FHS WORLD ANNOUNCES FIRST SPEAKERS FOR 2026 EDITION

The first 30 hospitality and tourism industry leaders have been confirmed as speakers at the Future Hospitality Summit – FHS World, taking place at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai, 29 September to 1 October 2026.  

Held under the theme for 2026: ‘Reinvest in our Future,’ FHS World brings together hospitality owners, operators, investors, developers, consultants and educators to discuss the most pressing topics and developments in the global hospitality investment sector.

Details of the speakers can be found at https://www.futurehospitality.com/world/speakers, with the list constantly updated as more sign up. Confirmed speakers include:

Ho Kwon Ping, Founder and Executive Chairman, Banyan Group; Sonu Shivdasani, CEO and Founder, Sosei; Ina Plunien, Senior Vice President – Hospitality, Cain; Philippe Zuber, Chief Executive Officer, Kerzner International; Artur Gerber, Chief Executive Officer, TUI BLUE Hotels & Resorts; Georgette Davey, Managing Director, Abu Dhabi Hospitality Academy - Les Roches; Amit Arora, Chief Operating Officer, Arada Hospitality and Entertainment; Amit Nayak, Vice President, Hospitality Asset Managers Association Middle East and Africa; Selim El Zein, Vice President - Head of Asset Management & Investments, Deyaar Development PJSC; Eddy Tannous, Chief Operating Officer, Rotana Hotels; Sajid Siddique, Senior Vice President - Head - Real Estate Structuring & Advisory, Mashreq Bank; Hala Matar Choufany, President Middle East & Africa, HVS MEA; Riyan Itani, Founder, Global Branded Residences Ltd.; Jaidev Menezes, Regional Vice President, Mixed-Use Development EMEA, Marriott International; Michael Aldridge, Founder & CEO, KOFISI; Elie Milky, Chief Development Officer for the Middle East, Northeast Africa, Greece, and Cyprus, Radisson Hotel Group; Amir Ali Golbarg, Chief Operating Officer - Middle East & Africa, Minor Hotel Group; Hamed Aljufairi, Vice President – Operations, Compass Project Consulting; Rene Beil, Managing Director, Beaufort Global, Chairman, MAARAH HOLDINGS & HAMA President Middle East; Judith Cartwright, CEO & Founder, Black Coral Consulting; Michael Cirino, Founder & Chief Experience Officer, House of Attention; Stefan Dubbeling, Managing Director Development EMEA, BWH Hotels; Amr El Nady, Head of Hotels & Hospitality MEA and Managing Director, Global Hotel Desk JLL; Giuliano Gasparini, FRICS, CRE, HAMA, IoH, CHIA, Head of Hospitality Asset Management, WASL Group; Gary Greene, Principal, GARY GREENE DESIGN; Costas Livadaris, Hospitality & Leisure Lead – EMEA, Parsons; Wesam Okasha, Head of Global Development, TUI BLUE Hotels & Resorts; Tea Ros, Managing Director, Strategic Hotel Consulting; Rahul Salgia, Founder & CEO, DigiValet; David Vely, Vice President – Development, Club Med, and Santiago Yñigo, Co-Founder & CEO, SALVA

Ali Shahid, CEO, The Bench, said: “We are proud to announce our first set of speakers, partners, and the rapidly evolving agenda for FHS World 2026. The response we have seen from the global hospitality investment community ahead of this year's edition has been extraordinary, reaffirming the resilience and confidence that continue to define our industry. The months ahead will be critical for hospitality investment, particularly in the Middle East, as the industry looks beyond today's challenges and towards tomorrow's opportunities - and we are proud that FHS World will be the platform where that story is written."

The summit will feature its customary packed agenda addressing pressing industry opportunities, challenges and trends. Through keynote speeches, panel discussion, presentations and round table debates, this year’s FHS World programme covers content themes such as global hospitality investments, projects & destinations, wellness & medical tourism, branding strategies, sustainability & innovation, technology & AI, branded residences, restaurant investment, education investment, green construction & smart cities.

Again this year, event features at FHS World includes the dedicated Branded Residences Forum, taking place on 1 October, country pavilions, networking receptions, FHS Awards and projects & investment opportunities.

Over 300 investors attended last year’s summit with a combined 5.4 trillion USD assets under management. The 2025 summit attracted 65% new investors, and 35% of investors came from non-GCC countries.

For more information about the 2026 edition of Future Hospitality World, please visit https://www.futurehospitality.com/world

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