One of the driving forces behind Australia's most prominent hospitality and accommodation empire will open Hospitality New Zealand's #HNZ23 conference and trade show in Auckland later this month.
Sam Egerton is General Manager of New Projects of Merivale Group, which owns 104 restaurants, pubs, bars and hotels across Australia, most in Greater Sydney.
He heads a programme of speakers and sessions designed to inform, educate and entertain operators from across the hospitality sector.
The Hospitality Conference's theme for 2023 is 'For Industry, By Industry' and will feature motivational and subject speakers, expert sessions and panels covering consumer trends, compliance, Chat GPT, and the industry's serious workforce issues.
Hospitality NZ Chief Executive Julie White said she's delighted they have attracted Sam Egerton to open the conference.
"It doesn't get any bigger than Merivale in hospitality in our part of the world. They've built a great business, and they've done that by being true innovators. Hearing from one of the guys at the forefront of that about how they've gone about it and how they see the future will be a real treat for conference delegates," said White.
Tickets for the two-day event, which offers a vast selection of hospitality and accommodation trade exhibitors and networking opportunities, are now available. It will be held at the Pullman Hotel on June 27-28.
For the first time at this conference, there will be a dedicated workforce summit on the second day, where the industry, including officials from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, will explore and discuss key workforce issues and intergenerational comms.
Panels include Consumer Food and Beverage Trends, Sustainability in the industry, and the Educational Landscape, while breakout sessions include Compliance Trends in Gaming, growth mindsets and Courageous Conversations for Leaders.
A trade show with more than 60 hospitality and accommodation suppliers will allow exhibitors to showcase the latest sector developments and technology.
Also part of the event is the 25th Lion Hospitality New Zealand Awards for Excellence. These celebrate people's success, achievements and resilience in 20 categories from across the sector.
The Leader of the Year People's Award categories will be announced at a social event on the 27th of June, the evening of the first day. These include Leader of the Year in Hospitality, Accommodation, Future Leader of the Year, Chef of the Year, and Supplier of the Year.
The conference will conclude with a gala dinner on the 28th, where the winners of the Awards for Excellence will be announced, followed by the overall Supreme winner. The People's Choice Award, chosen from the finalist's list, will also be announced.
