Program
The Pub Leaders Summit is designed with today’s pubs in mind. Reflecting the fast-moving nature of the industry, this year’s agenda covers a wide range of topics across every corner of pub operations. From food and beverage innovation to driving venue profitability and operational excellence, the program delivers practical insights, fresh thinking, and real-world solutions to help pub leaders thrive in a competitive market.
Day One – Pub Leaders Summit
Monday 13 July 2026
Day one features a full-day conference at the Pub Leaders Summit, where hospitality operators and industry stakeholders discuss pressing topics affecting the sector, alongside HospoNEXT, a free showcase of the latest products and services designed to support your pub operations.
| Pub Leaders Summit | |
| 8:30am – 9:30am | Registration and HospoNEXT including refreshments |
| 9:30am – 9:40am | Welcome and Opening Address: Bianca Dye (Emcee), and Vanessa Cavasinni, Managing Editor, Australian Hotelier |
| 9:40am – 10:20am | Keynote: TBA |
| 10:40am – 11:00am |
Interview: Setting the Standard for Generations As one of the nation’s most well regarded publicans for the last 60 years, Arthur Laundy will reflect on his career, as well as remark on the current state of the industry. His daughter, Danielle Richardson, will discuss the multi-generational operations of the award-winning pub group. Arthur Laundy and Danielle Richardson, Directors, Laundy Hotels |
| 11:00am – 11:30am |
Panel: Food (and Beverage) For Thought This session will cover: the demand for value amid rising costs and shrinking margins, the effects of excise and how occasions and activations are driving sales. James Ingram, Managing Director, Peninsula Hospitality |
| 11:30am – 12:00pm |
Panel: Creating the Right Team Culture How big of an impact is team culture having on your business? What are the elements of your business that would encourage the right people to work for your venue and stick around? Our panel will discuss. Elliot Solomon, CEO, Solotel |
| 12:00pm – 1:00pm | LUNCH Enjoy refreshments, partner exhibitions and networking at HospoNEXT |
| 12:00pm – 1:00pm | Future Leaders Scholarship Announcement Join us at the HospoNEXT Stage |
| 1:00pm – 1:30pm |
Panel: Technological Advances in a Human-Centric Industry The technological arsenal that venues can employ continues to grow and evolve at rapid pace, allowing hospitality operations to improve efficiencies, grow sales and reduce unnecessary costs. The panel will look at questions like where is AI helpful and where it is not, what data is useful for analysis, and when do we have to focus more on the human side of the sector? John James, Operations, Momento Hospitality |
| 1:30pm – 1:45pm |
The Future of Competitive Socialising (Presentation) Social competitive products have been making waves in Aussie venues in the last 18 months, but where is the sector headed next? |
| 1:45pm – 2:00pm |
Interview: Going All In on the Waterside Hotel After selling up all but one of its award-winning portfolio of Melbourne pubs, the Sand Hill Road team spent three years planning and building one stunning venue concept that drew on 25 years of hospitality knowledge. Andy Mullins, Director, Sand Hill Road |
| 2:00pm – 2:10pm |
Case Study: The Four Forces Shaping Australian Venues Looking through the lens of Waterside Hotel, Ben Williams breaks down the importance of frictionless guest experience; smarter loyalty and communication; operational efficiency as a margin lever; and platform thinking over silo solutions. Ben Williams, Group Director – Pubs, Clubs and Hotels, Oolio |
| 2:10pm – 2:30pm |
Presentations/Panel: Activating Your Venue In an increasingly competitive landscape, venues need to find innovative ways to draw people to their venues. Activations and events are becoming ever more important in bringing new interest and patronage to venues – as well as getting them to stick around for longer and spending more. Rachael Paul, Director, Working Holiday Hospitality |
| 2:30pm – 2:50pm | COFFEE BREAK Enjoy refreshments, partner exhibitions and networking at HospoNEXT |
| 2:50pm – 3:15pm |
Panel: Rooms for Growth Accommodation is a revenue stream that has grown in demand among publicans. Our panel will discuss what it takes to do pub accommodation well, and how you can grow your business with it. |
| 3:15pm – 3:45pm |
Keynote: The People Who Hold the Pub How culture, community, mental health and psychosocial hazards intersect in the pub – and how to ensure that the culture in your venue sets up the business and your people for success. Dr. Anna Kiaos, Founder, Mind Culture Life Australia |
| 3:45pm – 4:15pm |
Panel: The Investment Outlook The frequency and value of pub transactions has picked up steam in 2026 – will this be sustained in H2 and beyond? How will macroeconomic factors influence pub investment, and what are operators and investors looking for in the long term? Our panel will discuss. |
| 5:00pm – 5:30pm | The Top 50 Gastropubs Awards Presentation Join us at the HospoNEXT Stage |
| 5:30pm – 6.30pm |
HospoHour Brought to you by |
*Program subject to change.
2026 Study Tour Overview
Day Two – Study Tour
Tuesday 14 July
Day Two is a half-day Hotel Study Tour across Sydney visiting a range of iconic venues and offering insight into how our most dynamic operators are running their venues. Transportation is included in your ticket—venues and timings to be confirmed.
| 9:00am | Pick up at Hyatt |
| 10:00am – 10:55am | VENUE 1: Social House at The Prince, Kirrawee |
| 11:50am – 12:35pm | VENUE 2: Harry’s, Surry Hills |
| 1:05pm – 2:20pm | VENUE 3: The Oriana, The Rocks |
| Site Tour ends at The Oriana, The Rocks |
*Program subject to change
Social House at The Prince, Kirrawee
Feros Group has undertaken a major renovation of The Prince Hotel in Kirrawee, ensuring the venue remains a cornerstone of the local hospitality scene for years to come. A major component of the renovation was the creation of a new adults-only destination, Social House.
Social House was designed for live entertainment and high-energy moments. An adults-only bar with a strong entertainment focus, Social House will encompass live acts to interactive sets including duelling pianos. Paired with a menu focused on rotisserie favourites and cocktails, plus a sports-viewing component, it’s a space that builds as the night goes on.
As part of the renovation, The Prince has also added multiple dedicated function spaces, as well as constructed a new underground carpark with 75 additional parking spaces.
Harry’s, Surry Hills
Owned by The Point since 2013, Harry’s – formerly Hotel Harry – has undergone an extensive renovation to evolve its offer and create a focal point for the inner-city Surry Hills community. The refreshed offer leans into its musical and cultural history coupled with a refined culinary focus, contemporary design and improved facilities.
Enhancing its role in the city’s nightlife, a new custom-built DJ booth features in the ground floor spaced called Harr'ys HiFi, fitted with high quality equipment.
The bistro and open kitchen are at the heart of the project with the dining room now light-filled, designed with long lunches or cocktail hour in mind, while the new Harpoon Lounge on the ground floor will anchor the enhanced live music focus.
The terrace provides a relaxed courtyard feel while the public bar reflects a traditional, casual pub style in addition to al fresco street side seating on Wentworth Avenue and Goulburn St. Throughout the venue, the new design balances the building’s historical charm with contemporary style.
The Oriana, The Rocks
The newest venue from Australian Venue Co., The Oriana is a four-level venue within the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay. Marking a significant evolution of the site, The Oriana transforms Squires Landing and the former Quay restaurant space to create one connected, multi-experience destination, designed for the way Sydney dines, drinks and gathers today.
The venue encapsulates a ground-floor beer garden; a lively public bar and late-night space; a refined yet relaxed seafood-led restaurant; and a dedicated events and private dining space – all while looking out to Sydney’s stunning harbourfront.
The transformation includes a complete rebrand and repositioning across all four levels, with upgrades spanning refreshed bars, kitchens, AV infrastructure, lighting, furniture, carpets, curtains, and layered styling throughout.
Positioned between Circular Quay, The Rocks and Sydney’s cultural precinct, The Oriana is set to become a new flagship hospitality destination in Sydney.