- 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 9:10AM
Welcome Address: Igniting the Winter Glow
Mirja Braun, General Manager/ CEO, CLARION HOTEL ARLANDA AIRPORT TERMINAL
9:10AM TO 9:40AM
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
Brent Gibbs, Global Director of Brand Experience, GENERATOR
Antoaneta Nikolaeva, Head of Cusomer Journey, STRAWBERRY
Diana Zambrano, Head of Guest Experience & Community, Sheraton Stockholm
Want to share your success and innovation with Europe’s leading hotel executives? Contact us about speaking opportunities.
9:40AM TO 10:00AM
Enhancing Guest Experience with PMS Technology: A Winter Efficiency Glow
Markus Levin, Sales Director Northern Europe, MEWS
10:00AM TO 10:30AM
Case Studies by Hoteliers and Industry Leaders:
Case Study 1: How CIC Hospitality transformed its guest engagement strategy to turn conversations into conversions
Anna Randow, Partner & Sales Director Nordics, BOOKBOOST AB
Case Study 2: Purpose in Practice: Redefining Hotel Quality Through Sustainability
Dr Renée Nicole Wagner, Corporate Director ESG & Quality Management, ORASCOM HOTELS MANAGEMENT AG
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
Networking Slot - 1-2-1 Pre-Arranged Meetings between Hoteliers & Suppliers
10:35AM TO 10:50AM - 1-2-1 Meeting Slot 1
10:50AM TO 11:05AM - 1-2-1 Meeting Slot 2
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.
10:55AM TO 11:15AM
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
Want to share your success and innovation with Europe’s leading hotel executives? Contact us about speaking opportunities.
Networking Slot - 1-2-1 Pre-Arranged Meetings between Hoteliers & Suppliers
11:20AM TO 11:35AM - 1-2-1 Meeting Slot 3
11:35AM TO 11:50AM - 1-2-1 Meeting Slot 4
Arrange your 1-2-1 meeting via our App, 4 weeks before the event.
11:55AM TO 12:10PM
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
12:10PM TO 12:40PM
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
Diane Wennerland, International Quality Manager – EMEA, BWH HOTEL GROUP
12:40PM TO 12:55PM
Building Hotel Brands with AI: A Winter Guest Journey
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
12:55PM TO 1:45PM
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.
Networking Slot - 1-2-1 Pre-Arranged Meetings between Hoteliers & Suppliers
1:50PM TO 2:05PM - 1-2-1 Meeting Slot 5
2:05PM TO 2:20PM - 1-2-1 Meeting Slot 6
2:20PM TO 2:35PM - 1-2-1 Meeting Slot 7
2:35PM TO 2:50PM - 1-2-1 Meeting Slot 8
Arrange your 1-2-1 meeting via our App, 4 weeks before the event.
2:55PM TO 3:10PM
Innovation Spotlight: A Gift of Technology
Paul Lockhart, Vice President Global Sales, HOTEZA
Want to share your success and innovation with Europe’s leading hotel executives? Contact us about speaking opportunities.
1:45PM TO 2:15PM
Fireside Chat
Warming Up Tomorrow’s Guest Experience
3:10PM TO 3:25PM
What Do Guests Wish for This Christmas?
Diana Zambrano, Head of Guest Experience & Community, Sheraton Stockholm
3:25PM TO 3:45PM
Afternoon Tea and Networking Break
Want to share your success and innovation with Europe’s leading hotel executives? Contact us about speaking opportunities.
3:50PM TO 4:20PM
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 Partnership & SPENN, STRAWBERRY
Alexander Edstrom, CEO, ATOMIZE by MEWS
4:40PM TO 5:10PM
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
5:10PM TO 7:30PM
Networking Reception
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.