We’re excited to welcome Phil Street as the host of the Mollie’s Panel at our upcoming event! With an impressive 30-year career in hospitality spanning hotels, cruise lines, and contract catering, Phil brings a wealth of experience and infectious passion to the table. As the founder of Momentum Hospitality Recruitment, he’s helped connect top talent with industry-leading brands. He also runs The Curriculum Vitae, offering career coaching and mentoring, and is the voice behind the award-winning “Hospitality Meets…” podcast, where he shares inspiring industry stories with a light-hearted twist. Phil is also the host of the “I’m In” podcast for the Institute of Hospitality and “Chefs on the Pass” for the Craft Guild of Chefs, making him a true champion of the industry. With Phil leading the conversation, expect an insightful and engaging discussion on scaling through people, packed with expert advice and practical takeaways.

Experienced and successful Executive Board Director across a broad base of sectors in Hospitality, Retail and Sport. Adept at running large scale, complex operations and development of industry leading strategies and formats. An expert in the delivery of growth from top line sales to bottom line profit. Most recently Managing Director for the UK’s third largest pub operator leading a cross functional Exec team (Finance, Marketing, Property and Operations) - £400m t/over c.400 sites with team of c.6000 people inc Urban Pubs, Crafted Pubs and Chair of Venture Brands plus Metropolitan Pub Company, Venture Hotels. Led London Pub portfolio for 10 years. Proven track record on development of Operations in both Hospitality and Retail environments - development of Guest Experiences, Format Innovation, Capex Investment, Profit and Sales Growth Strategies, Brand Equity, Innovation, Financial planning, F&B development, Omni retailing and Leadership Culture. Industry Award Winning leader on Inclusivity and Diversity. European Diversity Champion 2022. Guardian Pride Powerlist Ally 2022. WHiTL - Role Model for Inclusion 2022. An advocate for Equality and Mentoring Women at all levels of industry. I enjoy working in businesses that put the customer at the heart of their thinking. Developing environments and offers that are outstanding places to socialise and work and that are financially robust.

Nick Kleiner is the founder and flavour mastermind behind Sandwich Sandwich, the Bristol born sandwich brand with queues out the door. A self-taught chef with over 20 years of experience running restaurants and wine bars in London and Bristol, Nick swapped fine dining for finely crafted sandwiches 11 years ago and hasn’t looked back. What began as a tiny kiosk in Cotham has grown into a cult favourite, with the flagship Baldwin Street store serving up legendary, handmade sandwiches that locals and visitors happily line up for.

Anaïs Dixie is the Brand Manager at Côte Brasserie, where she drives strategy and creates engaging content that consistently outperforms competitors. With a background in agencies working on major brands such as John Lewis, Boots and Amazon, she also built a personal recipe channel that grew to 350k TikTok followers and over 30 million views. At Côte, she has verified channels, generated 10M+ impressions in just six months and achieved industry-leading engagement rates.

Tom James is an experienced hospitality professional with a proven track record in operations leadership and brand development. Currently the Managing Director at Bill’s Restaurants, he has a strong background in creating and executing strategic plans that enhance guest experiences and drive business growth. His expertise spans brand creation, new openings, financial strategy, and team training. With previous roles at Harbour Hotels, Coppa Club, and Jamie’s Italian, Tom is known for his ability to build effective teams and optimise operations in dynamic and challenging environments. A Clifton College graduate, he is passionate about fostering talent and innovation in the hospitality industry.

Marco is Vice President at Delaware North, where he leads the UK HR function and drives local and global strategic initiatives across the business. With a degree in Business and Tourism from Trier University and accreditation in psychometric profiling, he brings extensive expertise in HR processes, training programmes, e-learning platforms and people systems. Marco has held senior HR roles at The Restaurant Group, Bill’s Restaurants, Black Sheep Coffee and LEON, and was recognised on the UK HR Most Influential list in 2018 and 2019. His award-winning work in employee engagement and training continues to shape the future of people development in hospitality.

Tara has spent the last decade dedicated to developing gluten free products, with a particular focus on sourdough bread. A passionate advocate for real food, she has long championed baking and innovation without unnecessary additives, preservatives or fillers. Well before the industry shift toward “clean label” and “non-ultra processed” foods, Tara was pushing for change, determined to prove that free-from can mean flavour, quality and integrity. Her mission is to raise the bar for gluten free innovation, creating wholesome everyday food that everyone can enjoy. For Tara, the free-from aisle should never feel like a compromise, but a destination.

Lucy Craig is the Head of People & Culture at Bill’s Restaurants, bringing extensive experience in people leadership and organisational development to the brand. She has built her career in the hospitality sector, known for her ability to create thriving workplace cultures and develop high-performing teams. Before joining Bill’s, Lucy held senior leadership roles including Director of People & Culture at Farmer J and Head of People at Grind, where she played a key role in shaping culture, scaling teams and implementing progressive people strategies. Lucy’s leadership style blends strategic vision with hands-on operational understanding, ensuring that people and culture remain at the heart of every business decision. At Bill’s, she is focused on driving engagement, nurturing talent, and supporting the brand’s continued growth across the UK.

Adam Miller is the co-founder of Rolled, the UK’s first Aussie style sushi brand. A proud Australian and lifelong sushi fanatic, Adam’s passion for handrolls was shaped in Melbourne and refined during his time living in Tokyo. After moving to the UK in 2021, Adam saw the gap in the market for fresh, convenient and flavour packed sushi handrolls, a beloved Aussie innovation unknown to most Brits. In 2024, he and his brother JJ launched Rolled in Manchester, blending local ingredients with Aussie flair to introduce the UK to the joy of handrolls.

Eljesa Saciri is one of the most inspiring leaders in the UK hotel industry. A former refugee from Kosovo, she moved to London at the age of nine and worked her way up through the hospitality world to become the first female General Manager of The Mandrake. Prior to this, she held senior leadership roles at The Zetter Group and The Doyle Collection. Today, Eljesa oversees the operations of The Mandrake, a 33-room luxury boutique hotel celebrated for its distinctive art collection, spiritual wellness programmes and vibrant atmosphere. Recognised for her operational excellence and advocacy for women in hospitality, she is also deeply committed to social responsibility, supporting mental health and substance abuse initiatives and volunteering at a homeless shelter for women.

Patrick Urey is an accomplished hospitality leader with a career spanning some of the industry’s most dynamic brands. He began his journey with the National Football League, contributing to major game-day planning and PR in London, before moving into premium hospitality management with Compass Group, where he delivered world-class experiences for clients including Deutsche Bank, IBM, and Lanson. Patrick honed his front-of-house expertise at The Tortoise Club and quickly rose through leadership roles at Foxlow Restaurants, driving both operations and HR projects. Today, as Head of Operations at Hawksmoor, Patrick oversees the business at scale, bringing together his passion for people, performance, and unforgettable guest experiences.

Hayley Connor is an accomplished people and culture leader with over a decade of experience shaping workplaces across hospitality and retail. She is currently Head of People at Little Houses Group, where she is helping the business grow and scale through a sustainable people proposition. Prior to this, she spent almost four years as Head of People at GAIL’s Bakery and The Bread Factory, driving initiatives that made them some of the best places to work in the sector. Hayley also served as Head of People and Learning at Brewhouse & Kitchen, where she oversaw nationwide talent and development strategies, and is co-founder of Beers & Peers, a people-focused networking community. Passionate about building cultures where teams can thrive, Hayley brings deep expertise in talent strategy, engagement and leadership development.

Chris is the Founder of Tech on Toast, Tech on Toast simplifies the way you buy and manage your hospitality tech. Chris has spent his entire career in the hospitality industry and now is supporting both operators & suppliers navigate what he calls the "Tech Gap" , the gap that exists between the brilliant tech available in the industry and the ability to procure and onboard successfully into any customer facing business

Accomplished and people-focused professional with 15+ year of experience in talent management, communication, engagement, performance management, client retention, business operations, and customer service delivery.

Stephen Nash is the General Manager of The Other House Covent Garden, the second London site for the pioneering Residents’ Club brand. He brings a wealth of international leadership experience from senior roles across Germany, Italy and the UK, including Marriott International, Precise Hotels and Boscolo Hotels, where he oversaw 11 lifestyle properties. Most recently, Stephen led the £80 million launch of Escapade Silverstone, delivering 60 luxury residences and a private clubhouse at the iconic Formula 1 circuit. Known for his expertise in opening standout properties and passion for guest experience, Stephen is now driving the next chapter of growth for The Other House.