OPEN HOUSE >SPEAKERS

Leaders to
learn from

With the very best entrepreneurs, conservationists, wellness gurus, tech mavericks and philanthropists sharing their knowledge and insights, at Open House we had countless opportunities to find the inspiration you’ve been looking for.

Check out our exciting list of speakers who spoke at PURE 2024...

MOONSHOT STAGE →

MAVERICK STAGE →

SPARK SESSIONS→

MASTERCLASSES →

MOONSHOT STAGE

Big, audacious ideas that just might Change Worlds, delivered by pioneers in conservation, community, technology, branding and beyond.

Penny Rafferty

Executive Chair, Luxury Lodges of Australia

Penny Rafferty

Our Addiction to The Impossible, Eternal New

If you’re a PUREist, you most probably and naturally see travel as a force for good in the world. However, our collective efforts also contribute to vast numbers of travellers wanting to pursue new experiences endlessly, oblivious to the impact their unrelenting demand has on the places they visit as they race to the next experience or innovation. This is dangerous enough on a planet in crisis — even more so when coupled with exploding and increasingly mobile populations. So, how can we collaborate to guide some critical paradigm shifts for us, and our travellers? Penny Rafferty, the force behind Luxury Lodges of Australia, explores the need to shift the focus from new to renew, weaving together many of the strands of thought that punctuate PURE conversations and our collective challenges for future viability and success.

More about Penny…

A long-time PUREist, Penny has led Luxury Lodges of Australia since 2010. This collection of independently owned and operated lodges and camps helped to shape and define the country’s experiential travel market. Meanwhile, Penny has guided Tourism Australia’s sustainability strategy since 2020 — growing consumer demand, encouraging industry capabilities, and elevating regional sustainability. Before this, she was the general manager of a luxury vineyard retreat and heritage winery in Barossa Valley. Throughout her life and career, she’s always believed that building communities through collaboration is the key to a future we all want to see.

Joss Kent

CEO, &Beyond

Joss Kent

Lessons From a Crisis & How to Use Them

With Niels Olsen, Sigurdur Thorsteinsson, Geordie Mackay-Lewis & Bijan Khazai.

Moderated by Joss Kent.

What can a crisis teach us? And how do we prepare for it? Climate change, COVID-19 and political instability remind us that many events can disrupt high-end travel out of the blue. Yet crises are also useful; they teach us how to build a response strategy for other huge, unforeseen threats to your business. Our panel of crisis management experts will draw on decades of experience to give you a playbook for the unexpected. You’ll emerge from these events stronger, leaner and far more adaptive. From resilience plans and government/private enterprise coordination to dealing with emergencies on site safely, there’s so much to take away from here. Environment, politics, people — they all matter when handling a crisis and using it to build back better.

More about Joss…

Joss has a wealth of travel industry knowledge and experience managing large-scale lodging, yachting expeditions and tour operations in the experiential market. Before becoming a leading figure in the safari industry, he trained at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, served as a lieutenant in the British Army’s Household Cavalry Regiment, and worked his way up to become Global CEO of Abercrombie & Kent in 2010. He knows Africa intimately — born, raised and schooled there, eventually leading safari expeditions in Kenya, Tanzania, Zaire and Egypt for the likes of Bill Gates and Jimmy Carter. Joss has always championed the symbiotic relationship between wildlife viewing, conservation and communities. Fluent in Swahili, he is also a keen kitesurfer, scuba diver and (very) amateur drawer.

Geordie Mackay-Lewis

Co-Founder & CEO, Pelorus

Geordie Mackay-Lewis

Lessons From a Crisis & How to Use Them

With Niels Olsen, Sigurdur Thorsteinsson, Geordie Mackay-Lewis & Bijan Khazai.

Moderated by Joss Kent.

More about Geordie…

Geordie is an experiential group founder with a passion to change people’s perspective and impact on the world. As well as running Pelorus, he spends time with the Pelorus Foundation and is committed to global conservation. Geordie has planned and led numerous adventures and yacht expeditions and enjoys unearthing the lesser-known regions of the planet. He’s a fellow of the Royal Geographic Society and previously captained a British Army reconnaissance unit, deploying twice to Afghanistan before running an automotive technology business and award-winning drinks brand.

Bijan Khazai

CEO, Risklayer GmbH & Hotel Resilient

Bijan Khazai

Lessons From a Crisis & How to Use Them

With Niels Olsen, Sigurdur Thorsteinsson, Geordie Mackay-Lewis & Bijan Khazai.

Moderated by Joss Kent.

More about Bijan…

Bijan is responsible for leading the development of resilience guidelines, standards and tech-enabled solutions for hospitality and tourism. Together, these projects make them more resilient, climate friendly and sustainable. Bijan has more than 20 years’ experience as a scientist and practitioner in resilience planning, risk reduction and risk assessment, leading international research projects and consultancies for a wide range of stakeholders including communities, travel operators, and government at all levels. He holds masters and doctoral degrees in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of California, and is recipient of the Earth Institute Fellowship at Columbia University. Bijan was also a senior scientist at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology from 2007 – 2017, where he led the ‘Vulnerability and Risk’ transdisciplinary research group.

Portia Hart

Founder, Green Apple Foundation

Portia Hart

Redefining Philanthropy: Finding Ways to Make Your Money Have an Impact

With Portia Hart & Kuba Nowak. In collaboration with The Conscious Travel Foundation.

Communities should be able to transform on their own terms, not those forced upon them. When you’re trying to seed change and empowerment, though, it’s easier said than done; cash and other resources don’t always reach the right people who know where they need to go. Is there a clearer strategy for lasting, positive change? Portia Hart and Kuba Nowak explore those possibilities, gazing long and hard at the power inequalities within traditional philanthropy. They’ll analyse new trends, notable programmes and the practicalities of leaving a real impact — one that local people can shape for themselves — in the travel business. Often, a simple shift in approach and perspective can provide a fairer exchange for communities and their needs, anywhere.

More about Portia…

After studying and working in the UK, Japan, France and Monaco, Portia moved to Cartagena in 2015. There, she has founded two boutique hotels, a beach club and a recycling foundation. Her island hotel, Blue Apple Beach, is the first business in Cartagena to certify as a B-Corp and the first island resort to certify in the world. She believes that business can be a force for good everywhere while tourism can spur positive social change and environmental repair. As well as operating her own businesses, Portia advises the private and public sectors on practically applying sustainable methodologies in tourism. She is a regular speaker and panellist both in Colombia and internationally.

Kuba Nowak

Film-maker & Community Builder

Kuba Nowak

Redefining Philanthropy: Finding Ways to Make Your Money Have an Impact

With Portia Hart & Kuba Nowak. In collaboration with The Conscious Travel Foundation.

More about Kuba…

Kuba is a London-based Polish-Canadian filmmaker, photographer, community builder and artist. He’s able to access the richest layers of human experiences with great sensitivity and an unobtrusive camera. With a BSc in Human Biology and a passionate curiosity for storytelling, psychology and behavioural change, Kuba explores concepts of community, belonging and gender’s potential for collective healing. Through his varied work, he’s collaborated with some of the world’s most iconic brands, creating films that cut deeper and stay longer. The short documentary Changing Worlds in The Atlas Mountains (Bouteco), about one of our charity partners, Morocco’s Education For All, premiered at PURE in 2019.

Pedro Treacher

Director, Pousada Trijunção

Pedro Treacher

Impact Storytelling: Six Maverick Minds Reveal Community in Action

With Pedro Treacher, James McBride, John and Cynthia Hardy, Sheena Bhattessa & Greta Francesca Iori.

Conservation. Community. Climate change. Female empowerment. Philanthropy with hands-on substance. These are just some of the topics at play in our impact stories — quick blasts of innovation and success from six PUREists who define our ethos. Each of them will have eight minutes to tell their tale, explaining how they conceived and launched projects that helped their brand become a powerful force for change. Where might your own hero’s journey lead you? Perhaps no other session better represents what our community stands for (and how our mavericks make the impossible happen) than this one.

More about Pedro…

Pedro is passionate about Brazil’s people, diversity and authenticity. For two decades he’s been working on various high-end experiences and travel projects around the country. As the managing director of OCanto Group, Pedro masterminds a collection of three lodges — one of which, Pousada Trijunção, is exhibiting at PURE this year. He’s also Sustainability VP for the Brazilian Luxury Travel Association.

James McBride

CEO, NIHI Sumba

James McBride

Impact Storytelling: Six Maverick Minds Reveal Community in Action

With Pedro Treacher, James McBride, John and Cynthia Hardy, Sheena Bhattessa & Greta Francesca Iori.

More about James…

After heading some of the world’s leading hotels during his 35-year career, James is known for his limitless creativity, marketing nous and exceptional hotel experiences. He started his journey at The Ritz-Carlton, where he remained for fourteen years before spending almost another decade leading preeminent hospitality companies — including Rosewood Hotels as regional VP based in New York and president of YTL Hotels in Singapore. In 2012 he transitioned to hotel entrepreneur, partnering with long-time friend and investor Christopher Burch on the acquisition of Nihiwatu, a coveted surf destination in Indonesia. The resort that followed, NIHI Sumba, has earned many industry accolades; Travel & Leisure named it Best Hotel in the World for two consecutive years. He’s currently expanding the brand to Costa Rica and Indonesia’s Rote Island.

Greta Francesca Iori

Conservation Leader & Former Programs Director, Elephant Protection Initiative

Greta Francesca Iori

Impact Storytelling: Six Maverick Minds Reveal Community in Action

With Pedro Treacher, James McBride, John and Cynthia Hardy, Sheena Bhattessa & Greta Francesca Iori.

More about Greta…

By consulting internationally, advising on wildlife crime and using her skills as an accredited conflict mediator, Greta has become essential to African governments and organisations worldwide. Her expertise spans global climate solutions policy, fighting the illegal wildlife trade, and analysing the gendered dynamics of organised criminal networks. In all of her work, she champions more just, inclusive and sustainable conservation, dismantling old structures in favour of those that serve the social and spiritual needs of our relationship with nature. Greta has led the Elephant Protection Initiative Foundation’s development across 25 African member states, is a member of the IUCN’s Human-Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence Specialist Group, and helped to found Women for the Environment Africa (WE Africa).

Sheena Bhattessa

Founder, Citizen Femme

Sheena Bhattessa

Impact Storytelling: Six Maverick Minds Reveal Community in Action

With Pedro Treacher, James McBride, John and Cynthia Hardy, Sheena Bhattessa & Greta Francesca Iori.

More about Sheena…

Following a successful 10-year media career, Sheena Bhattessa founded Citizen Femme in 2017, spotting a gap in the market for a stylish female travel guide. The catalyst — a trip to Istanbul — revealed how few sources of advice were available to women looking for somewhere to visit or stay. Sheena grew up in a travel-oriented family which, on top of establishing her own PR company, gave her the skills and confidence to make Citizen Femme a success. The publication covers fashion, beauty, art and technology from a travel perspective, including reviews, city guides and packing edits. Sheena manages to spare time for her other love, acting, which she has been exploring with a growing portfolio of TV drama credits.

John and Cynthia Hardy

Bambu Indah

John and Cynthia Hardy

Impact Storytelling: Six Maverick Minds Reveal Community in Action

With Pedro Treacher, James McBride, John and Cynthia Hardy, Sheena Bhattessa & Greta Francesca Iori.

More about John and Cynthia…

John arrived in Ibud, Bali in the 1970s, meeting and marrying Cynthia a decade later. They pursued an obsession with jewellery design before establishing The Green School, a Balinese base for helping children to become more successful and competitive. In 2005, they collected 11 Javanese bridal homes and installed them on a jungle clifftop, eventually turning them into a luxury, connected hotel. And today, both John and Cynthia see Bambuh Indah as more than a hotel — a regenerative experiment that takes visitors along for the ride. Their rice fields are certified-essential for national food security, while the pair made a fallow field arable again, encouraging staff and guests to harvest it. They’ve also taken industrial palm oil out of the kitchen and put sweet potato, cassava and taro root on the menu. All of this helps people reconnect not only with themselves, but also the natural world in every grain and bite.

Sigurður Thorsteinsson

Brand, Design & Innovation Officer, Blue Lagoon / Partner, Design Group Italia

Sigurður Thorsteinsson

Lessons From a Crisis & How to Use Them

With Niels Olsen, Sigurdur Thorsteinsson, Geordie Mackay-Lewis & Bijan Khazai.

Moderated by Joss Kent.

More about Sigurður…

For the last 20 years, Sigurður has deftly navigated design projects spanning from the healthcare sector to food, engineering products to consumer goods, skincare and travel destinations. His clients span the likes of Blue Lagoon Iceland, Pepsico, Design Holding, Louis Poulsen, ABB, Kone, 3M and Unicef. In 2016 he became Blue Lagoon’s Chief Brand and Design Officer, and has since been responsible for all their brand and design activity such as the development of The Retreat, an upscale hotel and spa, alongside more projects around Iceland. Other highlights showcasing his versatility include singer Björk’s Náttura project, Vatnavinir (a trans disciplinary think tank) and collaboration with the Icelandic government and travel sector. Since 2019 he has been working with MITdesignX on a research project capturing the key learnings from best design practices that can help to solve complex problems in society.

MAVERICK STAGE

Interactive panels and curated conversations with Change-Makers that will inspire and enable you to do better business.

Juliet Kinsman

Sustainable Luxury expert and journalist

Juliet Kinsman

Funny Old World: A Live Version of the Pioneering Podcast

Hosted by Juliet Kinsman & Simon London

Is the ‘whoa!’ factor missing from your strategy to become a climate-friendlier business? Let pioneering eco podcast, Funny Old World, bring the stats, solutions and entertainment to your sustainability ambitions. At PURE 2024, you’re invited to learn about the joyful side of climate action with hosts Juliet and Simon. Over four sessions — Wild, Water, Women and Wit — you’ll engage with chat, video clips, quizzes and effortless expertise on the biggest issue of our time.

More about Juliet…

Funny Old World was created by Juliet Kinsman, a London-based journalist and sustainability expert who’s also Condé Nast Traveller’s first Sustainability Editor. Author of The Green Edit: Travel — Easy Tips for the Eco-Friendly Traveller (2020; Ebury) and The Bucket List Eco Experiences: Travelling the World (2022; Rizzoli), she’s spent more than 25 years in the media. After making a name for herself as the founding editor of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Juliet created purpose-led, non-profit consultancy Bouteco in 2016 to help brands become better storytellers free of greenwashing.

Simon London

Broadcaster and Digital Content Creative

Simon London

Funny Old World: A Live Version of the Pioneering Podcast

Hosted by Juliet Kinsman & Simon London

More about Simon…

Simon London is an award-winning producer, presenter and broadcaster. He’s held executive roles at Fremantle, RDF and the BBC where he was Creative Head of Comedy. Additionally, he’s an experienced digital and social media creator, co-founding the family website KidRated.com in 2014. Other roles include Director of Content at Stylist Media, Commissioning Consultant at Snapchat and Africa Media Works’ Head of Original Content, which earned him a Screen Nation Award in 2019. Since 2021 he’s split his time between each of his three major fields.

Becky Harris

Director, Travel Kinship

Becky Harris

Navigating the Evolving Working Relationships of Buyers & Suppliers in the Travel Industry

With Steve Wilson, Dominique Callimanpoulos & Timothy Teo. Moderated by Becky Harris.

Gain a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics in today’s travel industry — and how to manoeuvre within them for a professional advantage. This session will discuss collaboration, ethical practices and how to thrive in a fierce, evolving market. Session leader Becky will move from buyer diversity to global supplier collaboration; the power of large agencies to the pressure on new competitors; applying a firm selection process for DMCs to grade factors such as experiential design and sustainability performance; and, crucially, wielding your power to make choices that benefit the world at large.

More about Becky…

Becky Harris was a mechanical engineer in the UK before she broke away to work and trek across Latin America. After joining Save The Children in Colombia and Peru, she drove thousands of miles through Belize and the U.S all the way to Toronto in 2000, then embarked on a career in adventure travel. Becky is a founder of Viaventure Central America, a luxury DMC, as well as Beyond Expeditions luxury glamping. During the COVID-19 pandemic she set up a third business, Travel Kinship, for consultancy and representation. All of her practices are spurred by the desire to make the world better through creative, ethical, sustainable and responsible business. She also loves photography and mountain biking.

Timothy Teo

Co-Managing Director, Borneo Eco Tours

Timothy Teo

Navigating the Evolving Working Relationships of Buyers & Suppliers in the Travel Industry

With Steve Wilson, Dominique Callimanpoulos & Timothy Teo. Moderated by Becky Harris.

More about Timothy…

Timothy leads Borneo Eco Tours and its sister lodges, Sukau and Utan, nestled in the rainforests of Borneo. Having graduated and worked as a civil engineer in Sydney, Timothy also holds an MBA from the Australian Graduate School Of Management. For over 15 years, he’s been transforming online sales channels, pushing upmarket and continues to pioneer new lodges and experiences for wildlife safaris. To this day, Borneo Eco Tours and Sukau Rainforest Lodge continues to be the most awarded (nationally and internationally) tour company and lodge in Malaysia for its sustainable vision and approach to crafting fresh, world-class travel experiences.

Dominique Callimanpoulos

Founder & President, Elevate Destinations

Dominique Callimanpoulos

Navigating the Evolving Working Relationships of Buyers & Suppliers in the Travel Industry

With Steve Wilson, Dominique Callimanpoulos & Timothy Teo. Moderated by Becky Harris.

More about Dominique…

Raised in New York and Paris, Dominique founded Elevate Destinations in 2005. One of the first tour operators to integrate conservation and community into its product, Elevate Destinations is a leader in organising philanthropic travel for A-list nonprofits and social investors worldwide, while the company’s private travel division creates community engagement and learning opportunities for altruistic travellers. The brand has won awards for its ‘Buy a Trip, Give a Trip’ initiative, which funds excursions for local youth to visit sites usually reserved for tourists. More recently, the ‘Scene + Heard’ programme sponsors young people to widen the narrative and photographic lens of destinations that Dominique and her team serve.

Steve Wilson

Founder & Director, LiNGER

Steve Wilson

Navigating the Evolving Working Relationships of Buyers & Suppliers in the Travel Industry

With Steve Wilson, Dominique Callimanpoulos & Timothy Teo. Moderated by Becky Harris.

More about Steve…

Steve is the founder of LiNGER, a sabbatical and experiential tour operator that embraces complex travel design and planning. He’s spent the last 25 years crossing every country in Latin America and living and working in Belize, Bolivia, Canada, Mexico and Nicaragua. In addition to year-long sabbaticals and continent juggling trips, one of his initial projects — for a renowned landscape photographer — remains a standout. Armed with a camera that’s more than a century old, Steve pursues his mission to capture the edges of each continent and all extreme points of the compass.

Cristina Consuegra

Director & Co-Founder, Galavanta

Cristina Consuegra

Navigating the Evolving Working Relationships of Buyers & Suppliers in the Travel Industry

With Steve Wilson, Dominique Callimanpoulos, Timothy Teo & Cristina Consuegra. Moderated by Becky Harris.

More about Cristina…

Cristina founded Galavanta 10 years ago with her husband, Alexis, at a time when Colombia’s travel industry was waking up after a long-awaited peace agreement. Born and raised in Colombia, she spent many years living between South Africa and Canada, and travelling around the world, which inspired many of Galavanta’s experiences. Thanks to a focus on creativity, quality and pushing boundaries, Galavanta is now one of Columbia’s top DMCs, with extensive operations including private villas, helicopter expeditions, private aviation, corporate groups and event management. Today, Cristina lives with her family in Cartagena, and loves to spend her free time playing racket sports, scuba diving and going on epic adventures.

Zina Bencheikh

Managing Director EMEA, Intrepid Travel

Zina Bencheikh

Eye on the Sky & Low-Carbon Travel

With Zina Bencheikh. In conversation with Catharina Moh.

Is the future of travel flight-free? Honestly — no. Commercial and private planes aren’t going to disappear. Yet there are many realistic, tangible ways to travel in a more sustainable way. Journalist Catharina Moh from BBC Travel Show will share the mic with Zina Bencheikh, Intrepid’s Managing Director, to unpack what you can do to minimise the environmental impact of travel and maximise the positive impact for local communities. After their interview, Catharina and Zina will open the floor to the audience, so you can have your say about how the industry is adapting for a more sustainable future. From new trains, specialist tour operators and community initiatives, there’s plenty to take forward for your business.

More about Zina…

Born in Marrakech and educated in France and the UK, Zina started her career in finance before joining Intrepid Travel as a finance manager in 2010. She progressed rapidly through a number of financial and operational leadership roles, and in 2020 was appointed as Intrepid’s EMEA Managing Director. Based in Morocco, she is now responsible for achieving the company’s dual goals of growth and balancing purpose and profit in key markets across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Through tourism, she’s created economic opportunities for women and marginalised communities. Meanwhile, she’s a seasoned speaker and contributor to leading international publications, chair of the Association of Touring and Adventure Suppliers, and a patron and advisor to not-for-profits Education for All and Women in Travel. Zina is also a regular contributor to international media, featured by the likes of BBC, CNN, The CEO Magazine and Forbes.

Garreth van Rensburg

MD & Co-Founder, GoFetch Online

Garreth van Rensburg

Streamlining the Travel Cycle Through Tech & Automation

With Garreth van Rensburg & Justin Randolph

Even mavericks can struggle with integrating tech and automation into their processes and strategies. The world is changing so quickly; a little advice can help you keep up with whatever’s coming. This main-stage talk will help you piece together the building blocks of the most intelligent, modern travel lifecycle. From sales and marketing to booking and other backend duties, you’ll have the foundations for smarter processes that pay off. We’ve invited both a buyer and exhibitor to make these lessons even more resonant. What does a streamlined travel cycle look like for either business model? Pick up tips, tricks and an overview of your professional ecosystem as we find answers.

More about Garreth…

Garreth relishes the ‘aha’ moment when digital architecture switches on and a company is empowered to make practical decisions that attract more customers, grow revenue, and help team members do their job. He’s also passionate about the African travel market and believes that an industry-wide adoption of digital tools and processes has the power to radically enhance Africa as a connected, efficient, sought-after destination for the digitally-savvy, conscious traveller.

Catharina Moh

Presenter & Producer Director, BBC Travel Show

Catharina Moh

Eye on the Sky & Low-Carbon Travel

With Zina Bencheikh. In conversation with Catharina Moh.

More about Catharina…

Catharina Moh is an internationally renowned television journalist with a rich career spanning over 17 years and more than 50 countries. She began her journey in front of and behind the camera in Accra, Ghana, before returning to the UK to join ITV, then the BBC. There, she covered global events such as Nelson Mandela’s death, the Syrian migrant crisis and the Arab Spring. As a current presenter and producer for BBC’s The Travel Show, Catharina explores topics as diverse as Iceland’s melting glaciers to empowering Berber women in Morocco. Her insightful, impactful reporting has led her to become a respected voice in travel journalism.

Justin Randolph

Founder & CEO, Earthtones

Justin Randolph

Streamlining the Travel Cycle Through Tech & Automation

With Garreth van Rensburg & Justin Randolph

More about Justin…

Justin is the founder and CEO of Earthtones, a regenerative travel cooperative that configures and runs nature experiences. Additionally, he’s one of the leading minds behind Cloudforest, an AI-powered, all-in-one platform for travel designers and operators to create, sell and manage tours. This saves travel specialists hundreds of hours a year; a fact that Justin is justly proud of. As an Edmund Hilary Fellow, he’s able to facilitate regenerative tourism strategies for New Zealand, mentoring startups and assessing impact models.

SPARK SESSIONS

Watch and listen to your fellow mavericks share ideas and inspire each other in close conversations with Q&As.

Hala Benkhaldoun

General Manager, Intrepid Travel

Hala Benkhaldoun

A Year On…What Did The 2023 Earthquake Teach Us?

In conversation with Mike McHugo & Ahmed Nait. Moderated by Hala Benkhaldoun.

On 8 September 2023, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Morocco, killing around 3,000 people and destroying countless settlements across the country. We were shocked and devastated by last year’s tragedy — the effects of which are still being felt today. Yet charities on the ground have been working tirelessly to support and restore Moroccan communities ever since. Here, in this special Spark Session run by Intrepid Travel’s Hala Benkhaldoun, you’ll be able to sit down and chat with two of them: Mike McHugo from Education For All (EFA) and Ahmed Nait from Travel Link Foundation. Ahmed will explain how much progress his charity has made for planning and delivering disaster relief, while Mike details how his team have been getting EFA boarding houses back on their feet with rebuilding fundraisers. What lessons can we all glean from such a huge, unforeseen threat to a region and way of life? You’ll also see where every PUREist’s donation went to help the relief effort and find out what’s next for the charities.

More about Hala…

Born in Casablanca, Hala grew up in the beautiful city of Marrakech before studying and working in France, the UK, Switzerland and the Netherlands. After working in corporate banking, she turned her passion for travel into her career, joining Intrepid DMC Marrakech as General Manager in September 2019. Since then, Hala has overseen Morocco’s growth into one of Intrepid’s largest and most successful DMCs, leading initiatives championing gender equality in the country’s tourism industry.

Mike McHugo

Founder, Education For All

Mike McHugo

A Year On…What Did The 2023 Earthquake Teach Us?

In conversation with Mike McHugo & Ahmed Nait. Moderated by Hala Benkhaldoun.

More about Mike…

In 1978, Mike created Discover Ltd, one of Morocco’s leading educational tour companies. 12 years later, Discover bought a ruined kasbah in the Atlas Mountain village of Imlil, opening as Kasbah du Toubkal in 1995 and becoming one of the country’s most celebrated hotels. Mike’s premise has always been “maximise the collective gain, not just your own”, and has been at the forefront of sustainable development in the Imlil Valley, much of it funded by the 5% levy added to guest bills — an initiative unique to the Kasbah du Toubkal. In 2006, Mike came together with other Marrakech leaders in tourism to found Education For All (EFA), providing accommodation close to secondary schools for girls from families in remote Atlas Mountain villages to continue their education. This consisted of six boarding houses for 200 girls prior to the 2023 earthquake. Mike’s work has earned him an MBE for improved gender equality.

Ahmed Nait

President, Travel Link Foundation

Ahmed Nait

A Year On…What Did The 2023 Earthquake Teach Us?

In conversation with Mike McHugo & Ahmed Nait. Moderated by Hala Benkhaldoun.

More about Ahmed…

Ahmed’s professional journey began when he enrolled in the hotel and tourism school of Agadir. After obtaining his diploma, he pursued further studies and practical training in travel and leisure in Germany. In 1993, leveraging his expertise and passion for tourism, Ahmed founded Travel Link, which has since become a leading DMC in Morocco, crafting personalised luxury experiences. His social work in Atlas Mountain villages has also helped communities by raising awareness and improving local lives. In 2011, he established the Travel Link Foundation (TLF), a non-profit organisation dedicated to raising awareness and finding sustainable solutions for the most critical issues affecting life in these rural areas. To date, the TLF has benefited thousands of women and children.

Maudie Tomlinson

Director, The Conscious Travel Foundation

Maudie Tomlinson

Conscious Questions: What to Ask and Why When Seeking Sustainability in Travel

In conversation with Juliet Kinsman, Maudie Tomlinson & Julie Cheetham

The simplest sustainability questions often spark the biggest actions. So, what are they? Juliet Kinsman, Julie Cheetham and Maudie Tomlinson, director of The Conscious Travel Foundation, will show you which best practice queries to raise with your sustainability suppliers at PURE and beyond. Using their recently published reference guide, this hands-on discussion will explore how, why and what to ask, ensuring your values and value chain are linked. The result? Your focus shifts from room rates and facilities to purpose and impact.

More about Maudie…

Maudie Tomlinson heads the day-to-day operations of The Conscious Travel Foundation (TCTF), a not-for-profit membership community. Having worked in the luxury travel industry for over a decade, Maudie joined the foundation’s team in its first year of operation, bringing her passion for positive impact travel and her unique creative strategies to help grow the organisation into the flourishing community it is today. A sustainable problem-solver at heart, Maudie is keen to use her years of experience across travel sales, product and business development to help to drive meaningful industry change alongside TCTF members.

Julie Cheetham

Sustainability Consultant

Julie Cheetham

Conscious Questions: What to Ask and Why When Seeking Sustainability in Travel

In conversation with Juliet Kinsman, Maudie Tomlinson & Julie Cheetham

More about Julie…

Julie is a skilled sustainability consultant with over two decades of experience. Her focus on sustainable development and business transformation led her to advise a diverse client base on their green journey, including the Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, National Geographic, Fireblade Aviation and Oppenheimer Generations. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and a post-graduate certificate in Executive Development. Today, she cherishes her membership of NOW Partners: a global partnership of over 100 senior leaders united to accelerate business for good.

Juliet Kinsman

Sustainable Luxury expert and journalist

Juliet Kinsman

Conscious Questions: What to Ask and Why When Seeking Sustainability in Travel

In conversation with Juliet Kinsman, Maudie Tomlinson & Julie Cheetham

More about Juliet…

Juliet Kinsman is a London-based journalist and sustainability expert who’s also Condé Nast Traveller’s first Sustainability Editor. Author of The Green Edit: Travel — Easy Tips for the Eco-Friendly Traveller (2020; Ebury) and The Bucket List Eco Experiences: Travelling the World (2022; Rizzoli), she’s spent more than 25 years in the media. After making a name for herself as the founding editor of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Juliet created purpose-led, non-profit consultancy Bouteco in 2016 to help brands become better storytellers free of greenwashing.

Chris Wallace

Journalist & Photographer, Mr Porter / T + L /AD / SUITCASE

Chris Wallace

How to Get the Coverage You Crave: a Reverse Press Conference

With Chris Wallace, Lydia Bell, Sarah Rowland & Elizabeth Choppin. Moderated by Simon London.

Crack the PR code and make journalists pay attention to your voice and brand. You may have mastered experiential travel in your region, but standing out from piles of press releases and uninspired hooks is another skill altogether. Very few of us are taught how to do it. This very special spark session lets you ask some of these writers, at last, what they’re looking for. Which stories are they drawn to? How can you land your dream coverage? Bring your burning questions and don’t hold back.

More about Chris…

Chris is a writer, photographer and cultural critic with a sizable stack of work about the travel industry. His biography of late artist Peter Beard, Twentieth Century Man: The Wild Life of Peter Beard, was published by Ecco Press in July 2023. Chris has held positions as the US editor of MR PORTER and the executive editor of Interview Magazine, while contributing to The New York Times, Geurnica and other high-profile publications.

Elizabeth Choppin

Editor-in-Chief, Design Anthology UK

Elizabeth Choppin

How to Get the Coverage You Crave: a Reverse Press Conference

With Chris Wallace, Lydia Bell, Sarah Rowland & Elizabeth Choppin. Moderated by Simon London.

More about Elizabeth…

An editor and content specialist, Elizabeth has worked in online and print media since 2004. She now heads up design and architecture magazine and digital platform, Design Anthology UK – part of a global media brand spanning Europe and the APAC region. Elizabeth is also director of Astrid Media, a London-based creative agency working across film, print and digital for brands.

Sarah Rowland

Southern Correspondent, Monocle

Sarah Rowland

How to Get the Coverage You Crave: a Reverse Press Conference

With Chris Wallace, Lydia Bell, Sarah Rowland & Elizabeth Choppin. Moderated by Simon London.

More about Sarah…

Sarah is a multi-dimensional creative producer, art director, and editor with a diverse background in filmmaking, print editorial for magazines and large-scale book projects, as well as brand campaign ideation. Her work has taken her across the world, from its largest cities to its wildest corners. No matter the place, Sarah seeks heart-centred stories that connect, empower and captivate the human spirit.

Lydia Bell

Features Editor, Condé Nast Traveller UK

Lydia Bell

How to Get the Coverage You Crave: a Reverse Press Conference

With Chris Wallace, Lydia Bell, Sarah Rowland & Elizabeth Choppin. Moderated by Simon London.

More about Lydia…

As features editor of Condé Nast Traveller, her role synthesises 25+ years of editorial experience with a deep-seated expertise in travel.

George Filippidis

Managing Director, Andronis

George Filippidis

Brand Acquisition with Culture & Curation Intact

With George Filippidis, Aimee Hodgkin & Damia Boudress. Moderated by Laura McGowan.

Pinning down what you believe in and want to achieve as a business is hard enough. So, don’t let an acquisition rewrite those answers — it’s always wise to keep your integrity and values as you scale up with a larger partner. Our panel has firsthand experience of that challenge. Their brands have been acquired by the likes of IHG, Hyatt and LVMH, but haven’t sacrificed what made their mission and voice stand out from the get-go. You’ll hear Aimee Hodgkin (Mr & Mrs Smith), Laura McGowan (SUJÁN) and Damia Boudress (Belmond) discuss their M&A journey, while the Andronis’ George Fillipidis sheds light on why he decided against acquisition. Ultimately, these experts will enrich your view of how to develop and protect the beating heart of your business, whether you stay solo or move forward with a parent company.

More about George…

George Filippidis is a seasoned luxury hospitality leader with a robust background in high-quality service delivery and business development. Currently serving as the Managing Director for Andronis, he oversees six prestigious hotels in Santorini and Paros. Under his leadership, the company has expanded by adding four new properties and significantly boosted its employee count and annual revenues by ten times. His tenure is marked by international awards and the establishment of a global network of PR agencies and sales representation firms.. George holds a postgraduate diploma in International Hotel Management from Les Roches Hotel School and a BA in Business Administration from the University of the West of England. His expertise spans new hotel openings, luxury hospitality, complemented by a passion for traveling, fine dining, and interior design.

Aimee Hodgkin

Hotel & Villa Partnerships Director, Mr & Mrs Smith

Aimee Hodgkin

Brand Acquisition with Culture & Curation Intact

With George Filippidis, Aimee Hodgkin & Damia Boudress. Moderated by Laura McGowan.

More about Aimee…

With a passion for travel and keen eye for exceptional properties, Aimee has played a pivotal role at Mr & Mrs Smith, curating the brand’s boutique collection of hotels and villas across the globe. Throughout her tenure, she’s delivered unparalleled travel experiences that have earned much respect in the industry. Aimee’s previous roles in the company have shaped her comprehensive understanding of how and why luxury hospitality works, while helping her forge strong relationships with hoteliers and partners worldwide.

Damia Boudress

Director of Global Commercial Marketing, Belmond

Damia Boudress

Brand Acquisition with Culture & Curation Intact

With George Filippidis, Aimee Hodgkin & Damia Boudress. Moderated by Laura McGowan.

More about Damia…

After joining Belmond as a Marketing Executive in the UK, Damia quickly demonstrated her knack for strategic thinking and creative execution. Over the years, she rose through the ranks, eventually assuming the role of Director of Global Commercial Marketing. One of Damia’s most significant contributions to Belmond has been creating and establishing a B2B marketing department, where she spearheaded initiatives to digitise and enhance it. She understands the power of narrative in forging meaningful connections with partners and clients, and has championed storytelling in every aspect of the company’s B2B communications. She believes in empowering partners with knowledge and insights that enable them to better navigate the evolving landscape of luxury travel and hospitality.

Laura McGowan

Global Brand Director, SUJÁN

Laura McGowan

Brand Acquisition with Culture & Curation Intact

With George Filippidis, Aimee Hodgkin & Damia Boudress. Moderated by Laura McGowan.

More about Laura…

Laura — an original PUREist with three of the world’s favourite wilderness tented camps in Rajasthan, India — has been working in the luxury travel industry for the past 10 years. As well as overseeing international sales, PR and communications, Laura manages all of SUJÁN’s brand activity to support the objectives and vision of these family owned and managed hotels. Over 23 years ago, SUJÁN was the first in India to introduce a responsible tourism model for ethical, authentic experiences in the wild, supporting local communities, indigenous creatures and their habitats. With previous roles working with global luxury brands across industries (for clients such as Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Cartier and De Beers) Laura is passionate about building partnerships, curating unforgettable stays and inspiring with narratives. She strongly believes in the power of collaboration, while raising funds for causes she cares about.

MASTERCLASSES

Define tangible goals and make practical moves towards the latest concepts in travel. Our immersive, expert-led Masterclasses are yours for the taking.

Alex Liu

Founder, Tech & Ops

Alex Liu

Mastering The Market: Leveraging Data and AI for Luxury Hospitality Leadership

Hosted by Alex Liu & Sangjay Choegyal

Want to optimise growth at every level of your business — becoming a leader, not a follower? The power of AI and digital information can take you there. Sit down with Advant Labs’ partners, Sangjay and Alex, for an exclusive masterclass on making more data-driven decisions in hospitality management. They’ll draw on their deep experience and successful implementations to show you what this looks like in practice, workshopping some case studies together.

More about Alex…

Advant Labs’ resident data scientist brings an entrepreneurial spirit and a wealth of experience to the luxury hospitality sector. With a background in quantitative trading and an appreciation for innovative technologies like blockchain and AI (not to mention adventures far beyond the computer screen), Alex contributes valuable insights and a unique perspective.

Sangjay Choegyal

Principal, Hotel Advisory

Sangjay Choegyal

Mastering The Market: Leveraging Data and AI for Luxury Hospitality Leadership

Hosted by Sangjay Choegyal & Alex Liu

More about Sangjay…

With over 15 years in the hospitality industry spanning iconic brands from Six Senses to Aman and the critically acclaimed Shinta Mani Wild, Sangjay has successfully opened some of the world’s leading hotels, striving to push the boundaries of guest experiences and what a hotel is even considered to be.

Simon Court

Author and Leadership Coach

Simon Court

Founders’ Resilience: Navigating Turbulent Waters in The Travel Industry

Disruption is a given in the travel industry. The key question is not only how to weather it, but emerge stronger in an ambiguous, complex, volatile world. Simon Court knows exactly how to do this and keep growing. Drawing upon his groundbreaking book, Founder’s Legacy, he’ll present a 90-minute masterclass on how to lead your team through turbulent times. From looking at uncertainty in new ways to understanding workforce dynamics, and developing rapid agility to a robust hiring model, Simon will train you to become more flexible and adaptive when it really counts.

More about Simon…

Simon Court is the author of Founder’s Legacy – Fifty Game-Changing Leadership Lessons for Building a Great Business, published in March 2024. For more than 25 years, he’s worked as a leadership coach and guide to business founders, leaders and leadership teams across sectors, cultures and businesses at different stages of maturity from startup to reinvention. He has also built multiple companies, such as Tipico, one of Germany’s first headline tech brands valued at over $1 billion, and Value Partnership, which he founded with his wife, Jane. This experience informs his book and makes his empathy for other founders and leaders genuine. His qualifications include an MBA from Warwick Business School and an MSc from Imperial College. Additionally, Simon is a father, runner and skier.

Daisy Bird

Founder, PR

Daisy Bird

Cultivating Meaningful PR

Hosted by Daisy Bird & Aisha Bennett

PR isn’t about quick-blast releases, scripted pitches or rushing to say “yes” to Instagram stars. It’s about turning a community of fans into brand advocates with meaningful connections. Daisy and Aisha will show you how to draw an audience that’s authentically yours — to ensure that every journalist, influencer and brand you’re aligned with shares your values and mindset. Over this masterclass, you’ll learn who to attract, where to find them, and how you might stir intrigue amongst these networks at precise cultural moments. BIRD’s senior leadership team will advise you on how to create great storytelling opportunities, with low-cost media hooks, to compete in your market and implement strategic brand partnerships that last.

More about Daisy…

Daisy has worked in PR for 20 years and founded BIRD, a strategic global communications agency, in London in 2010 to launch, build and protect travel brand reputations. Her clients are a carefully curated selection of pioneering hotels, forward-thinking start-ups, established icons and adventure, sustainability and wellness trailblazers. Well respected across the industry — with an enviable (not-so-little) black book — Daisy’s consultancy promises far more than PR results. BIRD clients are fast-tracked to the most influential media and consumer tastemakers, navigated through the industry with a wealth of knowledge that takes in global publicity, influencer and ambassador strategies, stakeholder profiling, thought leadership, creative programming and brand partnerships.

Aisha Bennett

Associate Director, PR

Aisha Bennett

Cultivating Meaningful PR

Hosted by Daisy Bird & Aisha Bennett

More about Aisha…

Aisha joined BIRD in 2021 after six years of experience in the world of luxury travel PR. She’s become instrumental in driving unique F&B strategies for her clients, whether she’s launching properties in Rwanda, curating supper clubs with food and beverage leaders, or managing Chef Raymond Blanc OBE’s public relations. Aisha was the account lead for ultra-luxury hotel brand, One&Only Resorts where she oversaw the launch of the brand’s Mandarina site and Enrique Olvera’s restaurant, as well as Le Manoir. She’s also worked closely with Chef Aggi Sverrisson, positioning him as a visionary in the Icelandic food movement. At BIRD, Aisha oversees international campaigns for some of the world’s most loved travel brands including Soneva, Anopura, Vela, The LUX* Collective, Badrutt’s Palace and Pulitzer Amsterdam. Aisha is brilliantly creative and has a flair for drawing out innovative, unique stories wherever she lays a hand.

Megan Torrance

Senior VP, Learning & Development

Megan Torrance

Preparing for The Luxury Traveller of Tomorrow

The luxury traveller of tomorrow is always in flux. So, which tastes and values are driving the next generation of nomads as it matures? Megan will walk you through data and demographics to explore what some of the industry’s destinations have done to give this traveller what they want. You’ll learn how to mould your own one-of-a-kind experiences around these expectations: proactive, inspired and future-proofed. There are plenty of chances to interact throughout this session, too, keeping you on your toes.

More about Megan…

Megan Torrance has spent over 15 years working exclusively in luxury travel operations. From large, prestigious resorts to Relais & Châteaux hotels, she’s honed broad management experience across operations, including executive management roles. Driven by a vision for outstanding service, she’s been instrumental in leading hospitality teams and applying Forbes Travel Guides standards throughout her career.

Ruth Crichton

Regional Southern Africa Head, The Long Run

Ruth Crichton

Kickstart or Elevate Your Sustainability Planning Today

Hosted by Julie Cheetham & Ruth Crichton

A sustainable agenda is great, but how can you track and measure its success? A blueprint is essential to bring everyone on board. One of them is nature-based-business initiative The Long Run’s four Cs: Conservation, Community, Culture and Commerce. This is underpinned by the Ecosphere Retreat® standard — widely known as the very best principles to preserve private travel ecosystems. Here, sustainability gurus Julie Cheetham and Ruth Crichton will take a 360-degree view of your business through a green lens. You’ll define positive impacts for your brand, guests, people and the planet, then integrate them into an annual plan of day-to-day roles and actions. If you’re an owner, general manager, or marketing and sales manager, you really shouldn’t miss it.

More about Ruth…

Ruth has over 25 years of commercial and non-profit sector experience, which led her to find her passion for progressive tourism: the positive impact and sustainable social development driven by travel. She loves to explore and push the possibilities of sustainability, conservation and community programming. One recent initiative — the Grootbos Florilegium botanical art project — showcases the Cape Floristic Kingdom.

Julie Cheetham

Sustainability Consultant

Julie Cheetham

Kickstart or Elevate Your Sustainability Planning Today

Hosted by Julie Cheetham & Ruth Crichton

More about Julie…

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Leaders tolearn from

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SPARK SESSIONS→

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MOONSHOT STAGE

Penny Rafferty

Joss Kent

Geordie Mackay-Lewis

Bijan Khazai

Portia Hart

Kuba Nowak

Pedro Treacher

James McBride

Greta Francesca Iori

Sheena Bhattessa

John and Cynthia Hardy

Sigurður Thorsteinsson

MAVERICK STAGE

Juliet Kinsman

Simon London

Becky Harris

Timothy Teo

Dominique Callimanpoulos

Steve Wilson

Cristina Consuegra

Zina Bencheikh

Garreth van Rensburg

Catharina Moh

Justin Randolph

SPARK SESSIONS

Hala Benkhaldoun

Mike McHugo

Ahmed Nait

Maudie Tomlinson

Julie Cheetham

Juliet Kinsman

Chris Wallace

Elizabeth Choppin

Sarah Rowland

Lydia Bell

George Filippidis

Aimee Hodgkin

Damia Boudress

Laura McGowan

MASTERCLASSES

Alex Liu

Sangjay Choegyal

Simon Court

Daisy Bird

Aisha Bennett

Megan Torrance

Ruth Crichton

Julie Cheetham

We use cookies to help improve our website. By continuing to use this website, you agree to our use of cookies.

Leaders to
learn from