Welcome to FHS Africa 2025

Matthew Weihs

Group Managing Director
The Bench

Newcomers Welcome

Matthew Weihs

Group Managing Director
The Bench

Women Who Lead:
Networking & Investment in Hospitality

Lara Dupre

Founder & CEO
Le Palais D'Akwa

Investor Council - Closed Door Session

Olivier Granet

Managing Partner & Co-Chief Executive Officer
Kasada Capital Management

Top 10 things to know about investing in Hospitality in Africa

Moderator

Matthew Renshaw

Senior Director PDS SSA
JLL

In conversation with

Scott Antel

Founder Owner
Scott's FZ Hospitality Legal Services

Shamil Manek

Director
The Merwest Company

Investor's Council (On Invitation only)

Workshop:
Unpacking the Models: Franchise, Manchise, and Management Agreements Demystified

Euan McGlashan

Global Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Valor Hospitality Partners

Tony Romer-Lee

Managing Partner AMEA
Valor Hospitality

Behind the Contracts:
Case Studies of Hospitality Ownership Models

Tony Romer-Lee

Managing Partner AMEA
Valor Hospitality

Standardising Sustainability Metrics for Investment Success (On Invitation only)

Ufi Ibrahim

Chief Executive Officer
EEA

Heritage Wealth Meets New Frontiers:
What’s Drawing Legacy Investors to Africa?

Haddis Tilahun

Founder & Chairman
United Africa Group

Registration of CCTIC & Morning Coffee

Opening Ceremony

Matthew Weihs

Group Managing Director
The Bench

Thami Nkadimeng

The Message Architect
Thami Nkadimeng Group

Risk & Resilience:
How Global Economic Shifts Are Shaping Africa’s Hospitality Industry

Setting the Scene for Destination & Hotel Development in Africa

Philip Wooller

Senior Director
STR

Setting the Scene:
Assessing Market Dynamics through an Investor's Lens

Wayne Godwin

Chief Executive Officer
JLL Africa

Hospitality in Africa:
A High-Risk, High-Reward Investment?

Moderator

Wayne Godwin

Chief Executive Officer
JLL Africa

In conversation with

Folaseto Akin Olugbade

Principal
Actis

Rahul Chaudhary

Managing Director & CEO
CG Corp Global and CG Hospitality Holdings

David Damiba

Managing Partner, CO-CEO
Kasada Capital Management

Nyawira Kariuki

Chief Executive Officer
Janus Continental Group

From City Skylines to Safari Sanctuaries:
Why Global Operators Are Entering the Lodge Market

Jean-Baptiste Recher

Chief Development Officer Luxury Brands, Middle East, Africa and Turkiye
Accor

Jugal Khushalani

Senior Director of Development - East Africa
Marriott International

Fireside Chat:
Rethinking Conservation for a Sustainable Future

Mark Read

Chairman, Everard Read Gallery
Past Chairman, WWF (SA) & Past Board Member, WWF International

Jonathan Worsley

Chairman & CEO
The Bench

Dr Morne du Plessis

Chief Executive Officer
WWF South Africa

Thank You Address from FHS Africa Charity Partner 2025

James Fernie

Director
Uthando (Love) South Africa

Insights of a CEO:
How to Align Tourism Strategies Across Key African Markets for Sustainable Growth

Jonathan Worsley

Chairman & CEO
The Bench

Guy Hutchinson

President Middle East & Africa
Hilton

Pipeline Watch:
Investment Hotspots & the Future of Hospitality Expansion in Africa

Trevor Ward

Principal
W Hospitality Group

Closing the Gap:
Boosting Conversion from Hotel Signings to Openings in Africa

Moderator

Oussama el Kadiri

Partner - Head of Hospitality, Tourism & Leisure Advisory MENA
Knight Frank

In conversation with

Khalil Manji

Chief Executive Officer
CHIC

Erwan Garnier

Senior Director Development - Africa
Radisson Hotel Group

Tourism at a Crossroads:
A Global Vision for Uniting Africa’s Key Markets

Moderator

Thami Nkadimeng

The Message Architect
Thami Nkadimeng Group

In conversation with

Haitham Mattar

Managing Director Middle East Africa & South West Asia
IHG Hotel & Resorts

Africa's Hospitality Boom:
Is the Sector Growing Fast Enough to Meet Rising Demand?

Moderator

Andrew McLachlan

Founder & Managing Director
Develop Hotels

In conversation with

Wesam Okasha

Head of Global Development Asia, Greater China & EMEA Regions
TUI Blue Hotels

Bani Haddad

Founder & Managing Director
Aleph Hospitality

Wytze Van Den Berg

VP International Operations EMEA
BWH

Global Vision, Local Impact:
A Development Leader’s Approach to Hospitality Investment and Development in Africa

Jerome Briet

Chief Development Officer EMEA
Marriott International

Mark Dunford

Chief Executive Officer Africa
Knight Frank

Preserving Africa’s Biodiversity:
Hospitality’s Role in Conservation Tourism

Moderator

Tom Fels

Founder & CEO
Animarem

In conversation with

Paul Gardiner

Chief Executive Officer
Terra Nova Create

Glen Mandziuk

Chief Executive Officer
World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance

FHS Africa Awards

Matthew Weihs

Group Managing Director
The Bench

David Green

Chief Executive Officer
V&A Water Front

The Capital Stack:
Navigating Capital Structures and Investor Roles in Project Financing

Moderator

Veronica Bolton Smith

Chief Executive Officer
Critical Mineral Africa Group

In conversation with

Daniel Trappler

Senior Director Development: Southern & Eastern Africa
Radisson Hotel Group

Investment Hotspots:
How African Governments Are Attracting Investors

Thami Nkadimeng

The Message Architect
Thami Nkadimeng Group

Securing Funding for Hospitality Ventures:
Mastering the Art of the Pitch

Country Spotlight:
Unveiling Potential through Projects

From Flight Paths to Forecasts:
Leveraging Data to Drive Hospitality ROI

Beyond the Layover:
Elevating Hospitality at the Gateway to the World

Jon Howell

CEO & Owner
AviaDev

Crash Course:
Balancing Occupancy and Rate: The Art of Revenue Optimization in African Hotels

The Cost of being Green:
Adapting Global Standards to Local Contexts

Laurinda Marsh

LEED® Green Associate & Key Account Manager - Global Projects Africa
Hansgrohe

Case Studies:
Two Continents, One Industry: Hospitality Challenges & Opportunities in Africa & South America

Trevor Ward

Principal
W Hospitality Group

Pitch Perfect:
Presenting Your Project for Success

Trend Report:
Wellness Tourism

Christy Tawii

Research Manager
Euromonitor

Is Africa Overestimating Its Hospitality Workforce Readiness? A Deep Dive into the Skills Gap

Moderators

Luckson Zambuko

Founder
African Youth in Tourism and Hospitality Association

Lara Dupre

Founder & CEO
Le Palais D'Akwa

Magdaline Osei Baffour

Investment Director
Westmont Hospitality Group

In conversation with

Jameel Verjee

Founder & CEO
CityBlue Hotels

Ubuntu in Action:
Hospitality with Soul

A Conversation with Ethiopia’s Wellness Pioneer:
Bridging Tradition and Innovation

Tadiwos Getachew Belete

Chief Executive Officer & Owner
Kuriftu Resorts

Anne Biging

CEO & Founder
Healing Hotels

Lifestyle Hospitality for the Next Billion:
Mid-Scale as a Growth Engine

The Battle of F&B vs. Wellness:
Which Drives More Profit for Owners?

AI in Action:
Real-World Case Studies in Hospitality

Q&A with Next-Gen Travelers:
What They Want and How to Deliver It

Conservation as Big Business:
The Private Sector's Impact on Africa’s Wildlife and Communities

Moderator

Brooke Friswold

Head Elephant Researcher and Program Manager
Bring The Elephant Home

In conversation with

Joe Pietersen

Convervationist
Nkombe Rhino

The Business of Well-Being:
Developing Resorts for the Wellness Economy

Ongoing Coffee Break

What are the Key Success Factors in Integrating Hospitality, Retail, and Residential Components?

Gillian Saunders

Director & Founder
Gillian Saunders Consulting

Smart Moves:
How Technology is Reshaping Africa’s Hospitality Sector

Unveiling Market Trends:
Insights into Branded Residences in Africa

Branded Residences vs. Shared Ownership:
Navigating the Future of Hospitality Real Estate

Samantha Muna

Director Business Development
Trianum Hospitality

Workshop:
Beyond Automation: How AI is Redefining Hospitality

Johan Steyn

Founder
AI for Business

Workshop:
Strategies for a Motivated and Loyal Workforce

Investing in Our People (Student Session)