At Great Business Speakers, our experts bring a deep understanding of travellers’ evolving demands, emerging destinations, and the impact of technology on travel experiences. They also share strategies on how businesses can adapt to shifting consumer expectations and leverage innovation to enhance their services.
For businesses in the hospitality sector, these speakers offer guidance on maintaining high service standards, improving guest satisfaction, and staying ahead of industry disruptions. Their knowledge of sustainable practices, digital transformation, and post-pandemic recovery also provides actionable takeaways for companies aiming to thrive in a competitive market.
By booking a travel and hospitality speaker, businesses gain a unique perspective on growth opportunities and challenges in the travel sector and strategies to enhance customer loyalty and operational efficiency. These speakers can inspire business leaders to reimagine their approach to service, innovation, and customer experience, whether virtual or in-person.
Discover our Travel and Hospitality Speaker below, or contact the team at Great Business Speakers to enquire or book. +44 1753 439 289
“Stick to your beliefs, ensure everything is consistent with the brand and create an environment of trust.” – Tamara
Tamara Lohan is a co-founder and CEO of Mr & Mrs Smith, the boutique hotel booking specialists.
An entrepreneur with a background in marketing and technology, Tamara and her husband founded the company in 2002, and have been responsible for evolving the company’s digital infrastructure ever since.
From working in sales to marketing to business consultancy, Tamara has worked as the CTO, COO, and CEO of Mr & Mrs Smith. As CTO, she oversaw the development of their in-house booking engine and proprietary availability-management systems, apps, and Alexa voice skill.
The brand was acquired by Hyatt in 2023, and it now has offers all over the world and represents over 1,000 of the world’s best boutique hotels.
Tamara and her husband were both awarded MBEs in 2014 for their services to the British travel industry.
Sean Fletcher is a much-loved presenter, touching on subjects including sport, wildlife, immigration, parenthood, trafficking, identity, diversity, prostitution, ethnicity and knife crime.
He has fronted a range of programmes including Countryfile (2016-2019), Good Morning Britain (2014-2021), Songs of Praise (2017-) and Sunday Morning Live (2017-2020).
After marrying his Welsh wife and moving to the country, Sean decided to learn Welsh alongside his sons and is now proud to say he is bi-lingual, which opens him up a wider audience.
An intelligent, interesting, personable and entertaining presenter, Sean is the ideal choice for an after-dinner speaker, award ceremony host and event compere.
Mike Warner – A Passion for Seafood Ltd is a leading UK seafood and fisheries consultant, connecting producer (fishermen) to the consumer ‘net to plate,’ via storytelling.
Mike believes in reporting direct from the ‘coal face’ of the industry with integrity, authenticity and accuracy to emphasise best practice, environmental responsibility, high welfare, sustainability and traceability.
Yasmine Mahmoudieh is a multiple award-winning architect and interior designer, renowned for her pioneering work in multi-sensory and sustainable design.
She is deeply committed to sustainable practices in her field, and demonstrates her devotion by speaking at forums around the world, but also through her actions.
Yasmine Mahmoudieh is the founder of Impact Design Now, a company that produces high-quality, sustainable future using 3D printing technologies and recycled materials, maintaining the integrity of high-quality design while promoting sustainability.
She also explores the future of architecture and the role of technology in her discussions. She is at the forefront of technological innovation in design, with projects including a 3D printed furniture line from recycled plastics and a pioneering virtual real estate project in the Metaverse.
Through her talks, Yasmine Mahmoudieh educates audiences worldwide about the importance of sustainability in architrave and design. She discusses how careful selection of materials can lead to healthier alternatives to toxic substances like plastic and concrete, resulting in designs that are both attractive and eco-friendly.
In addition to being an impactful keynote speaker, Yasmine Mahmoudieh is a guest lecturer at universities and colleges in London, New York, Los Angeles, Monte Carlo, Lausanne, Shanghai, and Moscow. She serves on the BLLA board and has been a visiting professor at EHL for nine years. For the last 10 years, she has taught at the Institut Paul Becuse in Lyon and Paris, and she is a mentor at the Royal College of Art in London.
With her influence and expertise in sustainable architecture and design, Yasmine Mahmoudieh has been featured in several high-profile publications. Her work and insights have been highlighted in Architectural Digest, Forbes, Yahoo Finance, ELLE, Business Insider, and Digital Journal.
Beyond her speaking engagements, Yasmine Mahmoudieh serves as a global ambassador for sustainability in architecture and design, delivering lectures at prestigious forums like the World Economic Forum in Davos, and COP28 in Dubai.
Oliver Balch is a widely recognised expert on sustainability and the changing role of business in society, having worked in the field for more than two decades.
Driven by the belief that the private sector can – and must – serve as an engine for positive societal change, as a journalist and researcher, he has examined the sustainability debate at close quarters, interviewing thousands of business entrepreneurs, community changemakers, and policy innovators.
Oliver’s PhD from Cambridge University focused on corporate-community relations. In early 2024 Oliver became a Senior Associate at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership at the University of Cambridge.
Oliver is a popular keynote speaker, bringing his signature mix of solutions-based positivity to his public presentations. Sensitive to the complexity of sustainability, he is an expert at communicating what companies need to know, and how they should act.
Martin Newman, known as the Consumer Champion, is a world-renowned expert in customer centricity and customer experience.
Over a career spanning four decades, Martin has been a catalyst for positive change in consumer-facing industries. His work has revolutionised multichannel operations for brands like Burberry, Ted Baker, and Harrods, and he has successfully scaled and sold global ecommerce agency Practicology.
As the founder of The Customer First Group and Customer Service Action, Martin has been instrumental in shaping a customer-centric landscape.
With his extensive experience, Martin has been a trusted advisor and board member for a range of brands, including The Scout Store, The Mayborn Group, In Kind Direct, Clearpay, Tern, Afterpay and Marketplacer.
Martin’s insights are not just confined to boardrooms. He appears regularly on BBC TV and BBC Radio, Sky, ITV, Channel 5, and a host of other media channels, such as LBC, The Times, and FT, to discuss consumer issues related to the retail, travel, CPG, hospitality, automotive, and financial services sectors.
His expertise is widely sought after, and he has delivered captivating keynotes for prestigious global events and strategic sessions for top-tier companies like Toyota, Haleon, Specsavers, Pandora, Adobe and Meta. He not only entertains, inspires and educates, but also delivers actionable insight that can empower any business audience.
Marcus Wareing is one of the most popular Michelin-starred chefs around, restaurant owner, TV chef, and cookbook writer. His chef career has seen him work in Amsterdam and New York City.
He is best known for being a judge on the BBC cooking show Masterchef: The Professionals (2014-present), where he mentors the next generation of culinary talent.
On top of his Michelin star, Marcus has received a number of awards and accolades, including GQ’s Chef of the Year, and Tatler’s Restaurateur of the Year.
Jill Scott MBE is a retired professional footballer who was part of England’s 2022 Euro win, amongst other high-level competitions.
Over her 16 years of experience, and 161 England caps, Jill has seen women’s football grow to the level that saw a record crowd of over 87,000 watch their Euro win.
Alongside her football interests, she co-owns a high-profile coffee shop in Manchester with Shelly Unitt called BOXX2BOX.
She is now a popular media personality and soccer pundit, in demand for various corporate panels and Q+As.
Jessica Matthias is the Global Director of Sustainability at Sabre Corporation, a global technology company in the travel sector. With a 17-year track record of transformative ESG initiatives, impactful policy advocacy, and compelling communications, Jessica is a globally recognized leader in sustainable travel. She’s the visionary behind numerous high-profile sustainability campaigns, and her thought leadership consistently shapes the industry’s agenda.
Jessica Matthias is a compelling speaker known for her ability to inspire and engage audiences – with previous engagements at events like the Global Travel & Tourism –resilience & Innovation Summit, The Travel Tech Summit, and the Travalyst Convention.
Jessica Matthias discusses eco-conscious practices, overcoming personal challenges, and building a sustainable future for travel– with her insights into decarbonising industries and empowering the next generation in the ESG landscape being particularly impactful.
Jessica’s personal journey is one of resilience, from being a teenage single mother of a child with severe disabilities to a leading global sustainability expert. This adds a distinctly personal depth to her talks. Her unwavering commitment to sustainability and social equity has made her a prominent voice in the field, sought after for her expertise and inspiring presentations.
For the last year, she has been the Vice Chair of the GBTA Foundation’s Sustainability Leadership Council.
Jessica Matthias’ clients include Arival, Choice Hotels, FairFly, Gett, the United Nations, the Vienna Tourist Board, and Voyage Privé.
Trish Lynch is an experienced news anchor, reporter, and broadcaster, best known for her travel show Hotels of the World.
She has reported on a wide range of topics worldwide for over 20 years, including finance, the motor industry, medical politics, travel, and human rights.
Trish has presented on CNN, Sky Travel, TV Travel Shop, Paradise Abroad, Financial Focus, Cuba Uncovered, All Things Irish, and Great Golf Courses of the World.
In the corporate world, Trish has worked extensively in banking, finance, and technology; she is also active in human rights, collaborating with the United Nations.
Will Moxham and Planthood co-founder Hilary Kennedy fell in love with plant-based food in 2018 while living in Canada.
Whilst the vegan movement of the time was increasing on the West Coast, when they returned to the UK, they realised the vegan options just didn’t compete.
Keen to offer healthy, sustainable, and easy-to-cook vegan options, Will and Hil set up Planthood to create fast and restaurant-worthy dishes.
Mads Faurholt-Jorgensen is a serial entrepreneur and bestselling author.
He has started over 20 companies across technology, financial services, marketing, HR, food and education, with thousands of employees, and investors such as Goldman Sachs, Alibaba, Peter Thiel and the World Bank.
With a penchant for the quirky, extravagant and avant-garde, Shaun Clarkson has shaped the face of the British hospitality scene since first introducing Absolut Vodka to the UK more than 25 years ago.
Today, he is recognised as one of the world’s leading authorities on interiors, furniture, brand and experiential design. He’s a dealer and a collector with a passion for vintage and re-invented furniture, curiosities and antiques, and recently featured as one of the dealers on the hit Channel 4 antique show Four Rooms.
“The World’s Greatest Living Explorer” – Guinness World Records
Sir Ranulph Feinnes is one of the most famous explorers and adventurers in the world, having led more than 20 expeditions to all corners of the globe. He reached the summit of Mount Everest in 2009 – becoming the oldest person at the time to do so – was the first man to cross both polar ice caps and climbed the North Face of the Eiger, a mountain in Switzerland.
His expeditions have raised vast sums of money for various charities, so not surprisingly, he was awarded an OBE in 1993 for human endeavour and charitable services. Thanks to the money he has raised, in 2010 he was named as the UK’s top online fundraiser by JustGiving.
Extreme dedication and determination have enabled him to become one of the most prolific explorers in the world, qualities he hopes to share with his audiences. He is inspirational, educational and humorous, and always manages to motivate delegates to achieve their goals.
With over 30 years of experience in event management, Raj Somaiya helps plan, design, and executive events such as weddings.
As the CEO of Silverfox Events, Raj has organised events all over the world, from Monaco to Italy, to Majorca to India, and Dubai to Canada.
Peter Avis is a multi-award-winning customer service consultant with over 25 years’ international experience in the hospitality sector. In a career that has seen him launch high-end restaurants and some of the world’s most luxurious hotels, Peter’s rise through the hospitality industry, from dishwasher to 2009 winner of the UK Restaurant Manager of the Year, epitomizes the power of hard work and humility, along with a continued pursuit for exceptional quality and high standards.
Peter was the general manager of Babylon at The Roof Gardens in Kensington until it closed in 2018, since which he has been doing consultancy work.
Peter has taken on the position at the Galvin brothers’ Michelin-starred venue, replacing Fred Sirieix, who left in 2019 after 14 years at the helm.
Oliver Peyton is a renowned restaurateur and the founder/chairman of Peyton and Byrne Limited.
He owns over a dozen eateries throughout London, many in landmark locations such as The National Gallery, The Wallace Collection and St James’s Park, which have been as much applauded for their architectural achievements as their gastronomic standards.
Libby Brodie is the founder of Bacchus & Brodie Wine Consultancy, a wine consultant and City AM’s wine columnist.
She has featured in the Top 100 Most Influential People in Drinks 2023, by Drinks Retailing. Libby Brodie is a qualified wine consultant and has been shortlisted twice as Emerging Wine Communicator of the Year. She is passionate about accessible wine communication is evident in her work.
Libbie Brodie writes a weekly wine column at City AM, writing about all aspects of wine, including how to tell what you like, wine travel and how to navigate the wine list system to get value for money.
She is also regularly published in The Buyer, Cosmopolitan, Club Oenologique, the Daily Mail, Thrillist and the Metro, Libby has also presented online, on radio, on podcasts and TV including teaching England Rugby Legend Joe Marler how to taste wine and recommending wines on morning TV.
“I want to spread the word that if a black Brixtonian Rastafarian can make it with just a sauce, then you can make it too.”
The incredible rise of musician Levi Roots to Business legend is one of the most heard-warming success stories of the country. He made the big time by producing his Reggae Reggae Sauce, a delightful mix of barbecue and jerk sauce that won an exclusive contract in 2007 with Sainsburys, becoming their fastest ever selling product.
Prior to his business success, he had been making the sauce from his home kitchen with the help of his seven adult children, selling it at various small London outlets. His secret recipe was inspired by his grandmother, Miriam Small, who taught him to cook from the age of nine in Jamaica. He had the recipe in his head for years but didn’t start producing it until 1991 at the Notting Hill Carnival – where his ‘Rastaurant’ was a popular feature for over two decades.
As a keynote and after-dinner speaker, Levi infuses his performance with anecdotes, insights into entrepreneurship and inspiring the next generation of business leaders.
Jamie Crummie is an award-winning social entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and changemaker, known for empowering individuals, teams, and organisations to create positive impact and drive meaningful change. His work focuses on sustainability, social innovation, and tackling global challenges through purpose-driven action.
Originally trained as a lawyer, Jamie redirected his career to address the environmental and ethical crisis of food waste. He went on to co-found Too Good To Go, the world’s largest platform for surplus food. The popular mobile app connects consumers with restaurants, bakeries, cafés, and supermarkets offering unsold food at reduced prices—food that would otherwise go to waste.
The platform supports businesses in reducing waste while helping consumers make more sustainable choices, and has grown into a leading force in the global fight against food waste.
Jamie is widely recognised for his thought leadership in sustainability, food systems, and environmental innovation. He is a sought-after public speaker at conferences, corporate events, and academic institutions. His accolades include being named in Forbes 30 Under 30 and other international honours for his entrepreneurial impact.
Heather Mills is a philanthropist, activist, entrepreneur and world-record holding athlete.
Heather has made a vast impact with her charitable work, helping people affected by war and disability. Her passion is for helping people overcome diversity, something she herself had to do in 1993 when a collision with a motorcycle resulted in the amputation of a leg.
She founded a charity responsible for clearing 21 million square metres of land mines across the world and helping hundreds of thousands of amputees receive artificial limbs. Her inspirational work has touched many globally.
Heather is also passionate about creating healthy, sustainable, plant-based nutrition, food and cosmetics products, with a range of products across these industries.
Harpreet Kaur is a British businesswoman and media figure who rose to national recognition as the winner of Series 16 of BBC’s The Apprentice in 2022. She is the founder of the dessert company Oh So Yum! and has since become a well-known voice in the entrepreneurial and business world, regularly appearing as a keynote speaker.
Following her victory on The Apprentice, Harpreet secured a £250,000 investment from Lord Sugar, partnering with him to accelerate the growth of her brand. Remarkably, within just a year, she had successfully regained full ownership of her business.
She is a sought-after speaker, sharing insights on entrepreneurship, female leadership, resilience, media, and navigating the food industry. Her engaging style and honest storytelling have resonated with audiences across the UK and beyond.
She has partnered with an impressive roster of international companies, including Adobe, American Express, BBC Earth, Dell, Fiverr, Indeed, Mercedes-Benz, Sage, Samsung, Tide Banking, and Xero, bringing her expertise and entrepreneurial experience to a wide range of campaigns and events.
Gary Usher cut his teeth at the Michelin starred Chester Grosvenor, followed by time spent at Chapter One, Chez Bruce, York & Albany and Jamie’s Italian.
Gary opened Sticky Walnut in Hoole, Chester, in 2011 on a budget that meant he had to famously choose between a combi-oven or new tables and chairs.
‘The Rebel Chef’ now has 6 restaurants in the North West including Sticky Walnut, Burnt Truffle, Hispi, Wreckfish, Pinion and Kala.
Hill farmer Gareth Wyn Jones has lived all his life at Tyn Llwyfan Inllanfairfechan with his family who have farmed the land for over 375 years producing lamb and beef. Gareth is a longstanding advocate for backing British, sustainable and seasonal produce.
He has also managed and strongly campaigned to protect the Carneddau Mountain Ponies; a rare native breed that have been roaming the Carneddau range since Celtic times.
He is also a best-selling author, TV presenter and a regular contributor on social media and is known as the “Tweeting Farmer”.
