10:30

Launching HEX26

Bobby Kerr, Newstalk FM

A few words from Bobby Kerry, Irish entrepreneur, TV personality and host of “Down to Business” on Newstalk to officially kick off proceedings at this year’s Hospitality Expo.

11:00

Panel:

The Importance of Food and Beverage to Visitors’ Experience

How evolving expectations, rising satisfaction levels, and a focus on People, Place, Produce and Provenance are shaping a stronger, more distinctive proposition. And also exploring the future of our tourism workforce, highlighting the initiatives driving talent attraction, development and retention, and the vital role a skilled, sustainable workforce plays in supporting sector growth.

11:30

Panel:

Next Gen Hospitality

Young innovators who are shaping the future of the industry.

12:30

IN CONVERSATION WITH:

Hospitality Heroes Sean & Elaine Lally, Hotel Woodstock

Multi-award winning hoteliers, Sean and Elaine Lally have decades of experience between them. Professionally, they have plenty of stories from their time in Hotel Woodstock, the challenges, successes and insights into how to work with your spouse! Personally, they have an incredible story of navigating ill health at the same time and the importance of prioritising your health as much as your business. Join them as they share their experience and story at HEX26.

14:00

STANDALONE SPEAKER:

Future-Proof Yourself: Career Innovation in the Age of AI & Automation

For over 100 years, the story has been the same: Study hard. Get a job. Climb the ladder. But today, the Career Ladder is broken. The future of work isn’t a job; it’s a portfolio. Learn how Career Design helps you create a career that compounds.

15:00

IN CONVERSATION WITH:

Hospitality Heroes, Paul Cadden

Hear the real story behind building a hospitality business: the successes, setbacks, and lessons learned, offering insight and inspiration for anyone in the industry.

15:30

STANDALONE SPEAKER:

Save Energy, Save Money: SEAI Supports for Hospitality Businesses

An overview of the SEAI grants and supports available to hospitality businesses and their supply chains. From solar PV grants, to sustainability education & training, and our new SME-focused business energy upgrade scheme, SEAI has supports for every hospitality business. Join this session to learn how you can save money, cut emissions and enhance competitiveness.

10:30

Panel:

Restaurants Role in Irish Tourism

Food tourism is now plays a vital role in driving more visitors to Ireland and in platforming Ireland’s food culture on a global scale. Yet operating restaurants is as challenging as ever, including operating costs and staffing issues. How do we move forward? Our panel will higlight the incredible restaurant scene in Ireland and discuss what needs to change to keep it flourishing.

11:30

STANDALONE SPEAKER:

Profit in a High Cost World

An insight driven talk on managing labour costs in the restaurant industry, shaped by 30 years of real world experience and lessons learned from running the Nude Café chain in Dublin to operating at international scale with Aramark, and coming full circle with the founding of the software company Bizimply.com, that now helps over 5000 restaurants across the UK and Ireland gain clear visibility, smarter scheduling, and stronger control of their labour spend.

12:00

Panel:

Circular Hospitality

Innovations in waste reduction, resource management and renewable energy

14:00

IN CONVERSATION WITH:

Hospitality Heroes, William Meara

We speak with Irish entrepreneur William Meara best known as the co-founder of Bingo Loco the high-energy, rave-style bingo party running 2000 events each year in 220 cities worldwide.

14:30

STANDALONE SPEAKER:

Slavery, Then and Now: Cotton, Fast Fashion, and Ireland

We like to think that slavery was abolished in the 19th Century – but was it? Ireland wasn’t directly involved in the Atlantic slave trade in the way other European countries were, but some Irish people were. Are we unknown to ourselves now involved in modern slavery? The cotton in our T shirts and work wear can be tainted by the past, or grown in more humane conditions, and we can all help ensure those better conditions in the cotton industry.

15:00

Panel:

Influencer Marketing

When and how to leverage authentic voices to amplify your brand story