C-Suite & Executive Episodes

What a treat we have for you today as we have someone who has built an amazing career so far but backs this up with extra work she does for the Institute of Hospitality and Charities such as Hospitality Action We got some time with the amazing Brenda Collin, Executive Vice President for Europe at Preferred Hotels & Resorts (https://preferredhotels.com). As usual, we get in loads including the Budget, job titles, life on the farm, wanting to travel, working in a pub, applying for University, Uni...

What a corker we've got for you this week. We got some time with the bundle of positive energy and influence that is Andrew Fishwick, CEO of Salt (www.worthoursalt.com) & The Pepper Collective (http://www.thepeppercollective.com). We get through lots including Pitcher & Piano, cashing up in the olden days, similarities between hospitality and theatre, buying a pub, private equity, starting a marketing consultancy, the diversity of the client portfolio, the inner workings of Salt, working with ...

What better time to start a business than in a pandemic right? Well, todays guest has started not one, but two wonderful enterprises. As Phil puts it early on "You're clearly a glutton for punishment". We got some time with the wonderful human being that is Ed Walker, Founder of Fika Catering (https://fikacatering.com) and Bloom Coffee (https://bloom-coffee.org), two wonderfully and mutually beneficial enterprises. We get through loads including starting businesses in a pandemic, change please...

Today's guest is one of the inspirations as to why I started the show. We welcome Scott MacDonald, Managing Director of Artisan Food Champions Sourced Market (https://sourcedmarket.com). Today's chat packed full of content including being nice, being the inspiration for others, Leading through kindness, being the only male in a house, talking to hamsters, creating food experiences in Selfridges, the world's most expensive sandwich, inspiring leaders, being in the green room on This Morning, va...

What an absolute treat we have for you this week (I know, they're all treats really). We welcomed Marc Dardenne on the show, COO of Luxury Brands in Europe for Hotel heavy weights, Accor (https://all.accor.com). This chat is packed full of stories and amazing insight from one the world's premier Hoteliers. We cover off learning from adversity, The beauty of Switzerland, The adventure of hospitality, open air lobbies, travel, Bali, the value of processes, culture, respect, practical v theory, f...

Q. What does it take to become a Hotel CEO? A. There are very different paths and today's guest demonstrates that point perfectly. We got some time with always excellent David Hart, CEO of RBH Hospitality Management and most definitely one of Hospitality's good guys. David will take the reigns in his role more or less a week after this episode is released. We chat about lots including accounting, Glasgow, listening to your own voice, CEO’s who talk to themselves, culture, turning around redun...

This week, we got some time with Hotel Human Resources Legend, Jon Dawson, recently appointed Group Director of People Development at Lore Group (https://loregroup.com). Jon has forged an enviable career so far working in some iconic hotels including the St Pancras Renaissance, The London Edition and the Mandarin Oriental. As always, we get through lots including reciprocal back scratching, exercise, football, USA, Marriott, the beauty of the St Pancras Renaissance, picking your interview atti...

There's a movement happening out there, can you feel it? We're starting to pay more attention to where our food comes from and what techniques are used in their production. Today's guest, Ben O'Brien, was way ahead of the curve, founding Sourced Market (https://sourcedmarket.com/) in 2007, long before provenance was in the public eye. Ben now takes on a Chairman role with the company as they move forward and Ben looks to use his knowledge to help other start ups make a positive stride forward. ...

I really am a lucky pup. There's so many stories of the different people and roles in hospitality that it will take several lifetimes to tell them all. Today's guests is an absolute cracker. I got some time with the inspirational beacon of positivity that is Kellie Rixon, Founder of Rixon Associates (http://rixonassociates.com) and the new Chair of the Institute of Hospitality (https://www.instituteofhospitality.org), the professional body for the Hospitality industry. As always, we get...

43 episodes in and we finally chat to someone from contract catering, although today's guest has done far more than that. We speak to hospitality legend Simon Esner, Founder at Executive business mentoring Uncommon Sense (www.finduncommonsense.com). Simon is also still involved with Baxter Storey (https://baxterstorey.com) and WSH Ltd (https://www.wshlimited.com) working with some world leading chefs and concepts. Simon has had an Epic career and life so far and has achieved so much, with muc...

This week we move back to hotels in big brand, big hotels and a big role. We got some time with Daniel Pedreschi, Regional Vice President Operations UK for PPHE Hotel Group (www.pphe.com). As always, we get through a lot including early career job titles, big bundles of keys, career catch 22’s, pigeons, refurbs, C&B, choosing your boss, events, awards, busy years, Master Inn Holders, snakes & of course Daniel's excellent career journey so far. Daniel talks us through his story with such en...

You really can come into hospitality at any time, with any background. Today's guest demonstrates that point beautifully but not only that, how you can come in and really get people thinking about the ways in which things happen. We chat today to Eric Jafari, Chief Development Officer and Creative Director at Edyn Group (www.findingedyn.com) and Co-Founder at Locke Hotels (www.lockeliving.com). This chat is rammed full of interesting conversation with some golden content on re-imagining ho...

One of the things we love about Hospitality more than anything else is the international element to it and there's no better career if you want to see the world. Niels Sherry is a shining example of that with a career that has taken him to the USA, Middle East and Asia as well as establishing himself in Europe. Now the COO for the expanding private members club 67 Pall Mall (www.67pallmall.com). We chat about lots including gaining variety in your career, the Savoy, leaps of faith, opening...

Back in May 2020, we got some time with Eugenio Pirri, Chief People & Culture Office for Dorchester Collection (www.dorchestercollection.com) a global luxury hotel company. Eugenio tells his story with great humility and grace, sprinkled with a large portion of humour. In this weeks chat we cover Scotch, learning and growing, culture (Unsurprisingly), writing, warnings, falling in swimming pools and so much more as well as some wonderful stuff about business culture and guest experience. ...

In early July 2020 (when we were once again allowed to go meet people) we were lucky enough to get some socially distanced time with Chris Penn, Co-Founder of Steel Hotels (www.steelhotels.com) & Birch (www.birchcommunity.com), a few weeks before the doors were opened at Birch for the first time. This chat is crammed full of good stuff as we took full advantage of Chris' natural humour, drive and humility covering off his epic journey to this point as well as topics such as battles, travellin...

In this weeks Podcast, we enter the world of finance and specifically Asset Management, a side of hotel life that has become more and more important in recent times. We chatted to William Gibbs, Hotels Director and a Member of the Board at Sir Richard Sutton Limited (www.SRSL.co.uk) We chat about Williams career journey so far along with other big topics such as changing processes, learning the hard way, glass collecting, going to the wrong airports, being out of your depth, asset management ...

Back in May 2020, in the middle of Lock down, we were lucky enough to get some time with David McDowall, Group COO of BrewDog (www.brewdog.com). David talks us through his career and journey so far along with some of the great work that BrewDog have been up to. We also find time to chat about Beer & Dogs (Obviously), Scottish Accents, Lobbying, Leadership Away days, swimming with Orca whales and being anti-disciplinary. David's Bio David is Group COO at BrewDog, driving the strategic directio...

Back in February 2020, we were lucky enough to meet Hospitality Royalty, David Cowdery, CEO of the Cavalry & Guards Club (https://www.cavgdsclub.co.uk/) in Mayfair, London. We chat through his story and career journey. Amongst other things we talk about Snobbery, Tech, Recruitment, Looking after Celebs, Selfies and loads more. David has some hilarious stories, be sure to tune in. This was recorded on 18th February 2020 at the majestic Cavalry & Guards Club This podcast uses the following thi...

Hospitality Meets... with Phil Street is a new podcast for the hospitality industry. Join Phil each week as he hosts a new guest in a light-hearted talk about their journey and story to date. Back in February 2020, I had the privilege of meeting hotel Titan, Robin Sheppard, Chairman of Bespoke Hotels (www.bespokehotels.com/) and Chairman of the Institute of Hospitality (www.instituteofhospitality.org/). Robin takes us through some wonderful stories from an illustrious career in Hospitality...