- HGEF Series | Europe 2025, 9 Dec ~ Agenda
8:00AM TO 9:00AM
🎅 Breakfast with Santa: A Warm Welcome for Our Guests 🎅
Winter Arrival: Start your festive morning by registering, collecting your badge, and joining fellow hoteliers for a joyful Breakfast with Santa – where every guest experience begins with holiday cheer!
9:00AM TO 9:20AM
Welcome & Opening Address: Igniting the Winter Glow
Mirja Braun, General Manager/ CEO, CLARION HOTEL ARLANDA AIRPORT TERMINAL
Charles Thomas, CEO & Founder, HOTEL GUEST EXPERIENCE FORUM & REDD MEDIA
9:20AM TO 9:45AM
Keynote Panel: Crafting a Winter Guest Experience
Jamie Cole, Managing Director, DIGITAL SERVICE WORKS
Hara Poucha, Sr. Director Brand Strategy & Guest Experience, RADISSON HOTEL GROUP
Diana Zambrano, Head of Guest Experience & Community, Sheraton Stockholm
Diane Wennerland, International Quality Manager – EMEA, BWH HOTEL GROUP
Aino Collan-Jyränoja, Senior CRM and Guest Journey Manager, NORDIC HOTELS & RESORTS, Luxury & Lifestyle Division of STRAWBERRY
Want to share your success and innovation with Europe’s leading hotel executives? Contact us about speaking opportunities.
9:45AM TO 10:05AM
Enhancing Guest Experience with PMS Technology: A Winter Efficiency Glow
Markus Levin, Sales Director Northern Europe, MEWS
10:05AM TO 10:20AM
Driving Venue Booking Innovation: A Snowflake of Success
Andrea Fiumana showcases how MeetingPackage’s platform transforms venue bookings with a festive flair for European hotels. Through real-world case studies from across the continent, discover how innovative technology enhances guest satisfaction and streamlines operations during the busy holiday season.
Andrea Fiumana, CCO, MEETINGPACKAGE
10:20AM TO 10:30AM
Case Study 1: How CIC Hospitality transformed its guest engagement strategy to turn conversations into conversions
Anna Randow, Partner & Sales Director Nordics, BOOKBOOST AB
10:30AM TO 10:40AM
Case Study 2: Purpose in Practice: Redefining Hotel Quality Through Sustainability
Dr Renée Nicole Wagner, Corporate Director ESG & Quality Management, ORASCOM HOTELS MANAGEMENT AG
10:40AM TO 11:00AM
Mid-Morning Fika & Networking
In true Swedish tradition, we invite you to take a fika break. Recharge with freshly brewed coffee, tea, and local pastries while engaging in informal conversation with fellow hoteliers and industry experts. This is an ideal opportunity for peer-to-peer networking in a relaxed, social atmosphere
Networking Slot - 1-2-1 Pre-Arranged Meetings between Hoteliers & Suppliers
11:00AM TO 11:15AM - 1-2-1 Meeting Slot 1
11:15AM TO 11:30AM - 1-2-1 Meeting Slot 2
11:30AM TO 11:45AM - 1-2-1 Meeting Slot 3
11:45AM TO 12:00PM - 1-2-1 Meeting Slot 4
Arrange your 1-2-1 meeting via our App, 4 weeks before the event.
• This networking session provides a unique opportunity for hoteliers and sponsors to collaborate on shaping the future of guest experiences. Use our event app to schedule personalised 1-2-1 meetings to discuss innovative strategies, share insights, and explore solutions that enhance the guest journey.
• The meeting scheduling feature will go live 4 weeks before the event. Please ensure you download the app, complete your profile, and plan your meetings in advance to make the most of this valuable networking opportunity.
• The App is only available for registered attendees.
Want to share your success and innovation with Europe’s leading hotel executives? Contact us about speaking opportunities.
12:00PM TO 12:30PM
Panel Discussion
Unwrapping Seamless Guest Experiences Through Collaboration
• This panel explores how hotel departments – wellness, front office, housekeeping, F&B, IT, marketing, and more – collaborate to create a cohesive, holiday-inspired guest experience across European hotels. Panellists share festive case studies from diverse markets on aligning efforts, managing occupancy, and integrating real-time feedback to deliver personalised, memorable stays during the winter season.
Custódio Barreiros, Founder & CEO, EIP MGT
Sara McKinven Höök, Group Revenue Director, ORASCOM HOTELS MANAGEMENT
James Yip, Head of Concierge & Operations, NOBIS HOTEL STOCKHOLM
Jenna Toivakka, Head of Partner Relations & Wellness, THE HOTEL MARIA
Karla Brooklyn, SVP Hospitality, PLANET
12:30PM TO 1:15PM
Lunch and Networking
Network with fellow attendees, sponsors, and exhibitors from across Europe
Savour a delightful Christmas-themed lunch featuring European holiday specialities. Network with fellow attendees, sponsors, and exhibitors from across the continent in a warm, festive atmosphere under the glow of holiday decorations.
1:15PM TO 1:30PM
What Do Guests Wish for This Christmas?
Diana Zambrano, Head of Guest Experience & Community, Sheraton Stockholm
1:30PM TO 1:45PM
Innovation Spotlight: A Gift of Technology
Paul Lockhart, Vice President Global Sales, HOTEZA
1:45PM TO 1:55PM
Case Study 3: Reimagining the Guest Journey: From Human-Driven to AI-Enhanced Hospitality
Kristoffer Pedersen, Co-Founder, ALTEK AI
Jon-Fredrik Hopland, Co-Founder, ALTEK AI
1:55PM TO 2:05PM
Case Study 4: How Loyalty Shapes Guest Behaviour in Hospitality
Martin Kongsvik, CCO, LOYCO AS
Networking Slot - 1-2-1 Pre-Arranged Meetings between Hoteliers & Suppliers
Arrange your 1-2-1 meeting via our App, 4 weeks before the event.
Networking Slot - 1-2-1 Pre-Arranged Meetings between Hoteliers & Suppliers
2:10PM TO 2:25PM - 1-2-1 Meeting Slot 5
2:25PM TO 2:40PM - 1-2-1 Meeting Slot 6
2:40PM TO 2:55PM - 1-2-1 Meeting Slot 7
2:55PM TO 3:10PM - 1-2-1 Meeting Slot 8
Arrange your 1-2-1 meeting via our App, 4 weeks before the event.
Want to share your success and innovation with Europe’s leading hotel executives? Contact us about speaking opportunities.
3:10PM TO 3:30PM
Glögg & Gingerbread
A seasonal touch to refresh and reconnect before the final sessions.
3:30PM TO 4:00PM
Building a Premium Hotel Brand Across Multiple Properties
Tomas Bäcklund shares how Elite Hotels of Sweden uses AI to create festive, personalised guest journeys that enhance the holiday experience across European markets.
Tomas Bäcklund, Chief Marketing Officer, ELITE HOTELS OF SWEDEN AB
Want to share your success and innovation with Europe’s leading hotel executives? Contact us about speaking opportunities.
4:00PM TO 4:30PM
Panel Discussion
Loyalty Meets Revenue: The Evolving Economics of Guest Experience
This panel explores how loyalty programmes and revenue management increasingly intersect to shape guest behaviour, drive profitability and inform commercial strategy across Europe’s leading hotel brands.
Patrick van der Wardt, Owner/Founder, THE HOTEL IT GUY
Alexandra Fält, Commercial Director, Stockholm Stadshotell
Håvard Uglem Hovdahl, VP Partnerships & SPENN, STRAWBERRY
Alexander Edstrom, CEO, ATOMIZE by MEWS
Marjorie Sundström, Founder, RUA HOSPITALITY
Ivy Chan, Revenue Manager, STRAWBERRY
4:30PM TO 5:00PM
Closing Panel: A Winter Vision for Hotels in 2026 and Beyond
As the European hospitality landscape continues to evolve, this forward-looking discussion brings together industry leaders to explore what the next chapter of hotel innovation will look like.
From reimagining festive-season experiences to redefining sustainability, technology, and guest engagement, the panellists will share insights from across diverse markets and business models from boutique and luxury collections to regional hotel groups. Together, they will examine how hotels can balance digital transformation with authentic human connection, strengthen ESG and quality management practices, and embrace responsible growth that drives both profitability and purpose.
This closing session will offer a visionary outlook on how hospitality can create meaningful, memorable, and sustainable guest experiences in 2026 and beyond.
Daniel Lister, Consultant
Stephen Meinich-Bache, CEO, CLASSIC NORWAY HOTELS
Dr Renée Nicole Wagner, Corporate Director ESG & Quality Management, ORASCOM HOTELS MANAGEMENT AG
Romain Foutrel, Director of Operations, MOLITOR HOTEL and SPA PARIS – MGALLERY COLLECTION
Katja Icaca Madsen, Head of Innovation and Digitization, BUHLMANN HOTELS
5:00PM TO 7:30PM
Wrap Up, Networking Drinks & Prize Distribution
Join us for an evening reception to celebrate the Forum’s success. Enjoy drinks, light refreshments, and live music in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. Connect with attendees, sponsors, and exhibitors from across Europe, exchange ideas, and continue the conversations from the day in an informal networking setting.