How we choose our speakers

Hon. Najib Balala, EGH

Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Tourism & Wildlife, Government of Kenya

Zurab Pololikashvili

Secretary-General, World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

Joe Okudo

Principal Secretary, State Department for Tourism, Ministry of Tourism & Wildlife, Government of Kenya

Sirak Ambaye

Managing Director, Shore Properties Ltd.

Scott Antel

Partner, Head of Hospitality and Leisure MEA, Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP

Mossadeck Bally

Chief Executive Officer, Azalaï Hotels Group

Ignace Bauwens

Regional Vice President, Middle East, Eurasia & Africa, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

Sébastien Bazin

Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, AccorHotels

Ilaria Benucci

Investment Director, Equity Investments, CDC Group

Azmeena Bhanji

GM, Real Estate Developments, PDM

Kojo Busia

CEO, The Baobab River Company

Ewan Cameron

Director – Africa, Westmont Hospitality

Rahul Chaudhary

Managing Director, CG Corp. Global & CG Hospitality Holdings

Harriet Chebet Ng'ok

EU-Funding Project Manager, Finance & Competence

Karim Cheltout

Regional Vice President - Development, Africa, Marriott International

Yiu Tung (Billy) Cheung

Group Chairman & CEO, Master Assets Investments Ltd

Stuart Clay

General Manager, IBIS STYLES Nairobi Westlands

Mike Collini

Vice President Development Sub-Saharan Africa, Hilton

David Damiba

Chief Investment Officer, Kasada Holdings

Giles Davies

Founder, Conservation Capital

Karl de Lacy

International Development Director, Best Western Hotels & Resorts

Michael Devereux

Senior Director Development Sub-Saharan Africa & Indian Ocean, Hilton

Boela du Plooy

Senior Director Lodging Development Africa, Marriott International

Mark Dunford

Head - East Africa, JLL

Thomas Emanuel

Director of Business Development, STR

Réda Faceh

VP Development Northern & Western Africa, AccorHotels

Claire Fillatre

Senior Investment Officer, Proparco

Patrick Fitzgibbon

Senior Vice President Development, EMEA, Hilton

Talya French

Manager of Development - Middle East and Africa, Marriott International

Adrian Gardiner

Executive Chairman, Mantis Collection

Erwan Garnier

Director, Development, Sub-Saharan Africa, Radisson Hotel Group

Gikonyo Gitonga

Managing Director and CEO, Axis Real Estate

Olivier Granet

Chief Executive Officer, Kasada Holdings

Cedric Guilleminot

Chief Executive Officer, Onomo Hotels

Bani Haddad

Founder & Managing Director, Aleph Hospitality

David Harper

Head of Property Services, Hotel Partners Africa

Robert Hornman

Managing Partner & COO, Amandla Capital Real Estate

Kim Irmler

Development Director Sub-Saharan Africa, AccorHotels

Stephan Jacob

Senior Underwriter and Lawyer, Munich RE

Alexis Janoray

Head of Development Africa & Indian Ocean, AccorHotels

Zahra Jivraj

Director, Opulent Hotel Group

Hassan Ahmed-Jushuf

Owner, Doubletree Nairobi

Kellen Kaburu

Co-Owner, Saikeri Estate

Dickson Kaelo

Chief Executive Officer, Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association

Abraham Muthogo Kamau

Managing Director and Director, Business Origination, Miradi Capital

Rakhee Kantaria

Director, ECONIC

Peter Kathanga

Director, Corporate Banking, KCB Bank Kenya Limited

Thuku Kimani

Consultant – Hotels, MENA Region, Colliers International

Simone Kuhn

Manager, Development, Sub-Saharan Africa, Radisson Hotel Group

Alex Kyriakidis

President & Managing Director, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International

René Laks

Managing Director Sub Saharan Africa, Solarus Sunpower

Tom Lalampaa

Chief Executive Officer, Northern Rangelands Trust

Nick Langford

Country Head - Kenya, Rendeavour

​Kimberley Leonard

World News Anchor, Sky News

Panos Loupasis

Vice President Development – Middle East & Africa, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts

Christopher Lund

Head of Hotels - MENA Region, Colliers International

Paul Mack

Executive Director, The Latitude Hotels Group

Enock Makanga

National Chairman, Protective & Safety Association of Kenya (PROSAK)

Shamil Manek

Executive Director, The Merwest Company

Ben Martin

Associate Principal, Consulting, HKS

Nizar Mawani

Director of Real Estate Developments, Rahmyn Developments and Real Estate

Andrew McLachlan

Senior Vice President, Development, Sub-Saharan Africa, Radisson Hotel Group

Bernard Micallef

Senior Industry Specialist - Hotels, Manufacturing, Agribusiness and Services, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Roz Money

Vice President Marketing & PR, Aleph Hospitality

Wangari Muchiri

Real Estate & Sustainability Consultant & Analyst, East Africa, JLL

Christine Muiruri

Learning and Development Manager, Hilton Nairobi

Samantha Muna

Director of Development East Africa, Hilton

Tom Mundy

Head of Advisory, Sub-Saharan Africa, JLL

Njeri Mungai Ngaruiya

Investment Director, IFU

Yasin Munshi

Director, Lodging Development – East Africa, Marriott International

Christopher J. Nassetta

President & CEO, Hilton and Chairman, WTTC

Amaechi Ndili

President & Chief Executive Officer Lionstone Group & Golden Tulip West Africa Hospitality Group

Dr Wanjiku Ndungu

Proprietor, The Cradle Tented Camp & Lodge-Lodwar Turkana

Xander Nijnens

Executive Vice President, Hotels & Hospitality Group, Sub-Saharan Africa, JLL

Hasnain Noorani

Founder & Group Managing Director, Pride Group

Belinda Nwosu

Research Consultant, W Hospitality Group

Lazaro Nyalandu

Chairman, Waverly Group & Former Cabinet Minister for Tourism and Natural Resources, Tanzania

David Nyamasvisva

Senior Business Development Executive, Euromonitor

Peter Odhengo

Senior Policy Advisor Climate Finance/Green Climate Fund NDA, National Treasury and Director, GKIT

Moyo Ogunseinde

Chief Operating Officer & Executive Director of the Board, Uraga Real Estate

Nancy Orji

Co-owner, Park Vega

Jonah Orumoi

Managing Director, Tourism Finance Corporation (TFC)

Vernon Page

Chief Financial Officer, CityBlue Hotels

Dhruv Pandit

Chief Executive Officer, Fedha Group

Amit Patel

Director, Coral Beach Club Limited

Jennifer Pettinger-Haines

​ Managing Director Middle East, Bench Events

​Oliver Poole

Executive Director, The Giants Club

Lasse Ristolainen

Director - Development, Westmont Hospitality Group

Robin Rossmann

Managing Director, STR

Pierre-Frédéric Roulot

CEO, Jin Jiang Europe & CEO, Louvre Hotels Group

Laurent Schatzmann

Director of Marketing & Development Africa & Middle-East, Swiss Education Group

Alain Sebah

CEO, Golden Tulip Afrique Francophone & East Africa

Oteng Sebonego

Investment Principal, Norsad Finance

Kaddu Sebunya

President, African Wildlife Foundation

Thomas Seghezzi

Director International Development, Swiss Alpine Hospitality Education Group (SAHEG)

Nimit Shah

Partner, Helios Investment Partners

Sarah Siliya

Manager Client Relations – Eastern Africa, Afreximbank

Daniel Silke

Director, Political Futures Consultancy

Denis Sireyjol

Head of MAS, Proparco

James Stuart

Founder, Stuart + Partners

Jarrett Swersky

Manager Lodging Development - Middle East Africa, Marriott International

Godfrey Tapela

Senior Investment Officer, IFC

Kevin Teeroovengadum

Chairman, Radisson Blu Azuri and Radisson Blu Poste La Fayette Resorts

Nick van Marken

Industry Executive

Jameel Verjee

Founder & CEO, CityBlue Hotels (Diar Group)

John Waithaka

Chair of the Board of Trustees, Kenya Wildlife Service

Njeri Wangari - Wanjohi

Writer, Digital Marketer & Marketing Manager, GeoPoll

Trevor Ward

Managing Director, W Hospitality Group

Amos Wekesa

Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Great Lakes Safaris

Mark Willis

Chief Executive Officer, AccorHotels Middle East & Africa

Wessel Witthuhn

Director Global Hospitality Development & Construction, Drees & Sommer

Jonathan Worsley

Chairman, Bench Events, Board Director, STR

Mohamed Yacoubi

General Manager for Africa, Groupe Palmeraie Developpement

Elie Younes

Executive Vice President & Chief Development Officer, Radisson Hotel Group