining conversation on building one of hospitality’s boldest boutique brands. Recorded at the soon-to-open House of Gods in Canary Wharf, Mike shares the unconventional journey from nightclub promoter and hostel founder to creating immersive hotels built ar...

In this episode of Suite Talk , hosts Jade Evans and Declan Wale sit down with Kurt Macher , Area General Manager of Operations for Paris and London and General Manager of Shangri-La, The Shard , for a conversation on what modern luxury hospitality really demands. From early beginnings in Austria to leading teams across continents, Kurt shares how his global career has shaped a leadership style gr...

In this special International Women’s Day episode of Suite Talk , hosts Jade Evans and Declan Wale bring together a panel of inspiring women from across the hospitality industry to discuss leadership, representation and the realities of building a career in hotels today. Centred around this year’s theme, Give To Gain, the discussion reflected on what it means to build a career in hospitality with...

In this episode of Suite Talk , hosts Jade Evans and Declan Wale sit down with Fergus Stewart, Chief Executive Officer of the Lancaster Landmark Hotel Company, for a powerful and deeply personal conversation about leadership, resilience and redefining hospitality culture. From a paper round in Scotland to leading one of London’s most iconic landmark hotels, Fergus shares the formative experiences...

In this episode of Suite Talk , hosts Jade Evans and Declan Wale are joined by Samantha Van Exter , Head of Hotels at Montcalm Collection , for a thoughtful conversation on what luxury hospitality looks like today, and where it’s heading next. With more than 25 years of experience across Southern Africa, Europe and the Middle East, Samantha shares her journey from growing up in a hospitality famil...

In this candid leadership conversation, Foxhills Managing Director Tej Walia joins hosts Jade and Declan to unpack how a modern country club and resort can feel like a thriving village. From “accidental hotelier” to MD, Tej shares the mindset, investments and people-first practices behind Foxhills’ growth. With a major multi-million pound redevelopment completed and more on the way, this episode e...

In this energising leadership conversation, The Mandrake General Manager, Eljesa Saciri , joins,Tom and Declan to explore how a 34-key boutique property can feel larger than life. From law student to bar back to GM, she shares how tenacity, curiosity and people-first leadership power an avant-garde hotel where art, nightlife and deep restoration live side by side. This episode is produced in partn...