CEO -Institute of Hospitality

Robert Richardson FIH MI is the Chief Executive Officer of the award-winning Institute of Hospitality (IoH), the world’s largest professional body of almost 16,000 hospitality professionals worldwide, and a registered charity. IoH is dedicated to driving the recognition of the hospitality profession and uplifting its membership through lifelong learning, mentorship, and network-building.

A long-time member of IoH, Richardson built his career in the hospitality industry. Working his way up through the ranks from hotel floor staff to hotel General Manager, and now as CEO of IoH, he has a deep belief in making the hospitality industry open, inclusive, and accessible to all who seek to join it. In 2021, Robert led the Institute to win the Chartered Governance Institute UK&I “Diversity & Inclusion Strategy of the Year” award in recognition of these efforts.

Managing Director- Hatherley Commercial Services Limited, ceda Chair

Kirstin took up her first post in the family business in 2005 and has quickly become an industry advocate. She now manages many aspects of Hatherley Commercial Services Limited - service and maintenance department — organising a busy service office and a team of engineers is never easy!  HCS is a regional company with contracts mostly within the public sector - a large part of which is schools catering. 

The company became a member of CEDA in 2007 and meets the high standards expected by the association and this is due, to a large extent, to Kirstin’s thoroughness. Kirstin has impressed her fellow industry colleagues so much that she was appointed as CEDA’s first female chair and she strives to make a difference.

In 2022 she was presented with an order of merit by the FEA for her contribution of work voluntarily within the foodservice industry. 

Founder and CEO - The Burnt Chef Project

Kris is a mental health and stress reduction expert, public speaker, and campaigner who operates globally to tackle mental health stigma in hospitality.

He is Founder and CEO of The Burnt Chef Project, a not-for-profit social enterprise founded in 2019, focussed on people-centered sustainability. After 12 years of working in hospitality and experiencing mental illness, Kris launched The Project to tackle the stigma of mental health within hospitality.

Through corporate training sessions and merchandise sales The Burnt Chef Project has grown significantly and now provides free-to-access 24/7 support services as well as free health, leadership, and wellbeing training across the globe. In just four years The Project has supported individuals in 78 countries, trained students in 110 colleges in stress reduction techniques, and provided free mental health services to over 30,000 people.

Managing Director - MEIKO UK LTD 

Paul Anderson joined the foodservice industry over thirty years ago, progressing into professional kitchen equipment and has been leading Meiko UK Limited as Managing Director since April 2017.  He also just held a two-year prestigious position as Chairman for the largest trade body in our industry, the Foodservice Equipment Association (FEA). 

Paul is widely recognised within the industry, helping others to drive hospitality forward with membership of the Craft Guild of Chefs, Fellow status of the Institute of Hospitality and awarded a Doctorate of Food Service Equipment by the North American Federation of Equipment Manufacturers in 2023, a globally recognised leading affiliation. 

Additionally, he has further notable achievements publishing reports targeted at the foodservice industry, including ‘Can a Cup save the Planet’ and ‘Carbon in the Kitchen’, highlighting the best use of all resources within the professional kitchen marketplace. 

Director and Head of Hospitality & Leisure Sector - 4C Associates

Katie is a dynamic and adaptable Procurement Leader, who shares a passion for the Food and Beverage industry, and is committed to achieving success. Bringing 18 years of proven success in the Procurement and Supply Chain domain with the majority from within the Hospitality and Leisure sector, including a significant 6-year tenure as the Head of Procurement for a leading contract catering company.

Katie’s extensive background encompasses the development and implementation of strategic initiatives within transformative programs, change management, supply chain enhancement, and profit margin amplification.

Principal Consultant - Macintosh Foodservice Consultants, Podcast Host - Kitchen Curiosity, Award Winning Commercial Kitchen Designer

Radford has worked in the hospitality industry for over 30 years, having started his culinary career as a chef in the British Army with the Catering Corps and winning the 'Silver Award’ at the Salon Culinaire during Food, Drink and Hospitality Week, followed by a career of outstanding recognitions.

Radford has specific expertise in catering, operational, and performance reviews, business strategy outlooks, competitive tendering and evaluations, expansive kitchen and bar design as well as catering equipment audits and assessments. 

Radford is the host of a highly successful podcast ‘Kitchen Curiosity’, interviewing some of the industry's top chefs, consultancy leaders, board members, suppliers and manufacturers discussing everything from menu planning to AI technology.

Founder & Director - The Future Plate

Julian founded The Future Plate in 2021. It’s a culinary village bringing together leading Black chefs of our time, culture carriers & makers of change. They are inspired by and draw from their culinary ancestors, paying homage to the traditional dishes but cooking and presenting them with the culinary verve they are fast becoming known for.

They cater & curate events for the world’s most famous brands, private individuals and corporates, creating memorable experiences with the sole purpose of sharing culture through food.

Beyond their commercial endeavours they are building a creative hub for the exploration and development of African & Caribbean dishes, developing a scholarship for Black chefs, launching a conference and working closely with Made By Humans to unearth our food stories and tell them before they lose them through film, books, exhibitions and podcasts.

Stanislava (Slava) Blagoeva is a seasoned expert in the events industry, specialising in B2B exhibitions, conferences, and award ceremonies. As the Managing Director of IPR Events Ltd., she played a pivotal role in launching and growing prominent events such as the Food and Beverage Intellectual Property Conference (FBIP) and the European Pizza and Pasta Show. Her work has significantly contributed to the food and beverage industry's innovation and networking platforms.

Slava is also a proud member of the Women in Pizza Industry Association, where she supports and champions women in the sector. 

CEO - British Institute of Innkeeping

Passionate about pubs, Steve has led the BII since late 2019. He has previously led a range of technology businesses for nearly 30 years and had formerly volunteered as a Trustee of the BII prior to being selected as CEO. He is actively involved across the sector as Director of Best Bar None, a Trustee of Skills and Education Group, a Trustee for the charity Only A Pavement Away and also a member of the Government Hospitality Sector Council.

Chief Executive -British Beer and Pub Association

Emma has been the Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association since 2019 and was awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) award for her exceptional services to the hospitality industry.

A passionate beer and pub lover, Emma is the voice for the beer and pub sector leading them through the pandemic, interfacing with Government and stakeholders to secure vital grant support and economic stimulus to aid the recovery of the Sector. Protecting the future of the Great British Pub and our world-renowned brewers.

Prior to joining the BBPA, Emma served as a Member of the European Parliament for the East Midlands for 10 years. As a true beer lover, she also served as Vice President of the European Parliament Beer Club during this time. She has also held posts including Chairman of the Commonwealth Forum and Director of Global Policy for the Sports Integrity Global Alliance and is currently Chair of the Worldwide Brewing Alliance, Chair of the Tourism Alliance Board and a Director of the Ivors Academy.