Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds
Days
Thursday 26th February 2026
Treehouse Hotel, manchester
Reshaping the narrative around hospitality and championing the people behind it
The Art of Hospitality Conference was founded in November 2023, created with a clear mission to change the way people view the hospitality industry in the UK and save it, whilst engaging, collaborating and joining up our Industry Network.
The Great Art of Hospitality Conference will be the biggest and best conference yet!
See The Hospitality Hero and Downtown in Business collaborating on stage for the first time.
Whether you’re just starting out, looking to grow, or simply passionate about the future of hospitality, The Great Art of Hospitality Conference will offer inspiration, insight, and a sense of community.
This is more than a conference. It’s a movement, one that’s reshaping the narrative around hospitality and championing the people behind it.
Tickets
If you are interested in attending The Great Art of Hospitality Conference 2026 contact [email protected] for further information, fill in the form below or call 0844 755 0127.
Agenda
A start to the day with networking, a bite to eat and a drink.
An introduction to the conference with what to expect throughout the day.
Speakers:
Thom Hetherington, Landing Light
Thom Hetherington, Landing Light
Abi, Founder, Sixty Eight People
Chester Zoo – Jamie Christen
We hear from the brothers behind the Lumberjaxe brand.
Speakers:
Brendon Manders, LumberjAxe
Jaydon Manders, LumberjAxe
An opportunity to grab a refreshment and a little bit of networking too.
Speaker TBC
An opportunity to grab some food and an opportunity for networking.
Speakers:
Liam Barrie, Food & Hospitality Consultant
GSG Hospitality – Matt Ferrel
Tomas Maunier, Fazenda
Steven Hesketh, Savvy Hotels
Speakers:
Chester Racecourse, CEO Louise Stewart
More speakers to be announced…
A brief summary from the key take aways from the event.
Speakers
Chris Lee | Managing Director, Start-Yard
Chris Lee is a retail and product innovator, creative director, and entrepreneur with over 40 years of experience shaping some of the world’s most influential fashion and sports brands. Renowned for redefining the UK’s luxury fashion market through Wade Smith, and later revolutionising sports and leisure retail with Microzine, Chris has consistently blended creativity with commercial strategy to deliver growth, transformation, and lasting cultural impact. He was also one of the instigators behind Camp and Furnace in Liverpool and played a key role in the early regeneration of the Baltic Triangle.
His career highlights include serving as Senior Vice President and Global Creative Director at Reebok, where he led worldwide design, branding, and retail strategy, and founding Microzine, the award-winning concept store once hailed by The Times as “the best men’s store in the world.” Chris has also launched and directed global brand collaborations, new retail concepts, and disruptive product ranges, establishing a reputation for trend foresight and bold execution.
Today, Chris is the Managing Director of Start-Yard, a creative coworking hub and incubator for startups, freelancers, and small businesses in Birkenhead, with a second site launching in 2026. StartYard provides not just workspace but a platform for innovation, collaboration, and growth in the digital and creative sectors.
From luxury fashion to affordable high street retail, and now to fostering the next generation of entrepreneurs, Chris’s career reflects a rare ability to spot opportunity, challenge convention, and deliver results. He continues to share his insights as a mentor, consultant, and keynote speaker on innovation, brand building, and creative disruption.
Ryan Wain | Executive Director, Politics, Tony Blair Institute for Global Change
Ryan is an expert in political strategy and policy. As Executive Director, he leads TBI’s politics programme with a focus on global progressive politics, reinvigorating the centre ground, the art of political delivery, and the role technology can play.
He conceived, led and delivered TBI’s Future of Britain programme. This work programme has shaped the political conversation in Britain and helped to define the challenges and opportunities facing progressive politics around the world. He also played a leading role in developing and communicating TBI’s pandemic work. Those efforts changed government policy on vaccines to a “first dose to many” strategy that, studies show, prevented thousands of deaths.
He is a trustee of Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and the Prison Radio Association and has previously worked in advertising.
Tom Webb | Senior Policy Leader and Strategic Advisor & Former Special Adviser to the Prime Minister
Tom Webb is a senior policy leader and strategic advisor with extensive experience across delivery, campaign strategy, and policy development at the highest levels of government and politics.
Most recently, Tom served as the Prime Minister’s Special Adviser on health and social care, science, innovation and technology, and public service reform. Prior to that, he spent over seven years at the Labour Party, including as Director of Policy, where he played a central role in shaping the manifesto, campaign messaging, and mission architecture ahead of the successful 2024 General Election. Tom was also Labour’s Head of Strategy, Insight and Research, and between 2014 and 2017 was a Senior Advisor in the Prime Minister’s Implementation Unit at the Cabinet Office, focusing on delivery and impact.
Tom holds a master’s degree in physics, and began his career as a qualified lawyer, focusing on international finance and capital markets in emerging markets.
Vanessa Reed | Chief Executive, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
Vanessa Reed is an award-winning music executive with extensive experience of leading national music organizations in the UK and the US including New Music USA (New York) and PRS Foundation (London). In May 2025 she became the first woman to be appointed Chief Executive of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic.
Vanessa has received multiple awards for her work including a Gold Badge from The Ivors Academy, a fellowship from Leeds College of Music and inclusion in Music Week’s Women in Music Awards. In 2018, she was no.3 on BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour Power List behind Beyoncé and Taylor Swift.
Denise Harris | Co-Founder, Sum Vivas Ltd
Denise Harris is the Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Sum Vivas, a pioneering company producing AI Agents that work 24/7 across multiple channels — social media DMs, WhatsApp, websites, email, and phone — freeing people from mundane tasks and enabling them to focus on higher-value, human-led work.
Sum Vivas is at the forefront of deploying AI-integrated Digital Humans in the UK and Denise is a passionate advocate for women in technology, determined to increase representation and inspire more women to participate in the fast-moving field of AI. She believes AI should not replace humans but empower them — creating opportunities for better customer experiences, global accessibility, and new forms of workforce collaboration.
At Change Makers Live, Denise will share insights into how AI is transforming industries, reshaping workforce roles, and unlocking new opportunities — while championing inclusivity, accessibility, and innovation.
Ruth Duston OBE | Chief Executive, Primera Corporation & Chief Executive, London HQ
Ruth is one of the world’s leading experts in urban regeneration. With a 30-year career that has included the development of many successful place-based organisations to drive growth. Ruth’s work has leveraged over £80m of private sector funding, which has been the catalyst for generating more than £6bn of further investment. Ruth advises governments and developers internationally on the development of private sector-led partnerships, placemaking, local growth strategies, maximising socio-economic impact and successful neighbourhood improvements. Ruth has pioneered multiple high-profile BIDs and delivered numerous regeneration and placemaking projects for major landowners including Landsec, Argent Kings Cross, Cadogan, Peabody and various public and community sectors.
In addition to her roles at Primera and London HQ, Ruth is Chair of the Management Committee for the Guards Museum and Wellington Barracks, Chair of The Passage Trading Services Board, a Trustee for Hotel School and a member of the Bank of England’s Decision Maker Panel. In 2018 Ruth was awarded an OBE for Services to Business and in 2016, an OC, a Belgian honour, following her fundraising for the Flanders Field Memorial Garden to commemorate the centenary of the First World War. More recently, Ruth was awarded a Power of Women Business Award by Dress for Success for achievements in Business in early 2024.
Vaughan Allen | Chief Executive, CityCo
Vaughan is head of CityCo in Manchester, which runs the city centre’s Business Improvement District. At some point in the past, he had the idea that a hotel room charge could be implemented through BID legislation, and so the company now co-manages the city’s Accommodation BID. CityCo and the BIDs deliver big events, cleaning, security support and lots of other things that help to make Manchester the best city in Europe. In his spare time, he teaches weightlifting, plays games and spends an inordinate amount of time outside shops debating with his daughters over use of his credit card.
Jon Corner | Director, Chair, NED, Novel Co-Founder, Digital Strategy and Policy Specialist
Jon is a strategic leader with a wealth of experience in fostering growth and creativity across various sectors. As a thought leader in digital transformation and innovation management, Jon has held pivotal roles in both public and private organisations, successfully guiding teams to leverage technology for enhanced operational efficiency and market competitiveness.
His approach focuses on empowering businesses to harness their unique strengths, encouraging a culture of continuous learning and adaptation. By providing tailored advice and strategic insights, Jon helps companies identify and capitalise on emerging opportunities, driving sustainable growth. His expertise in building collaborative ecosystems between entrepreneurs, industry leaders and educational institutions further enriches his ability to support businesses in navigating the complexities of innovation and leadership development.
Andrew Borland | Novel Co-Founder, Chief Innovation Officer, VEC
Andrew is a leading advocate for British business and enterprise. A startup veteran with a passion for manufacturing and technology, he brings over a decade of experience bridging the gap between research and business applications. During Andrew's tenure, VEC has emerged as one of the UK's premier organisations for applied industrial innovation, with a track record spanning over a decade and a portfolio encompassing over 120 startups and 750 businesses that have collectively realised £320M in growth through strategic technology adoption and targeted R&D initiatives.
Andrew's unique perspective stems from his real-world experience and hands-on approach to advising government universities and companies deliver commercially focused innovation. This led him to identify the critical success factors often missing from traditional R&D approaches: leadership, commercial ambition, and an unwavering focus on serving private enterprise.
Novel is now reclaiming the narrative of innovation for UK businesses, working with business owners and leaders to develop a new paradigm for business-focused R&D and innovation policy and business support in partnership with government and universities.
Rachel Newman | Inclusive Innovation Officer, Knowledge Quarter Liverpool
Rachel Newman is the Inclusive Innovation Officer at Knowledge Quarter Liverpool (KQ Liverpool) and leads on KQ Liverpool's Innovation Zone funded skills program, KQ Futures, and works to promote innovation and business growth in the city region.
Graduating from Liverpool John Moores University, Rachel has more than 10 years experience in education and is passionate about helping young people and inspiring the next generation, making them aware of future careers and aligning their dreams with the opportunities in the Liverpool City Region.
Bill Addy | Chief Executive, Liverpool BID Company
Bill Addy has been CEO of Liverpool BID Company (Business Improvement District) since March 2013, managing the city’s three BIDs, Retail & Leisure, Culture & Commerce and Accommodation BID. Covering over 120 acres of the heart of Liverpool city centre, stretching to its famous waterfront, Liverpool’s BIDs are home to over 857 businesses employing over 70,000 people.
A Chartered Construction Manager, Chair of Liverpool Visitor Economy Network (LVEN, former Chair of The BID Foundation and a member of Liverpool’s Beatles Legacy Group, Bill Addy is a passionate advocate of an inclusive, animated and safe public realm, championing Liverpool’s rich mixed economy, vibrant cultural and tourism offer.
Bill is also a Church of England Priest, currently serving in Liverpool Parish Church and ministerial duties and work allow a little time to follow Everton FC.
FAQS
The venue is Treehosue Hotel in Manchester.
Blackfriars St, Manchester M3 2EQ
(Map)
Registration for the event starts at 9.00am with the first session due to start around 10.10am.
Yes, food will be provided on the day as part of your ticket.
We will provide further information nearer the time.
Yes, there are a number of sponsorship opportunities available from event sponsors to exhibition space.
For further information please contact [email protected].
