I am passionate about people, technology and delivering customer driven products to market, with a focus on digital, global and scalable solutions. I strongly believe that people are the biggest asset in any company. A company can only be successful with the right people and the right structure, with emphasis on collaboration, communication, openness and trust. As a leader I believe in empowering teams, my role is to provide clear vision & strategy and help clear obstacles that are in their way, rather than tell them what to do or how to do it. If I were to describe my leadership style, I would say it is akin to 'Servant Leadership', which talks about a balance between leader and servant. For anyone who hasn't already, I strongly suggest you have a read: http://www.skipprichard.com/9-qualities-of-the-servant-leader/ I love what I do and I'm at my best surrounded by smart, hard working & passionate people. When you spend so much time working, it's crucial you enjoy what you do and you are able to have fun with the people you work with. And I aim to do just that.

Stijn Soolsma represents Aedes, a hospitality group creating places with heart and soul that strive to perfect the art of hospitality. Every day. With a background in F&B, he helps shape the guest experience across every touchpoint, guided by unfussy luxury and relaxed hospitality. In 2027, Aedes will open its second hotel on the Amstel, bringing this approach to a new urban setting in Amsterdam.

Stijn Beauprez is co-founder and CTO at Outsite, a global hybrid hospitality operator running 50+ properties across four continents where remote workers and digital nomads stay, work, and connect. He leads technology and product, building the systems that run Outsite end-to-end — from the core booking stack to custom Mews integrations and agentic AI workflows reshaping how modern hospitality operates behind the scenes.

Niko Karstikko is a Finnish tech entrepreneur reinventing the hospitality industry as Co-founder and CEO of Bob W. Bob W is a tech company operating in hospitality and the first international climate-neutral hospitality provider. Under Karstikko’s leadership, Bob W has raised over €70M in funding, and outperformed hotels and competition, whilst expanding to 12 countries and 20+ cities across Europe operating over 60 tech & AI-powered aparthotels to-date. Bob W is Europe’s fastest growing hospitality operator today. In addition to previously being the founder and CEO of VC-backed multinational consumer tech startup SportSetter (exit in 2016), Karstikko is also an experienced hospitality entrepreneur and occasional angel investor with a Bachelor degree in International Business and Finance from the University of South Carolina.

Mike joined Mews in 2024, tasked with overseeing the company’s global go-to-market efforts. His considerable experience and know-how mean he’s perfectly suited to steering Mews to even greater success.

Enthusiastic 'people connector' with a great interest in new concepts and technologies. Enjoying building tightly knitted teams and long-term partnerships.

Lucy Prothero is a commercial leader in hotel technology, with nearly 20 years’ experience in hospitality tech, helping high-end hotels and groups increase direct revenue and reduce reliance on third-party channels. Her career spans hospitality, technology, and digital transformation, giving her a well-rounded perspective on both the commercial and operational challenges hotels face. Having worked closely with hotel leadership teams and technology partners, Lucy has developed a strong reputation for driving strategic growth, improving performance, and simplifying complex tech ecosystems. This experience underpins her thought leadership, where she advocates for more connected systems, stronger ownership of the guest journey, and a smarter approach to direct revenue. Lucy believes that driving direct revenue starts with making things easier: for both the guest and the hotel team. By leveraging smart, adaptable tech - from mobile-first booking experiences to integrated upselling of rooms, spa, and dining, Lucy’s work consistently delivers measurable results, with partners achieving significant direct growth. Lucy’s philosophy is clear: technology should simplify complexity, humanise digital touchpoints, and deliver commercial impact.

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to work in hospitality. I started in restaurants and hotels while still at school, then studied Hotel Management in Maastricht. After graduation, I worked in several Brussels hotels before joining Amrâth Hôtels in 2010. Since then, I have held roles across housekeeping, restaurant, front office, duty management, finance, spa management and hotel management, before becoming an application & project manager.

Hospitality is one of the world’s most human industries, yet for decades the technology behind it has lagged behind guest expectations. I believe we are now entering a defining era where technology, AI, automation and connected experiences will fundamentally reshape how hospitality businesses operate and how guests experience travel. As Chief Evangelist at Mews, I work with global hotel brands, operators, investors and industry leaders to help shape the future of hospitality technology. My focus is on driving conversations around innovation, commercial transformation, operational efficiency and the evolving role of guest experience in a digital-first world. Over the last 20+ years, I’ve worked across hospitality, technology and commercial leadership, helping businesses identify growth opportunities, modernize operations and navigate industry change. Today, my role is less about selling software and more about challenging conventional thinking, connecting industry trends with practical execution, and helping hospitality leaders prepare for what comes next. I’m passionate about the intersection of people and technology, using technology not to replace hospitality, but to enable better, more personal and more meaningful guest experiences.

As Co-founder of Bookboost, an award-winning Sweden-based software company, I drive commercialization and growth. Bookboost provides an all-in-one (B2C) CRM and Unified Inbox designed for mid-sized hospitality brands, empowering them to grow their businesses through smart technology.

My people used to say, when a stranger appears at your door, feed him for three days before asking who he is, where he's come from, where he's headed. That way, he'll have enough strength to answer. Or, by then you'll be such good friends, you don't care. Bashar Wali has done every job in a hotel, from frying eggs to closing deals. Thirty years in hospitality. Founder and CEO of This Assembly. Former President and CEO of Provenance Hotels. He has traveled to 89 countries and 49 states. He has never stayed in the same hotel twice. 280 in Manhattan ALONE. He believes service is what you deliver. Hospitality is how you make people feel. TEDx speaker. YPO leader. Father. Based in Portland. www.hotelier.life

Amber Asher is a high-impact CEO, attorney, and recognized industry "deal maker" who serves on multiple boards and is celebrated among the most influential women in travel. Amber transformed Standard International into a global powerhouse. Under her leadership, the portfolio grew to 25 properties across brands like The Standard and Bunkhouse, yielding a 400% revenue increase. She orchestrated the company’s $335 million sale to Hyatt in 2024.

Kamalesh (KP) Patel is Chairman of AAHOA, the world’s largest hotel owners association representing 20,000 members who own 60% of U.S. hotels and contribute 1.4% of GDP. A second-generation hotelier, he operates family-owned hotels in Santa Cruz, CA with his wife, Krishna. KP previously served as North Pacific Regional Director and as an AAHOA Ambassador, championing member engagement and owner-driven leadership. His platform, “Strengthening AAHOA Through Member Empowerment,” focused on profitability, advocacy, governance, and developing future hospitality leaders.

Lou is Global Head of Enterprise and Connectivity for Hotels at Airbnb, bringing 25+ years of travel distribution and hospitality expertise. He co-created Untold Collection, co-founded Alively (workplace wellness), and developed Vitalience (leadership performance). As a competitive runner and wellness advocate through his board seat at Wellness in Travel and Tourism, he believes in human potential, sustainable performance, and reconnecting people with place. He lives the adventure with his yoga-teaching wife and two kids.

Christophe Peymirat is the Head of Uber for Business in EMEA. Previously, as a founding member of Egencia, he held various roles within the organisation, with his last role being Chief Commercial Officer. In his early career, Christophe began as a sales and marketing executive at L’Oréal before moving to a business consultant role at Bain & Company. He graduated from the HEC School in Paris. In addition to driving growth in his professional role, Christophe also pursues excellence in his sporting life. With a passion for running, he completed his most recent marathon in 3 hours and 21 minutes.

Hospitality, Tech and Loyalty enthusiast. I love building teams, relationships and alliances.

Eric Jafari is the Founder and Managing Director of AENDRE, a London-based development studio creating design-led, real estate-backed hospitality brands across Europe. His work sits at the intersection of development, brand, and culture—transforming buildings into distinctive destinations defined by place, community, and a more human-centred approach to hospitality, with an increasing focus on longevity and culturally-rooted wellbeing. Eric previously led the transformation and sale of SACO / CLSA’s real estate platform for Oaktree Capital Management, culminating in its acquisition by Brookfield in 2018 and subsequent rebrand to edyn. He went on to serve as Chief Development Officer and Creative Director at edyn, overseeing a £1.5bn+ pan-European platform spanning investment, development, design and brand. He is a co-founder of edyn, Locke and Birch. Earlier, Eric co-founded Union Hanover Securities, building and managing a £400m+ development portfolio. Eric is based in London.

Susanne Greenfield Sandler is a strategic, metrics-driven leader with deep experience in the travel and fintech industries. She has experience scaling products, building teams, and accelerating growth both organically and inorganically. She also has a wealth of experience setting and refining business strategies, improving and maturating operations, and working with investors and Boards of both public and private companies.

Madeline Bushbeck is Senior Product Manager at Mews leading the Agentic team, and a member of the original Datachat team acquired in 2025. She focuses on AI-powered experiences grounded in the Hospitality Semantic Layer, helping hotels operate more intelligently. At Unfold, she’ll share how this foundation unlocks practical, agentic experiences for teams across operations, revenue, and guest experience.

Conor is a lifelong builder who loves turning complex problems into simple, elegant products. At Mews, he leads the Back of House division, creating smart tools for operations, finance, and revenue teams. With a focus on AI, automation, and deep integration, he brings a maker’s mindset to shaping the systems that power hospitality behind the scenes.

Yael spearheads the Fintech R&D engine at Mews, where we are building the next generation of embedded financial services for the global hospitality industry. With a 20-year track record at market leaders such as Checkout.com and WorldPay, Yael specializes in building high-scale, enterprise-grade payment systems. Today, she is focused on transforming how hotels manage revenue by moving fintech from a "feature" to a foundational layer of the guest experience

With 20+ years spanning engineering, real estate, and big tech - including product leadership at Meta, Zoom, and CLEAR - he brings a rare cross-industry perspective to hospitality technology. At Mews, he leads the teams building the guest-facing products that help over 12,500 hoteliers deliver remarkable experiences.

Josef’s origin story is an inspiring one: he joined Mews as a humble backend developer while studying software engineering at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics at Charles University in Prague. Through hard work and prodigious talent, Josef worked his way up to lead our product and tech teams. Today, Josef is Chief Product and Technology Officer at Mews, leading a team of 400 people. Outside of his day-to-day, Josef mentors at Femme Palette, Plato and The Mentoring Club and enjoys passing on his insights and experience to others.

Sarah Dandashy is a TV travel expert, best-selling author, and TEDx keynote speaker. With 18+ years in hospitality and roots as a luxury hotel concierge, she built Ask A Concierge into a globally recognized brand with 300k+ followers. She partners with top travel brands and tourism boards, appears on ABC/CBS/FOX, and delivers sharp, real-world insights on travel trends and guest experience. She also co-hosts Skift’s Good Morning Hospitality and fronts the Skift Daily Briefing.

Naomi joined Mews in 2023 and oversees recruitment, onboarding, benefits, development and growth, and workplace management. She's passionate about people, and has a large role in steering Mews’ culture, making her a great judge of character and meaningful change.

Manisha’s extensive experience in leading and scaling international teams (including Uber) brings invaluable strategic insight to our panel. Her commitment to diversity and high-performance makes her a great judge of innovation.

Jan van Hövell is the founder of KLABU. Growing up in countries with large refugee communities, including Bangladesh and former Yugoslavia, shaped his commitment to supporting refugees. After an internship with UNHCR in Ghana and a career as a lawyer in Amsterdam, he left law in 2016 to build KLABU. Today, he leads a growing team, fully dedicated to creating long term impact for refugees through sport.

Julie is EY Global Vice Chair for Alliances and Ecosystems and a member of the Global Executive. She leads EY’s global strategic alliances, driving client value through collaboration and innovation. With 30 years in professional services, she expands ecosystems and technology partnerships. Formerly EMEIA Area Managing Partner, she chairs AmCham EU, serves on international boards, and is a US CPA and dual German American citizen.

As Head of Innovation & Creativity at Disney, Duncan led teams across Disney Parks, Lucasfilm, Marvel, Pixar, Imagineering and Animation, developing magical new storylines and amazing experiences worldwide. He now delivers keynotes and masterclasses that spark disruptive thinking and unlikely connections. A multiple TEDx speaker, he contributes to Fast Company, Harvard Business Review and Forbes, teaches at Yale and Harvard, and holds prestigious national and academic honours.

Gilad Berenstein is an AI entrepreneur, board director, and venture investor based in Seattle, with three decades at the intersection of technology, travel, hospitality, and lifestyle. He leads Brook Bay Capital and serves as Advisor and on Boards including Virtuoso, Faye, Mindtrip, and ResortPass. Founder of Utrip, the first AI trip-planning company, Gilad is a leading thinker on AI, personalization, and the “Great Commoditization,” advising Founders and CEOs from across our industry.

Eljesa Saciri is the General Manager of The Mandrake Hotel and its first female leader, redefining modern luxury hospitality. With nearly a decade of experience, she drives excellence across hotel, wellness, and members’ clubs. A Caterer Acorn 30 Under 30 winner, Eljesa is a passionate advocate for equality, mentorship, and wellbeing, championing social impact, education, and inclusive leadership across the industry.

Charlie founded The Social Hub in 2003. His love of community and belief that customers deserve better started it all and remains the guiding force behind the company’s winning hybrid hospitality concept. With his instinctive drive, The Social Hub has grown to hold 23 assets across Europe and has raised more than €2 billion from investors, making Charlie a leading voice on the future of social impact driven hospitality.

Danica Smith is a Top 100 hospitality industry thought leader, guest experience advisor and co-host of Hospitality Daily. With 15 years in hospitality and hotel tech, she’s worked on new openings, guest experience strategy and tech rollouts across the industry. She’s obsessed with the moments that shape guest experience and the commercial impact behind them. She also serves on the board of Women in Travel Thrive EMEA, supporting women’s visibility, leadership growth and real community-building across travel and hospitality.

Richard is an entrepreneur, ex-hotelier and hospitality enthusiast. He founded Mews to bring modern, seamless hospitality to hoteliers and guests alike, pushing hoteliers to think differently, from operations and payments to optimizing every square inch of their properties.

After years in the trenches of hospitality, Matt co-founded Mews in 2012. Since then, he's been our fearless CEO, leading the company and the industry forward.

Halima Aziz leads Criterion Hospitality, transforming obsolete buildings into high-value, sustainable hospitality assets. Halima spearheads Zedwell, Criterion’s pioneering in-house hotel brand, scaling it across the UK and launching the world’s largest capsule hotel. Halima’s remit spans 28 current and pipeline hotel assets with 9,000+ rooms. A recognised industry voice, Halima serves on the Mews Hospitality Industry Advisory Board and was named in Boutique Hotelier’s 2025 Power List.