PROFITABLE GROWTH IN HOTELS
THE ROAD TO 2030
THE ROAD TO 2030
26-27 MAI 2026 • HOTEL JW MARRIOTT
26-27 MAI 2026 • HOTEL JW MARRIOTT
TopHotel Conference aduce pe scena in fiecare an cei mai buni experti din industria ospitalitatii pentru a impartasi cele mai noi tendinte si practici in domeniu.
Alexandros Vassilikos is a second generation hotel owner, CEO of AIROTEL Group, which owns and manages a chain of eight hotels in Athens, Patra and Kavala. Under his leadership, the Group recorded a significant hotel portfolio growth and diversified its operation by investing in real estate development and startups. In 2021, he co-founded CapitalH, a boutique hotel management company. Since 2018, Alexandros serves as President of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, an organization comprised of all 10,500 Greek hotels and camping sites, following a long, successful career in all major Greek hotel lobby organizations. Since 2024, he is also an elected member of the Executive Committee of HOTREC. In 2022 after serving two terms, he is elected President of HOTREC and is re-elected for a second term in 2024. He has been an economic advisor to the French embassy for more than 20 years and was appointed President of the Lycée Franco – Hellénique d’Athenes in 2024. Born in Athens in 1976, to a Greek father, a self-made hotelier-business man and a French mother, Alexandros is married and father of three. He holds a Masters’ degree in Economics and Finance, with studies in Nantes, France and London, U.K
Laura Calin is Senior Vice President, Consumer Industries at Oracle, leading the strategic vision, go-to-market, and customer experience for Oracle’s Hospitality, Retail, and Restaurants portfolio. With 30+ years of experience across hospitality technology, product management, and global business development, she is recognized as a transformative leader in the industry. Laura began her career at MICROS/Oracle on the development team and played an instrumental role in bringing the OPERA Enterprise Suite to market, orchestrating its global expansion to more than 200 countries. Over her tenure, she has held leadership roles spanning development, product management, consulting, operations, and sales engineering. More recently, Laura helped redefine how hospitality technology ecosystems integrate and innovate by introducing the Oracle Hospitality Integration Platform (OHIP)—enabling partners and customers to build and scale integrations around OPERA Cloud with greater choice, faster innovation, and simpler connectivity. Laura serves on the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) Board of Directors and is a member of the AHLA/HTNG Global Technology 100 (T100) community. In 2024, she received Hospitality Technology’s Lifetime Achievement Award. She holds a master’s degree in mathematics and IT from the West University of Timisoara, Romania.
Ettore Cavallino is the VP Development Luxury Southern & Eastern Europe at Accor. He is in charge of the development of all Accor Luxury Brands within Luxury team of Europe and North Africa (Raffles, Orient Express, Fairmont, Sofitel Legend, Sofitel, Emblems and MGallery collections) for all type of contracts (franchising and management). Previously Director Development at Accor for all Premium/Midscale/Eco brands in Italy, Greece & Malta (2017-2022). In the past he spent many years in Operations, managing Hotels in Rome, Milan, Venice and Florence. He holds a University Degree in Translator (French & English) and a International Hotel Management Program created by Accor in cooperation with ESSEC. He speaks Italian, French, English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Senior professional with over 20 years of experience in the financial and real estate sectors, spanning corporate finance, project finance and private equity, across real estate asset classes and financing instruments (debt, equity, listed and unlisted), in various countries in the CSEE region. Based in London and working with the EBRD since 2004. Prior to the EBRD, Marilena worked in audit with Ernst&Young and Arthur Andersen in Bucharest. Bachelor’s Degree in Banking and Capital Markets from the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest and Master Degree in Real Estate with Henley Business School in the UK.
Begüm is Head of Mixed-Use, Europe at Accor, where she leads the development of Branded Residences across Europe. She brings 18 years of professional experience in real estate development, with expertise spanning strategy, concept development, and the delivery of complex mixed-use projects. Prior to Accor, Begüm spent 7.5 years at Marriott International, where she led development growth in Turkey across luxury, premium and select-service brands, successfully securing more than 60 long-term management and franchise agreements with her team. Earlier in her career, she worked in hospitality consultancy at JLL Hotels and Servotel, and also served as Development Manager for The Peninsula Istanbul. Begüm is an engineer by background.
With over 20 years of leadership experience, Christophe Chamboncel currently serves as Executive Director of Niro Investment Group, a position he assumed after successfully leading the group’s hospitality division as Head of Hospitality. A results-driven optimist, Christophe believes in empowering people, fostering creativity, and turning challenges into opportunities. Prior to joining Niro, Christophe spent nearly two decades with Accor, culminating in his role as Vice President of Operations Management for Southern Eastern Europe. In this capacity, he oversaw operations for 30 hotels while supporting the development of an additional 20 properties across the region. This extensive experience in a dynamic, multicultural environment honed his expertise in operations, customer experience, and asset management. Specialties include Client Service Excellence, Brand Strategy, Customer Management, Strategic Planning, and Asset Management. A skilled networker and problem-solver, Christophe thrives on building trust, connecting people, and driving sustainable growth.
In the region since 1995, David Jenkins joined the Radisson Hotel Group in 2015 as Vice President Business Development and now covers Balkans, Baltics and CAC (Central Asia & Caucuses). This followed on from a 10-year period as one of the most respected hotel consultants in the Russian market with JLL, Cushman & Wakefield, DTZ and Horwath. Prior to consulting, David spent 8 years with Interstate in Moscow working in operations for the 3 Marriott/Interstate properties. David has a degree in Hospitality Management and now has over 30 years of experience in the industry from operations, consulting and development. In recent years David has signed multiple hotel agreements in Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Kosovo, Montenegro, Georgia, Ukraine, Russia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania amongst others.
Dr. Dimitris Koutoulas has been working as a hotel development and marketing consultant implementing projects both in his home country Greece and in 37 other countries. His client list comprises hotel companies, investors, national and regional tourism organizations and DMOs, international organizations such as UN Tourism and the European Union, major international donors such as EBRD and the Asian Development Bank, public-sector organizations such Ministries of Tourism and industry associations. He has been particularly active in the hospitality sector by consulting and conducting projects on behalf of hotels ranging from exclusive boutique resorts to large five-star hotel chains. Dimitris has participated in several hotel-rating projects globally working on the design and review of star classification systems, hotel quality assessments through mystery guest inspections, design of hotel award schemes etc. He has inspected and assessed hundreds of hotels and restaurants in twelve countries. Dimitris currently serves as Assistant Professor at the University of Patras, Greece. He has also taught at Austrian, German, Cypriot and South African universities.
Max Gross is Chief Development Officer Central & Eastern Europe in charge of Radisson Hotel Group’s expansion in the DACH region, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Prior to his current position he headed the development and asset management division of HR Group where he played an integral role in growing the company to become one of the leading white label operators in Europe. Additionally, having worked for Treugast and Westmont Hospitality Group he also has a broad experience in the fields of consulting and finance. He holds a BA (Hons) degree in International Hospitality Management from the University of Brighton.
Riad Abi Haidar is CEO and Partner of the Hospitality Division at One United Properties. He joined the company in February 2024. His first project is the opening of Mondrian Bucharest, a highly exclusive lifestyle hotel in downtown Bucharest, close to the Romanian Athénée. Mondrian represents a new era of sophisticated experiences and elevated living, contributing to positioning Bucharest as an internationally recognized destination. In addition, One United Properties has signed a Hotel Management Agreement (HMA) with Ennismore for The Hoxton, which will mark the first Hoxton hotel in Romania, to be developed in downtown Bucharest. This further strengthens the company’s ambition to introduce globally recognized lifestyle brands to the Romanian market. Riad Abi Haidar brings over 20 years of international hospitality experience, having developed and operated lifestyle and ultra-luxury hotels across the Middle East, South Asia, Maldives, Antigua, and GCC countries, including projects delivered in Doha ahead of FIFA World Cup 2022.
Ryan works with European hotel owners and investors to provide benchmarking insights for each step of the asset lifecycle. He is a regular speaker at hospitality, revenue management and investment conferences, providing market insights and trends to the industry. After working as audit advisor to global retailers, he moved to the hospitality industry at the beginning of 2022
Beatrice Dumitrascu is one of the most experienced professionals on the real estate market in Romania. Her professional background includes important names in the field and is now associated with the green leading developer and investor of residential, mixed-use and office real estate in Romania, One United Properties. With a career of over 20 years in sales and marketing, Beatrice has dedicated most part of her professional path to the real estate industry, becoming a reference among specialists in the field. She joined One United Properties in 2013 and is currently CEO of the Residential Division. She is responsible for managing the largest residential premium portfolio of the well-known developer. A graduate of the School of Journalism, Beatrice has built her career at the intersection of sales, communications, and management, with a focus on managing an ever-expanding portfolio, delivering an exceptional customer experience, consistently providing a high-quality product, and building highly skilled teams in the real estate sector. Throughout her career, she worked for important companies such as Forum Invest Romania, Anchor Group, Eurisko Consulting (CBRE since 2008), Tiriac Imobiliare, Coldwell Banker and she trained her professional skills over the year in projects involving sales, marketing, communication, project management, events, and real estate sales. One United Properties is the leading green investor and developer of residential, mixed-use, and commercial real estate in Bucharest, Romania. One United Properties is an innovative company dedicated to accelerating the adoption of construction practices for safe, energy-efficient, sustainable, and healthy buildings, and has received numerous awards and recognitions for its superior sustainability, energy efficiency, design and wellness. In 2025, Financial Times recognized One United Properties as the 9th fastest growing company in Europe in the last decade in its Top 300 list of the “Europe’s Long-Term Growth Champions” ranking.
Dragos Anastasiu became an entrepreneur 29 years ago, leaving a medical career in Germany for a business opportunity. After founding his first company, he created over 20 others, forming Eurolines Romania Group, a leading entity in transportation and tourism in Romania. He has also developed businesses in Germany and Moldova. In addition to expanding his own business, he has contributed to various fields, including tour operations, car rental, taxi services, leasing, tourism, real estate, consulting, and IT development. Mr. Anastasiu was the president of the Romanian-German Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Advisory Board of the Romanian Business Leaders Foundation for almost 10 years. He is a member of the Federation of the Hotel Industry in Romania and spokesperson for the Alliance for Tourism. Passionate about sports and education, Dragos Anastasiu is dedicated to changing mindsets and adapting to evolving situations. He is the President of Rethink Romania Association and consults for Romanian entrepreneurs, focusing on repatriating Romanians working abroad. Since February 2025, he is serving as Honorary Adviser to the Interim President of Romania for business relations.
With a genuine passion for hospitality, Catalina has always put all her efforts into her projects, thus creating long-term and valuable relations. As a customer-centric and solution-oriented professional, she always looks to deliver her promise, for which she has gained the trust and respect of all stakeholders she has interacted with. Catalina started her career 15 years ago in what is today Edenred – the leader in prepaid vouchers and the inventor of Ticket Restaurant – where during 7 years she gained diverse expertise from sales, marketing, corporate affairs, internal communication, and event organization. In 2016, she joined the hospitality division in Accor Group, where she contributed to numerous strategic investment projects and asset light agreements while overseeing several markets in Eastern Europe, focusing in the last years on Romania, Bulgaria, Republic of Moldavia, and Czech Republic. At the same time, for almost 2 years, she was acting as an Advisor part of a group committee inside the organization, shadowing the Board of Directors with different projects. In the last 8 years of hotel development, Catalina negotiated and signed more than 50 asset light agreements(franchise and management) adding on the market investments of more than 300 mil euros. Her aim with WIN ADVISORS is to share her experience with all the interested parties to invest in the Romanian hospitality, assisting hoteliers to optimize their hotel business and development strategy. In a nutshell, pinning Romania on the map of international markets, as a highly professional hotel environment, increasing the appetite of both international investors but also assisting in raising awareness among local authorities to support private efforts in a country with enormous touristic potential like in Romania.
Silvija Lovreta is Vice President of Development at Marriott International, where she is responsible for the growth of the company’s multi-brand portfolio across Central and Southeastern Europe. Prior to joining Marriott’s EMEA development team, Silvija served as Managing Partner at Horwath HTL, advising a wide range of leading hospitality companies with a focus on emerging markets in Southeastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Silvija holds a Master of Science in the Economics of Tourism and is a member of the Cornell Hotel Society.
Alexis was born in France, received his second higher education in Economics at Moscow State University and has always been working in Russia and CIS in the Hospitality since then.
Previously, he worked for Accor Hotels starting as Project manager in the Technical department for hotel projects (design,construction, engineering, equipment and opening), and from 2013, he held the position of Director for Development of Accor Hotels. Before joining Banyan Group in 2026, Alexis was IHG Director of Development for Baltics, CIS & Israel and he was responsible for the expansion of IHG’s brand portfolio from Holiday Inn Express to Luxury under Franchise and Management in this region. For Banyan Group, Alexis has to identify and secure branded hotels under management suitable for the brands of the group, from conversion to new built hotels, aiming long-term relationship with owners and opening new countries for Banyan Group.
Eric is an experienced real estate professional with a strong background in finance, investments, and asset management. He has held senior roles in leading institutions, including CEO of Yellow Tree Israel (2023–2025), where he led strategy and high-value acquisitions, and Head of Real Estate at Menora Mivtachim (2020–2023), managing a NIS 25B credit portfolio and shaping investment policy. He previously held investment leadership roles at Amitim Pension Funds and Bank Hapoalim, handling transactions across equity and credit worth over NIS 20B. Eric holds an MBA in Finance, an LL.B in Law, and a B.A in Business Administration, and is a licensed attorney since 2010.
André Kaufmann is a seasoned leader in the hospitality and travel technology space, currently serving as Head of Global Partnerships at RoomPriceGenie. With over 12 years of experience in travel tech and a deep operational background, André specializes in helping independent hotels and short-term rental providers optimize revenue through smart, automated pricing strategies. Prior to RoomPriceGenie, André held senior positions at industry leaders including TrustYou, ReviewPro, and TravelClick. He is a graduate of Cornell University and has extensive business and leadership training in Germany.
Irina Semaca has been the General Manager of Hilton Garden Inn Bucharest Old Town since 2018 and has over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Previously, she managed the boutique hotel K+K Hotel Elisabeta in Bucharest. During the pandemic, for approximately two years, she served as General Manager of both Hilton Garden Inn Bucharest Old Town and Hilton Garden Inn Bucharest Airport. Since October 2025, she has been lecturer at the American Hotel Academy. Under her leadership, Hilton Garden Inn Bucharest Old Town has consistently ranked among the top hotels in Bucharest on platforms such as TripAdvisor and Booking.com. The hotel’s performance was recognized with the “HiltonAward of Excellence” in 2024 and 2025, an award granted to hotels in the top 5% in EMEA. In 2025, the hotel led by Irina Semaca also received the “Highest Performer Achievement” award at the Apex Alliance Spirit Awards. In 2024, Irina Semaca was among the winners of the Top 10 Romanian Managers Gala organized by Profit.ro, where she received the “Hospitality Excellence” award for her achievements in hotel management. Irina Semaca has played a key role in building a stable team by empowering and developing people, while also supporting the professional growth of young individuals. She has actively contributed to the integration of students from dual education systems and vocational high schools through internship programs, some of whom later became hotel employees. She is also involved in fundraising initiatives and social projects, for which the hotel received a Bronze award in the “Supporting Community” category at the Romanian Sustainability & CSR Awards 2026.
Since he began his first role in hotel development in 1996, Takuya has worked in companies including Holiday Inn Worldwide, Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Hyatt Hotels Corporation, sourcing and negotiating hotel agreements in Japan, Korea, Micronesia, CEE, the Balkans and the former Soviet Union. He closed many iconic deals, including the St. Regis Osaka, Andaz Prague, Hyatt Regency Tashkent and Hyatt Regency Aro Palace Brasov. He currently lives in Switzerland and is in the process of establishing his own advisory practice focusing on CEE and the Balkans.
Vassilis Themelidis is the Senior Regional Director for South & East Europe at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, based in Athens. He oversees the company’s strategic expansion and operations across 19 countries, managing a portfolio of 90 hotels under 10 international brands. With nearly 30 years in hospitality, he has extensive experience in hotel development, franchising and tourism real estate across Europe, the CIS, and the Middle East. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Tourism and an MSc in Tourism Management from the University of Surrey, UK.
An expert in the hotel industry with over 30 years of experience. She has worked in various positions in operations, sales and development in renowned hotel chains such as IHG Hotels & Resorts in the USA and Accor in Poland and Eastern Europe. Joined Hilton in 2017 to oversee development and expend Hilton presence in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Romania and Hungary. Establishes relationships with investors looking for opportunities to develop hotel projects under Hilton brands, mainly in the franchise and management model. Her activity has been awarded many times by the industry.
Maria Dragulin is an hospitality professional, with over 25 years of experience in the industry. She has a proven track record of successfully managing teams and exceeding customer expectations. Maria is known for her strong leadership skills and ability to adapt to different environments, making her a valuable asset to any organization. Since 2021, is the Development Director of Accor, where she oversees the growth and expansion of the company’s portfolio. Maria’s strategic vision and innovative approach have been instrumental in driving the company’s success in a competitive market. Maria’s passion for excellence and dedication to delivering exceptional guest experiences continue to drive the company forward.
Andrei Vacaru is Managing Director of Romania and CEE Head of Capital Markets within iO Partners, bringing over 21 years of experience in real estate across capital markets, consultancy, retail leasing, and tenant representation. He joined JLL in May 2007 and has been part of the iO Partners’ journey since July 2023, when operations transitioned. He was then appointed Head of Capital Markets for CEE, taking responsibility for building and leading a 12-member investment team that completed transactions worth €1 billion across CEE in 2025, while quadrupling revenues over two years. Since joining the Romanian Capital Markets team in 2014, Andrei has advised on some of the most significant real estate transactions on the market, with closed deals exceeding €2.4 billion. These results positioned iO Partners as the No.1 investment advisor in Romania and a top-three player across Central and Eastern Europe. With a reputation built on integrity, consistency, and results, Andrei stands out in a changing market through his ability to combine high performance with mentorship and a strong focus on building resilient teams and long-term professional value. He is also actively involved in developing the next generation of real estate professionals through industry education initiatives and personal mentoring, guided by the same emphasis on ethics, professionalism, and long-term reputation that defines his own career.
Hotelier since 1995, Calin Ile is very involved in promoting tourism in Romania, with the aim of making tourism a priority industry of the national economy. Calin Ile graduated from the Faculty of Tourism in ASE in 1995, also attending various international tourism courses such as Hotel School den Hague or Course for International Hotel Managers by EHMI. In 2011, HTB Hospitality Forum awarded Calin Ile the title of “Hotelier of the Year”. From 2015, until 2023, Calin held the position of President of FIHR – Romanian Hotel Industry Federation, and is currently Honorary President of FIHR. During its mandate, FIHR supported several campaigns to promote tourism, as well as campaigns to support the education of the tourism workforce. In 2020, FIHR initiated the establishment of the APT Tourism Alliance, an initiative aimed at uniting the hospitality industry in Romania. In May 2020, APT produced the SOS Romanian Tourism document, with 10 short-term solutions and 50 medium and long-term solutions for the Hospitality industry. Calin is also Vice-President of the Confederation of Employers – Concordia, one of the most important employers organizations in the social dialogue. In his professional activity, Calin stood out as one of the most active hoteliers in the country, working for more than 20 years as a manager of 3, 4 and 5 star hotels in Bucharest, Brasov, Constanta, Timisoara, Sibiu. Currently, he is a Senior Partner at the Premier Hospitality company, one of the important companies in tourism consulting and hotel management. He is an active supporter of responsible tourism, being responsible for the CSR part of the Accor hotel group in Romania for 3 years. In this position, he had the opportunity to support important causes such as the Plant for the Planet project through which over 3 million trees were planted in the forests of Transylvania.
Simona Constantinescu is CEO of ANA Hotels and President of FIHR – Hotel Industry Federation in Romania. She is an experienced Executive Director with a demonstrated working history of over 26 years in Finance & Hospitality services, skilled in Business Planning, Crises Management, Hospitality, Investment Banking, Wealth Management, Capital Markets and Securities. Holding an EMBA with University of Washington in Seattle and a Postgraduate Diploma in Board Practice & Governance with Henley Business School, she appreciates that any executive must look for continuous education, upskilling, networking with high quality professionals in order to better adapt and respond to challenges and opportunities of nowadays business environment. ANA Hotels is the biggest Romanian hotel chain by turnover 2019-2022, owning 6 hotels and 4 SPAs. The portfolio spreads in Bucharest – 2 city hotels InterContinental Athénée Palace & Crowne Plaza, and in resort destinations – mountain in Poiana Brasov (with 3 hotels) and Black Sea side in Eforie Nord – Hotel Europa. Each property has a SPA, part of ANA SPA collection, 3 of them being wellness SPAs in Poiana Brasov and in Bucharest and one being Health, Wellness and Antiaging Spa on the seaside. Also, the group owns businesses in real estate market of Bucharest – commercial and office building and the ski-lift company of the resort Poiana Brasov.
Adina Calfa is a senior executive with over 23 years of experience in group leadership, corporate governance, strategic projects and management of complex organizations operating across regulated and capital-intensive industries. Adina currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of ISSA Estate Group, where she leads the strategic development, governance architecture, and long-term growth of the group’s integrated portfolio across real estate, hospitality, equestrian and wine production, supported by a team of over 250 employees. With extensive board-level expertise and a long-term vision in strategic energy projects, Adina is currently focused on shaping ISSA Estate as a sustainable business ecosystem, with a strong emphasis on community development, and enduring value creation. Previously, Adina was part of the top management team of E-INFRA Group, where she held a cross-functional leadership role alongside her position as Group General Counsel. Adina holds a Law degree and an LL.M. in Business Law and has completed executive education programs in Corporate Governance and International Boards at INSEAD and Stanford University. She has been a member of the Bucharest Bar since 2005.
With a deep-rooted passion for hospitality and technology, Alex Calcan leads the family-owned Hotel Pestera – Wellness & SPA, located in the Pestera-Padina tourist resort in the Bucegi Mountains. The hotel stands on the historic site known as Poiana Crucii, where in 1923, Mihai Haret founded the original Casa Pestera under the patronage of Saint Andrew, closely linked to the nearby Pestera Ialomitei Monastery. Alex has been instrumental in transforming this heritage into a distinguished 5-star destination that harmoniously blends modern luxury with the area’s rich cultural and spiritual legacy. The hotel’s narrative is intricately connected to Dacian mythology, notably through the sacred Kogaion Mountain, inspiring the hotel’s Restaurant Kogaion. Leveraging his extensive background in information technology, Alex integrates innovative solutions to enhance guest experiences, ensuring that the hotel’s operations honor its historical roots while embracing contemporary advancements.
Alina is as a reliable, passionate and dynamic hospitality professional, enthusiastic to share her know-how and to contribute to the success of her projects. With a proven track record of effectively leading and managing all aspects of a hotel, Alina’s work has been recognized over the years by all stakeholders. The past years of her career have given her the 360° view of a hotel investment, assisting owners in hotel operator selection and contract negotiation, building up business plan scenarios to challenge the hotel chains, working on pre-opening budgets, OS&E simulations, recruitment scenarios and all other facets of such a business. Alina’s commitment with WIN ADVISORS is to share relevant expertise and assist clients and business partners initiate, develop and conduct valuable projects within hospitality area while positioning them at the peak of their segment. Contributed to the deplyment of development and operational services for a total of 5,000 rooms across Romania and Bulgaria at the level of 2025.
Iulia Szabo is an experienced Consultant in the Capital Markets department at CBRE Romania, with a wealth of experience in the hospitality sector. Graduating from Hotelschool The Hague, she seamlessly transitioned into real estate while working at CBRE Hotels in London. Since 2022, Iulia has been a key asset to the local CBRE team, focusing on Investment Properties and contributing to the closure of significant deals. Her deep-rooted connections in the regional Capital Markets network provide her with invaluable insights into the hotel market and its evolving trends, further enhancing the department’s expertise in hotel investments and transactions. Currently, she is closing the loop on her expertise by pursuing a Master’s in Real Estate Investment Finance at Oxford Brookes University.
Georgios Bakopanos spent four decades inside the engine room of hospitality, wellness, and service-driven businesses across Canada, Greece, and Romania. He has been a frontline operator, a senior executive, and everything in between. That full-ladder experience is what shaped his central conviction. Most businesses are not failing at strategy; they are failing at care. As Co-Founder of the SOLAS project and author of – Are We Good Customers? Hypocrisy, Ego, and Why We Reward Bad Behavior in the Marketplace, Georgios works at the intersection of trust, human behavior, and business performance. His frameworks challenge organizations to move beyond transaction-driven thinking and build the kind of relational infrastructure that generates loyalty, retention, and real revenue. He believes the guest experience is not a department, it is a doctrine.
Tobias Reinecke is a seasoned hospitality and investment professional with extensive experience in strategic expansion, portfolio growth, and capital investments. As the Head of Investment & Development EMEA at Choice Hotels International, he plays a key role in driving growth through strategic investments and partnership and is part of Choice Hotels’ EMEA leadership team. With over 15 years in the hotel industry across Europe and Asia, Tobias has a strong background in real estate, asset management, and financial advisory, having previously held leadership roles at Christie & Co and World Hotels AG. A German national and graduate of the prestigious EHL Hospitality Business School, he combines his expertise with a value-driven approach to foster long-term industry partnerships.
Frank is the current Head of Development for Accor Eco, Midscale & Premium Brands in Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Italy, and Greece. He has extensive experience in hotel management and operations. He began his career in 1988 in Brussels and Bruges, Belgium, in senior operational roles at Accor. He was quickly promoted to Director of Food and Beverage at the Novotel Sheremetyevo-2 in Moscow, Russia, in 1992. After spending three years in Moscow, he moved back to London and began his ten-year career in the United Kingdom with Accor. He started as Operations Manager at one of the busiest Novotels at Heathrow Airport. He then held several General Manager positions across the United Kingdom, including Novotel Preston, Novotel Southampton, Novotel Milton Keynes, and Novotel Bristol Centre. In 2006, he moved to Turkey, where he directed and managed one of the key hotels in Istanbul, the Novotel Istanbul. He later spent two years as General Manager at Novotel Trabzon. After more than 20 years of service at AccorHotels, he was appointed Area General Manager for Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. From 2014, he became Area General Manager for Romania, Bulgaria, and Macedonia, where he oversaw operations and development, including in the Balkans and Croatia. Since September 2017, he has served as Head of Development Orbis/AccorHotels for Eastern Europe, and since 2018, he has held the position of VP Development Accor Eastern Europe. He is fluent in Dutch, English, and French, and also speaks German. He is an avid fan of history, wine, and Arsenal.
With over 27 years of experience in legal practice in Romania, she chose this profession driven by a desire to work in a dynamic field defined by complex challenges and strategic solutions. Her professional path has been shaped within the area of advisory legal services, a direction that has enabled her to actively contribute to the development and consolidation of her clients’ businesses. Throughout her career, she has provided legal counsel to companies across a wide range of industries, including the aeronautical sector, manufacturing of equipment for gas measurement and regulation, renewable energy, energy supply and trading, port operations, as well as HoReCa and hospitality. The experience she has accumulated allows her to understand the specific needs of the hospitality industry, effectively manage its inherent legal challenges, and deliver tailored solutions within a sector that is continuously evolving, driven by innovation and new business models.
As the General Manager of Novum Invest, I have been leading the company’s growth and risk management strategies for over five years. With extensive experience in hotel operations management, I have successfully led multiple hotel openings, overseeing pre-opening planning, operational setup, and staff training to ensure a seamless launch. My expertise lies in cost management, budgeting, and profit & loss (P&L) analysis, driving financial efficiency and long-term profitability. With a Risk Diploma from SDA Bocconi School of Management and UniCredit Risk Academy, I have a strong background in rating systems, derivatives, and risk analysis. Before joining Novum Invest, I was the Regional Manager of Bucharest and previous Oltenia Region at UniCredit Bank Romania, where I managed a team of over 200 employees and oversaw the portfolio of more than 300 corporate and small business customers. During my 11 years in this role, I successfully increased the portfolio’s profitability, reduced the non-performing loans ratio, and improved the customer satisfaction and retention rates. I also leveraged my skills in negotiation, coaching, and banking to develop long-term relationships with key stakeholders and partners.
As the Area Manager at Booking.com, they are responsible for managing several teams within the Local Partner Services department. These teams provide commercial support to accommodation partners across Romania, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. At Booking.com, the company’s mission is to make it easier for everyone to experience the world. They achieve this by empowering partners with the knowledge and tools to effectively use Booking.com BV’s system, tools, and available products, aiming to optimize performance on the platform and create an exceptional experience for Booking.com’s customers.
Adam Konieczny joined ISWM Group as Director of Hospitality Asset Management and Investments in February 2026. Previously he was an International Hospitality Director at Indotek Group. Between 2017 and 2023 he was working at Louvre Hotels as Development Director for CEE and SEE. His goal was to develop the brands of the group through franchise, management and lease. Previously he was a Country Head Poland at Christie & Co. He was responsible for identifying hotel opportunities across Poland and CEE for the development and expansion of the company in the region. He has been involved in a number of advisory and valuation assignments as well as operator search and section processes. Prior to Christie & Co, Adam worked several years as a Senior Consultant in the hospitality area, at DTZ´s (now Cushman & Wakefield) hospitality department in Warsaw. Adam Konieczny has a Master of Arts in Management from Warsaw School of Economics and a Master of Science in Real Estate from Sheffield Hallam University, UK. He also obtained a Certificate in Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management from Cornell University. Adam is a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and Cornell Hotel Society (CHS).
Sevda Cadir MRICS is Head of Feasibility & Advisory at Win Advisors, specializing in hospitality real estate across CEE & SEE. With experience across both hotel operations and real estate advisory, she brings a rare dual perspective, combining financial rigor with operational understanding. Having worked on over 600 projects, Sevda supports investors and developers with feasibility studies, valuation, operator selection, and commercial strategy, ensuring decisions are both analytically sound and operationally viable.
I believe great hospitality projects are not built only on numbers or only on vision, but on the ability to translate between the two. Thus, my role is to bring clarity, structure, and commercial logic into every decision, while never losing sight of how a hotel actually lives, breathes, and performs in reality.
