SPEAKER BIOS
Asif Alidina
Founder & CEO, Inntelo AI
Asif Alidina is the Founder and CEO of Inntelo AI, an AI-native hospitality platform transforming how hotels manage guest experience and operations. In 2025, Inntelo launched the UK’s first AI Concierge combining conversational and agentic AI, and secured a landmark deployment at CIEL Dubai Marina, the world’s tallest hotel. Backed by Antler, Haatch, Look AI Ventures and the British Business Bank, the company is expanding across N.America, Europe, Asia and Africa. A regular speaker at international technology and hospitality events, Asif advocates for responsible AI that empowers hotel teams, improves working conditions, and enhances the human side of hospitality.
Dr. Nick Bontis
Global Strategy and Management Expert
Dr. Nick Bontis (www.NickBontis.com) is recognized internationally as a global strategy and management expert. Over the last 30 years, he has delivered over 500 keynote presentations on every continent for leading organizations in both the private and the public sector. His dynamic, high-energy presentations provide concrete recommendations for improving individual, team and organizational effectiveness leaving audiences with the tools, inspiration, and motivation to accelerate management performance. The former editor of Harvard Business Review and Fortune Magazine, states that “Nick Bontis is not only a pioneer, but one of the world’s real experts as well.” In addition, Dr. Bontis is an award-winning tenured professor of strategic management at McMaster University. He has won over a dozen teaching awards and several international research awards. With over 140 journal publications garnering 50,000 citations, he is ranked among the most cited business professors in the world. He is also a 3M National Teaching Fellow, an exclusive honor only bestowed upon the top university professors in the country, often referred to as the Nobel-prize of teaching.
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois
Senior Director, Agri-Food Analytics Lab, Dalhousie University, Canada
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is the Senior Director of the Agri-food Analytics Lab, located at Dalhousie University in Halifax.
Known as “The Food Professor”, he is one of the world's most cited scholars in food supply chain management, food value chains and traceability with over 775 published peer-reviewed journal articles. He is also an editor for the prestigious Trends in Food Science Technology journal. Since 2012, he has published the highly anticipated Canadian Food Price Report, providing an overview of food price trends for the coming year. He co-hosts The Food Professor podcast, now ranked as top Canadian management podcast, discussing issues in the food industries. He has been asked to act as an advisor on food and agricultural policies in many Canadian provinces, in the United States, Brazil, Austria, Italy, France, Belgium, China, Great Britain, Finland and the Netherlands.
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Tony Elenis
President & CEO, Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA)
Tony Elenis is the President & CEO of the Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association (ORHMA), he was appointed to this position in April 2008.
As an Ontario hospitality leader with over 35 years of industry experience and a proven track record of positive contributions to hospitality and management, Tony Elenis is dedicated to supporting the hospitality and tourism industry of Ontario. Prior to his arrival at the ORHMA, Tony managed high achieving hotels for 30 years.
Tony sits on the Board of Directors for the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC). His expertise and creativity in food and beverage operations is well recognized within the industry. Tony was awarded the 2022 Pinnacle National Award for Hospitality Industry Support. He sits on industry boards including the Ontario Wine Appellation Authority (OWAA) and is a participant with hospitality schools and government related advisory and steering committees.
Ben Haythornthwaite
Director of Market Analytics, CoStar Group
Ben Haythornthwaite joined CoStar in early 2024 as Director of Market Analytics, focusing on the Greater Toronto Area and the Greater Golden Horseshoe. He has over a decade of experience spanning residential and commercial brokerage, appraisal, investment management, advisory, and analytics. Before joining CoStar, Ben managed the global real estate analytics team at a large institutional investment manager, overseeing reporting and providing insights on over $20 billion in real estate assets worldwide. He is a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, holds a degree in Property Economics from the Dublin Institute of Technology, and a Data Science in Real Estate certification from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Chef John Higgins
George Brown College
Engaging, Entertaining and Irreverent with decades of hospitality industry experience…. Chef John Higgins!
He’s cooked for Royalty, guided the careers of thousands and always leaves those around him with insight and wisdom. Chef Higgins who recently retired as Director of Hospitality and Culinary Enterprises at George Brown College, was television personality on “Chopped Canada” and is globally recognized as a leading Canadian contributor to the development of thousands of hospitality professionals while also helping to raise tremendous sums in support of industry education, will lead the conference’s events. John will share his witty, yet pointed views on where the industry is headed and how to navigate successfully through the current environment.
Nicole Nguyen
Vice President, CBRE Limited
Nicole Nguyen is Senior Vice President and Practice Lead with CBRE Hotels Valuation & Advisory Services team in Canada. A trusted advisor to investors, developers, brands and operators, Nicole is recognized for her deep industry insight and ability to translate complex data into actionable recommendations.
Relying on her expertise in financial modeling and market intelligence, Nicole delivers strategic advice grounded in hands-on operational experience. She is a sought-after speaker and contributor on hospitality trends, regularly presenting at industry events and authoring thought leadership pieces.
Val Upfold
Hospitality Recruitment/Food TV Casting/HR
Val Upfold has worked in the hospitality industry for several decades, including roles as Restaurant Manager, Sommelier, and HR Director, in hotels and restaurants in Canada and Australia.
Having spent 15 years at Oliver & Bonacini Hospitality– five in a Manager and Sommelier role at the acclaimed Canoe Restaurant and ten as the HR Director for the company, Val brings deep understanding across the hospitality spectrum. Starting the HR department from the ground up, she developed all of O & B's HR processes. As a recruiter in hospitality for the last 12+ years, Val also brings her HR expertise to her clients, making her a go-to for some of the industry's most known and loved brands.
She has spoken at a wide range of events across the country, and is a seasoned media commentator, including on CTV’s The Social and in the Globe and Mail.