Phocuswright Europe
  • Home
  • Program
    • Overview
    • All Sessions
    • Industry Roundtables
    • Breakout Sessions
    • WiT Phocuswright Middle East 2026
    • 2025 Session Videos
    • 2025 Post-Show Wrap Up
  • Who's Coming
    • Attendee Companies
    • Attendee Demographics
    • Speakers
    • Innovators
    • Sponsors & Partners
  • Attend
    • Overview
    • Conference Social Responsibility
    • Spread the word
    • Venue
    • Press Pass
    • The Theme
  • Venue
  • Exhibit | Sponsor
    • Overview
    • Audience
  • Innovation
    • Overview
    • Global Startup Pitch
    • Innovators & Alumni
    • Startup Ticket
  • Register
Game On Level Up Your Move
24-26 May 2027, London, U.K.
Phocuswright Europe

Where visionaries talk strategy — and talk to you

Published May 2025

At Phocuswright Europe, you won’t just hear from travel’s top leaders—you’ll meet them.

These speakers aren’t hidden backstage. They’re in the sessions, at the receptions, and taking meetings with other execs who are serious about shaping what’s next.

From AI and aviation to rentals, sustainability and startup investment—we’ve mapped out who’s speaking and what they specialize in.

Use it to plan your sessions—and your conversations.

Because the real power of Phocuswright? It’s who’s in the room.

Speaker List

🤖 Artificial Intelligence, Product Innovation & Emerging Tech

These speakers are tied to discussions about AI, digital transformation, and tech-forward strategies.

  • Shilpa Ranganathan – Chief Product Officer, Expedia Group
    Executive Interview: Designing the Future of Travel
  • Marc Mekki – Founder & Advisor, Inspire Limitless
    Executive Interview: Agents, Algorithms and the Future of Everything
  • Alix Boulnois – Chief Business, Digital & Tech Officer, Accor
    Executive Interview: Accor’s Digital Playbook – Loyalty, Innovation and the Power of AI
  • Mike Coletta – Senior Manager, Research and Innovation, Phocuswright
    Phocuswright Research: Startup Funding + AI = ?
  • Sergio Torrijos Selma – Director of Travel, Google
    Presentation + Executive Interview: Search, Signals and Smarter Travel – Google on What’s Next
  • Alicia Schmid – Director of Research, Phocuswright
    Phocuswright Research: From AI to Wallet – The New Era of Travel Planning
  • Irra Ariella Khi – Co-Founder & CEO, Zamna
    Hot Spot – Zamna
  • Jamie Smith – Founder, Customer Futures
    Executive Panel: Agents, ID and the Future of Travel
  • Nick Price – CEO, NetSys Technology
    Executive Panel: Agents, ID and the Future of Travel
  • Annet Steenbergen – Advisor, EU Digital Identity Wallet Consortium
    Executive Panel: Agents, ID and the Future of Travel
  • Marnie Wilking – Chief Security Officer, Booking.com
    Executive Interview: Trust, Threats and Technology – Securing Travel at Scale

🌍 Destinations, Sustainability & Overtourism

Focused on regional strategy, sustainable tourism, and destination policy.

  • Shannon Guihan – Chief Sustainability Officer & Head of TreadRight, The Travel Corporation
    Executive Panel: Beyond the Bucket List—Redirecting Demand for a Healthier Planet
  • Miguel Sanz Castedo – Director General, Turespaña
    Executive Panel: Beyond the Bucket List—Redirecting Demand for a Healthier Planet
  • Ewout Versloot – Strategist, Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions
    Executive Panel: Beyond the Bucket List—Redirecting Demand for a Healthier Planet
  • Esther Villena – Global Head of Social Sustainability, Amadeus
    Executive Panel: Beyond the Bucket List—Redirecting Demand for a Healthier Planet
  • Rod Cuthbert – Founder and Former CEO & Chairman, Viator
    Executive Panel: Beyond the Bucket List—Redirecting Demand for a Healthier Planet
  • Madeline List – Manager, Research and Special Projects, Phocuswright
    Phocuswright Research: Ski and Mountain Travel
  • Michael Cawley – Chair, Hostelworld; Former Chair, Failte Ireland; Non-Executive Director, Ryanair
    Executive Interview: Aviation, Politics and Profits

💼 Startup Investment, Innovation & the Future of Travel

Speakers here lead or invest in new ventures shaping the next phase of travel.

  • Rod Cuthbert – Founder and Former CEO & Chairman, Viator
    Networking: Coffee with Rod
  • Greg O’Hara – Founder and Senior Managing Director, Certares
    Executive Interview: Greg O’Hara Unfiltered
  • Alex Gisbert – General Partner, Traveltech 2
    Executive Panel: The Investor View
  • Christoph Schuh – Partner, Lakestar
    Executive Panel: The Investor View
  • Callum McPherson – Founder & CEO, Obvlo
    Hot Spot – Obvlo
  • Mauricio Prieto – Co-Founder, eDreams ODIGEO; Founder, Travel Tech Essentialist
    Executive Exchange: Reflections and Projections from Online Travel Pioneers
  • Gillian Tans – Business Executive; Former President/CEO and Chairwoman, Booking.com
    Executive Exchange: Reflections and Projections from Online Travel Pioneers
  • Chris Hemmeter – Managing Partner, Thayer Investment Partners
    Executive Exchange: Reflections and Projections from Online Travel Pioneers
  • Pablo Castillo – CEO & CTO, Chain4Travel
    Hot Spot – Chain4Travel
Speaker List

🏨 Hospitality Tech, Booking & Short-Term Rentals

Leaders from lodging and rental sectors, addressing booking, property tech, and market shifts.

  • Sean Fitzpatrick – CEO, Lighthouse
    Executive Panel: Big Ideas, Big Money—Innovation and Growth in Hospitality Tech
  • Marcus Rader – CEO & Co-Founder, Hostaway
    Executive Panel: Big Ideas, Big Money—Innovation and Growth in Hospitality Tech
  • Richard Valtr – Founder, Mews
    Executive Panel: Big Ideas, Big Money—Innovation and Growth in Hospitality Tech
  • Emmanuel Marill – Regional Director, EMEA, Airbnb
    Executive Panel: Rooms, Rules & Rivalries
  • Bodo Thielmann – Chief Investment Director, HomeToGo
    Executive Panel: Rooms, Rules & Rivalries
  • Mariya Donat – Director, Digital Content Strategy EAME, Hyatt Hotels
    Executive Panel: Experiences—Travel’s Biggest Battleground?
  • Neha Jindal – Managing Director Attractions, Booking.com
    Executive Panel: Experiences—Travel’s Biggest Battleground?
  • Nicolas Martiquet – Director of Amadeus Discover, Amadeus
    Executive Panel: Experiences—Travel’s Biggest Battleground?
  • Luuc Elzinga – Founder & President, Tiqets
    Executive Panel: Experiences—Travel’s Biggest Battleground?

✈️ Aviation & Ground Transportation

Industry leaders reshaping how people move.

  • Dr. Olaf Backofen – Head of Retail Partnerships, Lufthansa Group
    Executive Panel: Tech & Transformation in Aviation
  • Filip Filipov – Chief Operations Officer, OAG
    Executive Panel: Tech & Transformation in Aviation
  • Florent Bannwarth – BlaBlaCar Iberia Manager, BlaBlaCar
    Executive Panel: The Great Ground Shift
  • Björn Bender – CEO, Rail Europe
    Executive Panel: The Great Ground Shift
  • Veronica Diquattro – President B2C Europe, Omio
    Executive Panel: The Great Ground Shift

🌐 Global Trends, Markets & Distribution

Broad-market strategists speaking to regional growth, global expansion, and shifting behaviors.

  • Matthew Goldberg – President & CEO, Tripadvisor
    Executive Interview: From Inspiration to Action–Tripadvisor’s Strategic Shift
  • Pepijn Rijvers – President, Viator
    Executive Interview: From Inspiration to Action–Tripadvisor’s Strategic Shift
  • Karen Bolda – Chief Product & Technology Officer, B2B, Expedia Group
    The Bridge Series: Travel Tech Trends Around the World
  • Rajnish Kumar – Director and Group Co-CEO, ixigo
    The Bridge Series: Travel Tech Trends Around the World
  • Emilie Dumont – CEO, Digitrips
    The Bridge Series: Travel Tech Trends Around the World
  • Ross Veitch – CEO & Co-Founder, Wego Group
    Panel: WiT Europe: Next Generation
  • Adebayo Adedeji – Group CEO, Wakanow
    Panel: WiT Europe: Next Generation
  • Doris Goh – Executive Vice President, Commercial, COMO Hotels & Resorts
    Panel: WiT Europe: Next Generation
  • Gareth Matthews – CMO, Dida
    Panel: WiT Europe: Next Generation

🎙️ Moderators & Interviewers

Supporting voices who facilitate dialogue across multiple topics.

  • Mitra Sorrells – SVP, Content, Phocuswright/PhocusWire
  • Pete Comeau – Managing Director, Phocuswright
  • Linda Fox – Executive Editor, PhocusWire
  • Lorraine Sileo – Founder, Phocuswright Research and Senior Analyst, Phocuswright
  • Mike Coletta – Senior Manager, Research and Innovation, Phocuswright
  • Madeline List – Manager, Research and Special Projects, Phocuswright
  • Walter Buschta – SVP, Marketing, Phocuswright
  • Siew Hoon Yeoh – Founder, WIT and Editorial Director, Northstar Travel Group Asia
  • Chris Hemmeter – Managing Partner, Thayer Investment Partners
  • Luuc Elzinga – Founder & President, Tiqets
  • Peter O’Connor – Senior Market Analyst, Europe, Phocuswright
  • Rod Cuthbert – Founder and Former CEO & Chairman, Viator
Phocuswright Europe
24-26 May 2027
London, U.K.
Register Now
Newsletter Signup
The ConferenceAttendeesExhibit & SponsorPressProgramSpeakers
Exhibit & SponsorSponsors & Partners
Phocuswright EventsThe Phocuswright Conference (global)
  • USD $
  • Euro €
  • CAN CA $
  • Disclaimer:
    Exchange rate posted is based on current market trends. Actual conversion will not occur until payment processing is finalized and may vary from the rate shown.
 Pound £
About UsContact UsNewsletterPoliciesPressPrivacy & TermsResearch
About UsContact UsNewsletter
PoliciesPressPrivacy & Terms
Research
Copyright © 2026 by Northstar Travel Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. Phocuswright, Inc., 301 Route 17 N., Suite 1150, Rutherford, NJ 07070 USA | Telephone: +1 201 902-2000
Phocuswright  •  The Phocuswright Conference  •  Global Startup Pitch  •  PhocusWire  •  Web In Travel  •  Retail Travel  •  Hotel Investment

A wholly owned subsidiary of

Northstar Travel Group
Copyright © 2026 by Northstar Travel Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. Phocuswright, Inc., 301 Route 17 N., Suite 1150, Rutherford, NJ 07070 USA | Telephone: +1 201 902-2000
  • Program
  • Sponsor
  • Venue/Hotel
  • Register