How technology is shaping consumers’ spending habits, as well as proving efficiency and productivity solutions for pub, bar and restaurant operators, will feature prominently on the agenda at this year’s CGA Future of Finance conference in London on June 21.
Barclaycard’s innovation expert James McDonald (pictured left) will provide an insight into the latest tech developments. A panel of tech experts, including Restaurant Group’s CIO Simon Iddon, PizzaExpress’s IT director Siobhan Fagan (pictured below right) and Athena Simpson, partner and CMO at YFood, the food tech network, will debate the challenges that fast-developing technologies pose for hospitality, especially around integration.
How tech can improve both the eating and drinking-out experience for customers and the working environment for staff will be a central theme, with the findings of the latest Go Technology report from CGA and Zonal providing new insight into consumer attitudes.
Leading industry commentator and CGA vice president Peter Martin will chair the event.
One of the other big questions for the conference will be whether investing in new leisure, including pubs, bars and restaurants, can help transform Britain’s ailing high streets?
Sue Walter, CEO of Various Eateries, the Osmond Capital backed business behind Coppa Club, 31 Below and Strada, is the latest industry leader to join the speakers’ roster and the discussion.
The former boss of London’s Hospital Club, where she led its expansion into the US, will join Burger King’s new UK CEO Alasdair Murdoch and Peter Marks, CEO of late night entertainment and bar specialist Deltic, to debate how growth and investment are being affected by the changing shape of the high street, where shrewd operators should be putting their money and whether some traditional leisure sites are now passed their sell-by dates?
CGA’s experts will provide the statistical background to current trading, openings trends and business confidence, while UKHospitality CEO Kate Nicholls will map out the evolving national and local legislative landscape.
With tougher competition coupled with market nervousness, the cost of getting investment decisions wrong is higher than ever. The conference has also gathered a panel of experts to examine where the market’s moving – and where both opportunities and bear-traps lie.
Market investor Jurriaan van der Schee, head of Europe & TMENA, private equity, at TriSpan, will join Mark Sheehan, managing director at Coffer Corporate Leisure, and Paul Newman, head of hospitality & leisure at RSM, to discuss where the smart money is going, and why.
The exclusive, invitation-only event for senior executives and finance professionals from the out-of-home food and drink market is being held at the 30 Euston Square State Room venue in London.
The packed programme will provide new and powerful insights into market trends, funding, property, costs and the health of the wider economy.
Future of Finance is run in partnership with Barclaycard, Coffer Corporate Leisure, CPL Online, Fourth, RSM, and Zonal.
To apply for a place, please visit www.cga.co.uk/whats-on/cga-future-of-finance-seminar-2018/
Future of Finance 2018 programme
1.30pm – Registration
2.00pm – Welcome from Peter Martin, VP, CGA
2.10pm – Changing environments: looking like a local
How the hospitality maps of GB and its major cities and the make-up of the market has changed over five years – and will change even more – and how understanding micro-markets is more vital than ever?
Karl Chessell, director, CGA
2.30pm – Where, when and how to invest?
With tougher competition coupled with market nervousness, the cost of getting investment decisions wrong is higher than ever. We ask the experts where the market’s moving – and where both opportunities and bear-traps lie.
Paul Newman, head of hospitality & leisure, RSM
Mark Sheehan, managing director, Coffer Corporate Leisure
Juuriaan van de Schee, head of Europe & TMENA, TriSpan
3.00pm – What price premium?
Has the fragmentation of the market and the shift to premium products opened the door to more pricing creativity for operators?
Fiona Speakman, client director, CGA
3.15pm – How to keep pace with tech innovation
Barclaycard has been at the forefront of much innovation in the out-of-home market, from contactless, to grab & go and dine & dash – but what’s next for the consumer to adopt
James McDonald, programme director, Barclaycard
3.35pm – Coffee break
4.00pm – Tech: good disruptor or bad disruptor?
Technology is changing not just consumer habits but the whole our operational landscape – and questioning the very way we do business.. We talk to tech leaders from across the food and drink market
Siobhan Fagan, IT director, PizzaExpress
Simon Iddon, CIO, The Restaurant Group
Athena Simpson, partner & CMO, YFood
4.30pm – The political landscape: adding to the uncertainty?
How is what our politicians are doing, or not doing, shaping the prospects for the hospitality sector? Brexit may be top of the agenda, but don’t overlook what’s happening more locally.
Kate Nicholls, CEO, UKHospitality
5.00pm – What does it take to win?
A panel of leading operators discuss the financial drivers that are making them do things differently – at least part of the time. How is performance data changing their lives?
Peter Marks, CEO, Deltic,
Alasdair Murdoch, CEO, Burger King UK
Sue Walter, CEO, Various Eateries (Coppa Club, 31 Below, Strada)
5.45pm – onwards – join us for rooftop BBQ and networking reception
