TravTalk Middle East Online Magazine
Global leaders from some of the world’s largest hotel chains will take to the stage at the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference 2017 (AHIC) at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai from April 25-27, in a series of CEO keynote sessions to offer an international perspective on the dynamic Middle East hospitality industry.
TT Bureau
The annual knowledge and networking platform for the hotel investment community is set to welcome Chris Nassetta, President and CEO, Hilton; Sébastien Bazin, Chairman and CEO, AccorHotels; and Pierre-Frédéric Roulot, CEO, Louvre Hotels Group, as it takes on a distinctly international theme for its 13th edition.
Speaking ahead of AHIC, Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of Bench Events and Founder of AHIC, said: “As the Middle East plays an increasingly important role in the international hospitality industry for owners and operators alike, it seemed only right to bring a global perspective to AHIC. We are delighted to welcome our keynote speakers to the conference and look forward to hearing their take on the current state of the hospitality industry and their plans to adapt to an everevolving marketplace.”
The AHIC conference programme will open on April 26 with a one-to-one interview with Nassetta live on stage hosted by Richard Dean, Presenter of The Business Breakfast on Dubai Eye.
The opening keynote will be followed by a panel session entitled Global Catalysts For Change, featuring Stefan Leser, Group Chief Executive Officer, Jumeirah Group; Olivier Harnisch, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Hospitality Group; Steven Daines, COO New Businesses and CEO HotelServices Africa and Middle East AccorHotels; and Jean-Gabriel Pérès, President and Chief Executive Officer, Kerzner International.
This session will tackle the impact of the ongoing digital revolution, the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT), the advent of the sharing economy and the changing face of the consumer on today’s hotel businesses. The speakers will share their insights, learnings and predictions on these so-called disruptors.
On April 27, Roulot, CEO of Louvre Hotels Group, which is owned by Shanghai-based Jin Jiang International Hotels (Group) Co., will present a keynote session on the growing influence of the East on the international hotel industry.
AHIC 2017 will close with a much-anticipated keynote interview with Bazin, Chairman and CEO, AccorHotels, live from Paris via video conference. In this session, Bazin promises to reveal insights behind the diversification of AccorHotels and his outlook for the future.
