FHS WORLD ANNOUNCES FIRST SPEAKERS FOR 2026 EDITION | News
The first 30 leaders from the hospitality and tourism sectors have been confirmed as speakers at the Future Hospitality Summit – FHS World, taking place at Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah from September 29 to October 1, 2026.
Held under the 2026 theme: ‘Reinvesting 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 speakers can be found at https://www.futurehospitality.com/world/speakers, with the list being continually updated as registrations increase. Confirmed speakers include:
Ho Kwon Ping, Founder and Executive Chairman, Banyan Group; Sonu Shivdasani, CEO and Founder, Sosei; Ina Plunien, Senior Vice President – Horeca, Cain; Philippe Zuber, CEO, Kerzner International; Artur Gerber, CEO, 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 of the 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 and Africa, HVS MEA; Riyan Itani, Founder, Global Branded Residences Ltd.; Jaidev Menezes, regional vice president, mixed-use development EMEA, Marriott International; Michael Aldridge, Founder and 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 and 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 and Founder, Black Coral Consulting; Michael Cirino, Founder and 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, Director, GARY GREENE DESIGN; Costas Livadaris, Hospitality & Leisure Lead – EMEA, Parsons; Wesam Okasha, Head of Global Development, TUI BLUE Hotels & Resorts; Tea Ros, General Manager, Strategic Hotel Consulting; Rahul Salgia, Founder and CEO, DigiValet; David Vely, Vice President – Development, Club Med, and Santiago Yñigo, Co-Founder and CEO, SALVA
Ali Shahid, CEO of 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 and confirms the resilience and confidence that continues to define our sector. The coming months will be critical for investment in the hospitality industry, especially in the Middle East, as the sector looks beyond today’s challenges and towards the opportunities of tomorrow – and we are proud that FHS The World will be the platform where that story is written.”
The summit will discuss the usual agenda, addressing pressing opportunities, challenges and trends in the sector. Through keynote speeches, panel discussions, presentations and roundtable debates, this year’s FHS World program will address substantive themes such as global investments in hospitality, projects and destinations, wellness and medical tourism, brand strategies, sustainability and innovation, technology and AI, branded homes, restaurant investments, investments in education, green construction and smart cities.
Once again this year, events at FHS World include the special Branded Residences Forum, taking place on October 1, country pavilions, networking receptions, FHS Awards and projects and investment opportunities.
More than 300 investors attended last year’s summit with a total of USD 5.4 trillion in assets under management. The 2025 Summit attracted 65% new investors, with 35% of investors coming from non-GCC countries.
For more information about the 2026 edition of Future Hospitality World, please visit https://www.futurehospitality.com/world
