2025 Program Overview

Just as the hotel industry remains dynamic, so will the Pub Leaders’ Summit conference program! Expect a wide range of topics covering various facets of pub operations, including F&B, modern marketing, increasing venue profitability and more.

DAY 1 – Pub Leaders Summit

Monday 21 July

Day One comprises of a full-day conference and showcase portion of the Pub Leaders Summit program. Join us to hear from leading operators and industry stakeholders on pressing topics, and experience the latest products and services designed to assist your pub operations.

8:00am – 9:00am	Registration and Showcase including refreshments
9:00am – 9:10am	Welcome and Opening Address Bianca Dye, Emcee Vanessa Cavasinni, Managing Editor, Australian Hotelier
9:10am – 10:00am	Keynote: Creating a Culture of Innovation for Pubs to Thrive How can pubs foster a culture of innovation to stay competitive and drive long-term success? From empowering teams to think creatively to leveraging technology and improving customer experiences, this session will provide practical strategies to challenge the status quo and enhance hospitality. Leave with actionable tools and insights to elevate engagement, streamline operations, and future-proof your pubs. Shelly McElroy, CEO, Dream Culture
10:00am – 10:15am	Spotlight On: Taking on Australia’s Biggest Pub Gig A discussion with ALH Hotels’ new MD on his priorities for the group Paul Carew, Managing Director, ALH Hotels
10:15am – 10:40am	In Focus: The Future Of Gaming How can operators best interact with governments on ideal responsible gaming frameworks and procedures? Where to for gaming in the face of a disinterested younger generation? Tom Francis, Managing Director, Francis Venues Richard Deery, President, QHA Albert Hakfoort, Director, Hakfoort Group Danny Nixon-Smith, Managing Director, DNS Specialist Services
10:40am – 10:45am	Behind the Bar: Publican Challenge #1
10:45am – 11:15am	Morning Tea
11:15am – 12:00pm	Keynote: How the FY26 Macro-Economic Outlook Will Impact Your Pub Discover the macro-economic and global factors that could impact your business A deep-dive into the opportunities and challenges to come in the year ahead Craig Woolford, Senior Research Analyst, MST Marquee Brought to you by:
12:00pm – 12:30pm	Pub Investment: The Who, What, Why and How Much A forensic look at the most sought-after regions in pub real estate, and what asset features are compelling to operators and investors right now. How is the pub asset offer evolving? How can you add value to existing properties? Albert Hakfoort, Director, Hakfoort Group Richard Deery, Owner/MD, Story Bridge Hotel Adonis Ghanem, Managing Director, Ghanem Group Will Connolly, Senior Vice President - Investment Sales, JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group
12:30pm – 12:50pm	Presentation: How to Get Your Venue Found in an AI World With AI-generated answers replacing search engine queries, how do you guarantee your pub is the answer with ChatGPT and the like? Celia Harding, Founder, LEOPRD
12:50pm – 1:20pm	The Ideal Tech Stack: What You Need to Optimise Operations in 2025 From loyalty systems to business intelligence, these are the systems that are helping venues increase efficiency, lower costs and increase revenue. What role will AI play in the pub’s tech stack? Tom Francis, Managing Director, Francis Venues Scott Buckham, Co-Founder, Chewzie Andrew McDonald, Chief Information Officer, ASM Global (APAC) Stephen Wools, CCO/Co-founder, Ballers Clubhouse
1:20pm – 1:30pm	Behind the Bar: Publican Challenge #2
1:30pm – 2:30pm	Lunch
2:30pm – 3:00pm	Getting People Out Of The House: The Crucial Role of Entertainment Entertainment is increasingly important in getting people to the pub; how do you ensure your entertainment resonates with patrons? How to curate a signature entertainment offer for your venue, and work with artists and acts in the process. Ian Smith, National Entertainment Manager, Australian Venue Co. Sharlene Harris, National Entertainment Manager, ALH Hotels Sabrina Medcalf, Group Operations and Entertainment Manager, Odd Culture Group Stephen Wools, CCO/Co-founder, Ballers Clubhouse
3:00pm – 3:30pm	Presentation: Full View Liquor – Where Beverage Is Headed What are the beverage trends in other international markets that we can expect here? As consumption trends change, how should pubs evolve their offer? Tom Graham, Industry Insights Lead – BevAl, NIQ
3:30pm – 4:00pm	New F&B Opportunities In 2025 And Beyond What current F&B propositions excite patrons the most and bring them back for more? With increasing costs, how can pubs retain a casual price point and keep a profit margin? Ben Turner, General Manager of Food, Redcape Adonis Ghanem, Managing Director, Ghanem Group Mark Condi, CEO, Duxton Pubs Kevin Peters, Beverage Director, Cocktails and Spirits and Australian Venue Co.
4:00pm – 4:15pm	Leadership Wellbeing: Preventing Burnout At The Top Tools and habits for managing stress, uncertainty, and setbacks in a high-pressure environment. How pub leaders can create sustainable structures for rest, availability, and time off. Lucinda Dowling-Black, Director, Full Moon Hotel
4:15pm – 4:20pm	Behind the Bar: Publican Challenge #3
4:20pm – 4:30pm	Future Leaders Scholarship Announcement Sponsored by Allara Global and Carlton and United Beverages
4:30pm – 6:00pm	Networking Drinks Presented by:

*Program subject to change