Speakers

Markus Lehnert is Senior Vice President at Marriott International, leading the company’s hotel affiliation efforts across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. With over 40 years of hospitality experience, including more than 27 years at Marriott, he has played a key role in the group’s regional expansion, development of select-service brands and launch of Moxy. His career combines international hotel operations, hospitality consulting and strategic development, with experience across major European markets and some of the world’s leading luxury hotels.

Scott Eddy is a global hospitality strategist, entrepreneur and speaker specialising in brand positioning, storytelling, guest experience and digital strategy. Having visited 86 countries, stayed in over 1,000 hotels and spent more than a decade living in hotels and aboard cruise ships, he brings a distinctive perspective as both an industry professional and a guest. He works with hotels, resorts, destinations and hospitality technology companies to strengthen their market positioning and commercial performance.

Michael C. Cohen is Managing Partner at GAIN Advisors, with over 25 years of leadership experience in travel, hospitality and technology. He advises hospitality businesses and technology companies on growth strategy, innovation, operational efficiency and international expansion. Drawing on a global network of senior industry executives, Michael helps organisations strengthen their market positioning, adopt new business models and turn emerging technologies into measurable business value.

Experienced, prestigeless and driven leader with a demonstrated history of working with marketing, media and digital transformation. Tomas thrives in the intersection where business meets marketing, brand and technology.

Willem van Bolderen is a founding partner of Studio Puisto Architects, an award-winning Helsinki-based practice, and has taught wood architecture at Aalto University since 2015. He is also co-founder of the Hospitality Think Tank. His work connects architectural design, commercial viability and environmental responsibility, helping hospitality businesses create distinctive, functional spaces that deliver long-term value for owners, guests and the communities around them.

Ana leads Dubrovnik Sea Sun Hotels, bringing over 20 years of experience in commercial and operational hotel management. Across Croatia and Montenegro, she has led regional teams, managed complex hotel operations and worked on hotel development and conversion projects with brands including Hilton, Falkensteiner and Marriott. Her expertise lies in connecting revenue strategy, operational efficiency and hotel positioning to strengthen profitability, team performance and guest experience.

Dr. Valentina Božič is a hospitality strategist and founder of NAVIS Hospitality Agency, with over 25 years of executive experience. Having led hotel operations and teams of up to 4,000 employees at Terme Čatež, LifeClass Hotels & Spa and Sava Hotels & Resorts, she brings hands-on expertise in organisational transformation, service excellence and technology adoption, helping hotels improve team performance, guest experience and profitability.

Ally Northfield is Managing Director of Revenue by Design and co-founder of the Global Revenue Forum, bringing extensive expertise in hospitality revenue optimisation. She leads a team delivering outsourced revenue management services and develops training programmes through Revenue Academy. Her work focuses on improving commercial performance across rooms, meetings, events and F&B, helping hotels strengthen revenue strategies and maximise profitability across all revenue streams.

Novak Bojanić is Managing Director and Management Board Member at Petram Resort & Residences, with over 15 years of experience leading hotels and resorts across Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro. His expertise spans hotel pre-openings, rental pool development, operations, team leadership and profitability, bringing a practical perspective on managing hospitality businesses and improving financial performance.

Over 20 years of experience across IT, marketing, software development and brand strategy, including work with McLaren, Radisson, Maersk and Volvo. Brings a cross-industry perspective on how technology, branding and business performance connect.

Roxana is an international moderator, communication coach and professional actor specialising in corporate and leadership events. Combining structured preparation with emotional intelligence and a strong stage presence, she creates meaningful dialogue between speakers and audiences. Her expertise lies in asking questions that challenge thinking, managing complex discussions and turning passive audiences into active participants, ensuring every conversation delivers clarity, engagement and real value.

Hans Etman is the founder of Masters in Moderation, an international agency for moderators and facilitators. An experienced moderator himself, he specialises in audience engagement, group dynamics and interactive meeting formats. Drawing on behavioural and communication principles, he helps organisations turn presentations and discussions into meaningful dialogue, ensuring participants contribute actively and meetings deliver greater value and measurable outcomes.

Mladen is a hospitality industry rebel with over 20 years of experience across hotel and financial management, business development, digitalisation, marketing and destination management. Driven by integrity, loyalty and honour, he challenges the status quo and looks beyond individual functions to understand the bigger business picture. For him, hospitality is more than a profession; it is a way of life, best balanced with time outdoors and a great glass of wine.

Dinka Krčelić is Managing Director of Projectus grupa, working with executives, founders and leadership teams across Europe. With over 25 years of experience in leadership development and organisational change, she combines deep psychological insight with rigorous business thinking. Her expertise focuses on decision clarity, leadership dynamics and the difficult conversations leaders often avoid, helping them navigate complex challenges and make better decisions under pressure.

Alen Mrvac is a Public Relations Specialist at Alma Career Croatia, the company behind MojPosao, one of Croatia’s leading employment platforms. His work focuses on labour market trends, recruitment, employee expectations, workplace culture and employer branding. Drawing on labour market research and insights into the Croatian workforce, he brings a practical perspective on the challenges businesses face in attracting, engaging and retaining talent.