With speakers ranging from young chefs to designers musing on this year’s theme, “Innovation Generation”, the conference will look at new ideas and creativity in the industry as well as focussing on how to encourage the next generation of talent.
For a full programme, click here
A keynote address by creativity and business expert David Gilbert will consider how creative professionals in the commercial marketplace, including those who work in retail and restaurants, can learn from creative people in the arts sector. Gilbert was formerly managing director of Currys, COO of Dixons Stores Group International and chairman of Creative United, which was funded by Arts Council England.
Top tips from the organisers
- The airport changed its name from Madrid-Barajas to Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas in 2014 and is situated about 12k from the hotel
- Dress code ranges from black tie to smart casual – Be prepared
- Weather forecast is cool so bring something warm – part of Friday evening’s event is outside
- There will be simultaneous translation from English into French, German and Italian for all main conference speakers
- There will be a raffle on Saturday to raise money for the Education Foundation. Bring cash!
Spanish food designer Martí Guixé will address his experience of architectural and interior design in the culinary world. Guixé, who pioneered the ‘ex-designer’ movement in 2001, will discuss how creative design can change the perceptions of things, and show how to create value through experiences and story telling.
British foodservice management consultant Adam Griffin FCSI from Coverpoint, part of JLL, will chair a session on attracting and retaining young talent. The panel, consisting of Mieke Verduijn of HTC Advies in the Netherlands, Mendes Cavin, founder and CEO of Miners Hospitality in Switzerland, Bruno Dettwiller of ARWYTEC in France and Daniel Birn, the 26 year-old sous chef at The Ritz in London, will discuss their own routes to success, the challenges they have faced and their thoughts on the future of the industry.
From Germany, Pierre Nierhaus FCSI, an expert on discovering and implementing innovation in foodservice and hospitality, will present on worldwide trends. José Manuel Fernández Bosch, commercial director at Spanish airport company Aena, will also give the foodservice perspective from his firm’s 46 airports across Spain.
The conference will also feature a Building Information Modelling (BIM) workshop chaired by former FCSI UK & Ireland chair David Bentley FCSI. A panel consisting of Andrew Humble FCSI from Humble Arnold in the UK, Steve Carlson FCSI from Robert Rippe & Associates in USA, Milan Milovanovic FCSI from Sweden and Roberto Assi of Italian catering equipment manufacturer UNOX, will address why BIM is the most significant issue to affect the design world in recent times.
Finally, a session on pan-European facilities management (FM), chaired by Adam Griffin and featuring Andrew Price, senior vice president for global corporate clients for ISS Worldwide, Chris Stern FCSI from the UK, Mariëlle Hintzen from HTC Advies in the Netherlands and Vincente Redondo Lopez, senior vice president of JLL Spain, will address the scope of pan-European FM contracts and how to get the best value from them.
Ellie Clayton
