Between them they chair some of Britain’s biggest and most high-profile pub companies in JD Wetherspoon, Stonegate and Mitchells & Butlers, with a combined footprint of more than 7,000 sites.
Boasting a combined experience of more than 130 years in the sector, the industry heavyweights will pore over the evolution of the pub trade, consider the turbulence it has ridden, and share their vision for the future success of this uniquely British concept.
Also on the line-up, Sarah Willingham, CEO of Nightcap, will discuss her “barking mad” bet on the late-night sector, and how she has grown her idea into a £60m turnover business in just two years.
The annual event at the HAC in London and will feature a full day of sessions, including Q&As with leaders in the pub and bar sector, presentations and panels.
Partnership meaning
Punch CEO Clive Chesser, Star MD Lawson Mountstevens and Admiral CEO Chris Jowsey will discuss the “meaning of partnership” and explore managed operator models.
Pub financing will be considered by Revolution CEO Rob Pitcher, City Pub Company chairman Clive Watson, and Brasserie Bar Co MD Richard Ferrier.
Innovative customer experiences will be showcase by Laine Pub Company, The Alchemist, Darwin & Wallace and Inception Group.
A beer panel hosted by The Morning Advertiser editor Ed Bedington will explore trends in authenticity, premiumisation and no and low, with BrewDog Bars CEO James Brown, Robinsons MD Oliver Robinson and beer sommelier Annabel Smith.
Peter Borg-Neal, CEO, Oakman Group will be speaking about how the business has been building for growth. He will consider the near-term outlook for the group, raising further growth capital, and the opportunities and challenges in the wider sector.
Diversifying business
Peter Marks, chairman at Rekom UK will discuss diversifying with new bar concepts Proud Mary’s and Heidi’s Beer Bar, insights and influences from its Nordic parent company, and his plan to double down on nightlife with a target of 200 sites.
There will be insight from Lumina Intelligence’s insight director Blonnie Whist, who will share highlights from the hotly anticipated Lumina Intelligence Pub Market Report and set out the latest consumer, menu and operator trends that are driving growth.
Peter Hansen, founding partner at Sapient Corporate Finance, will tackle the investor landscape, exploring the impact of the challenging economic environment on the UK pub industry, the reaction of investors and when they will return to the M&A market.
And Nathan Nalla, founder of inclusive culture organisation Be The Riot, will highlight how improving equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in the pub and hospitality sector is not only the right thing to do, but is also good for business.
To view the full agenda and secure your tickets for this not to be missed conference, please visit thepubconference.co.uk
