Untold - some of hospitality's incredible tales from around the globe.

Ashmore: Leadership lessons from a life in hotels.  This episode of untold traces the extraordinary four decades of Mr. Andrew Ashmore’s career. Andrew started selling insurance on the streets of London after leaving school in 80/81, and then set up a 'bucket shop last minute airline ticket agency' , but upon asking his banking father in Bahrain for investment, he offered Andrew to come ov...

In this engaging episode, we sit down with Ted Tang, one of the most respected and visionary leaders in global hospitality. From an unexpected pivot at Cornell to steering iconic brands like Sheraton, Westin, Starwood, Wyndham, and The Leading Hotels of the World, Ted shares authentic stories, deft insights, and compelling lessons of leadership sharpened over decades. Ted's arc in Asia Pacifc...

This episode features hotel industry legend Mr Anthony Liddiard—a man whose career reads like a travelogue of iconic names and bold ventures. From The Savoy Group, Hilton, Southern Sun to InterContinental and RMAL Hospitality, Anthony has worked with the biggest players—and brought global brands like Trader Vic’s, Wagamama, Frankie’s, and Marco Pierre White’s restaurants to life across the Middle...

This episode is with the charismatic and always entertaining Jeremy Muller. Jeremy has forged a wonderful lifestyle in Asia built on three-decade long relationships developed through his engaging personality, World Class EQ and his bold & fearless approach to new ventures and spirit for adventure.  Our conversations cover Jeremy’s original journey from holding down 5 jobs in Surrey out to Hong...

John Hall - The Sports Travel Pioneer ! A most admired and extremely well networked man, John with his family and friends established Gullivers Sports Travel taking millions of enthusiasts to marquee events including: World Cups, Ashes Tests, Lions Series taking tours around the world for many weeks at a time.  Additionally Gullivers also co-ordinated the rugby tours of many clubs taking sporting...

A rare case of the sequel being even better - like Empire Strikes Back and The Godfather Part Two ! In this second episode John shares some more memorable stories from his time with Gullivers Sports Travel. John hones in on some of his encounters with Sir Richard Branson and Sir Rod Eddington as well as describing some of his favorite hotels and key contacts. Bringing his career full circle he als...

This episode of untold is with Olly Kohn.   Olly is an ex International professional rugby player having enjoyed a much distinguished and very successful career with both Harlequins and Wales.   Rugby is a famously brutal and short career, which having experienced injuries Olly was acutely aware of. On receiving a sausage making machine from his wife Ella and with his younger brother Josh sharing...

“For most of human history, cooking with fire was the one and only way to cook a meal!”  This episode of untold is with Western Australian Affable Chef Dave Pynt.  Chef Pynt has one of the longest resumes of culinary accomplishments in the restaurant business and in just over an hour, he talks us through his staging, London pop-ups, building BBQs, formative experiences as well as taking us through...

This episode of Untold is with Meetings and Incentives sensation Patrick Delaney.  Patrick is a much admired and established executive who has been at the forefront of the travel industry for many decades. We follow Patrick’s career from being thrown through a glass window when managing a coffee dock to selling the Emerald Isle Stateside – initially in St Louis before securing a transfer to the Bi...

A Dutch National and as authentic as they come – Christian is a truly incredible hotelier who has shaped and developed Khmer Hospitality tremendously over the last decade and a half – developing leaders, improving standards and setting in place team cultures and hotel experiences that are amongst the World’s very finest.  This episode covers a few of Christian’s early years working for Richard Bra...

This episode of Untold is with Melbourne-based travel impresario Mr. Adam Schwab. Adam tells us about some of his early-life entrepreneurial flourishes. Adam also shares how reading the law and his early career as a solicitor provided Adam with a super foundation for business and allowed him to hone his eye for precision and attention to detail which has helped steer the success of many of his bus...

This episode follows the career of the dynamic larger than life character, Showtune Shane Jameson. From Country Victoria, Shane studied Hospitality in Melbourne as well as honing his love for fine coffee running Hudson's Coffee early each morning next to the Stock Market - providing caffeine and a refuge for traders looking for a much needed break. Shane then headed to the Middle East, taking...

Post College Italian American Francesco followed many of his peers into the World of Investment Banking with roles in New York and London. Always a keen networker a chance interview in Ecuador on the same day of his wedding subsequently saw Francesco and new bride Brigit relocate to South America from London with Francesco given the opportunity of running a telecoms company.   Faced with a tough b...

Following on from the first episode Pariva talks in intricate detail about her time at Marriott which saw growth from 6 to 40 hotels in India. Pariva & her team were responsible for completely changing the hotel selling landscape in the country via many India firsts: the first Marriott showcase, the opening hotel pathway, the first full sales team incentive plan as well as many new brand intro...

In this enthralling episode Pariva talks about her early career and formative years in India.  Hailing from a small town equidistant between Delhi and Jaipur in Rajasthan, Pariva followed in the family tradition in attending boarding school at the tender age of 4 and a half, to ensure she was recipient of the very best education possible. The passionate delivery of a career counselling session by...

The Anand story is one of tremendous success from modest origins. Dev and his brother Ranjit setup Expotel in the early 70s and by the time they sold it two decades on it had a turnover in excess of £100m.  Expotel was the first hotel booking agency globally and with a slight degree of serendipity, its foundation coincided with London opening scores of hotels off the back of the Tourism Act transf...

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This episode of Untold follows the early career of one of New South Wales’ best exports, Mr Andrew Hughes. Andrew talks extensively around some of the experiences and learnings that shaped his approach to business and indeed career. A recurring theme throughout is Andrew’s love of storytelling and the importance he places on it.     Andrew truly caught the travel bug as an 18 year old. Skillfully...

This edition of Untold is with luxury travel market and community builder, Serge Dive.    Serge talks about his early career and how after studying Financial management at the university which should have led him to a career in Investment Banking, he joined the Ministry of Finance to hold a wide variety of international events promoting France’s many greatest exports including, fashion, technology...

Lynn grew up with travel in the blood – hailing from a services family, Lynn left the home counties as a young girl and spent much of her childhood and teenage years in Cyprus and grew up with a strong desire to see the World.    Lynn spent time in the Middle East before realizing a goal and joining British Airways – a role which saw her maximize her travel concessions. Remarkably a chance meeting...

Today’s Untold talks with Nick Ray about Cambodia and a potted history of modern day tourism in this beautiful Country in South East Asia that has been faced with many political challenges and turbulent past in our lifetimes.   Nick talks about how first became aware of Cambodia via Blue Peter and following several visits post University made Cambodia a home. Having met his wife Kulikar Sotho who...

For this episode of Untold I am delighted to welcome back Mr Mike Scully. Mike kindly was the first guest in the inaugural episode talking about the history of Barasti bar. The response was tremendous. At the peak, the podcast was being listened to by over 250 people around a day and showing the true global nature of the travel industry had been downloaded in over 103 Cities in the first 3 days an...

Over 55 mins Nigel chronicles his career at the forefront of luxury travel and tourism.  Starting off as an advertising sales manager with the Far Eastern Review, Nigel set off to Hong Kong in his mid-20s, covering the full Asia region with advertisers from many industries and key Asian Cities. Quite early on Nigel discovered his element, which was a love from travel and hospitality. Following a b...

Matthew Upchurch talks about Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas, International expansion to 55 Countries and growing, partnering with Sir Richard Branson to sell places on Virgin Galactic via the Preferred Space Accreditation Program and concludes with his thoughts for what 2021 may bring as well as introducing a new term - 'Revenge Travel'.

In this edition we talk to Matthew Upchurch, the inspirational CEO of luxury Travel Network, Virtuoso. Matthew sits on many Industry and Customer Advisory Boards and is in the Travel and Cruise Hall of Fames. Matthew talks about the early years of Upchurch Travel, Allied and Percival and ultimately the launch of Virtuoso. Matthew covers some key milestones, strategic decisions and a little luck th...