OHC2026
SPEAKER SESSION TOPICS
Note: Final session considerations are subject to change.
The State of the Industry and How it Affects your Business:
Foodservice & Lodging Segments
Top recognized experts from the Foodservice and Lodging Sectors will share what’s been happening and is on the horizon in terms of the hospitality industry's performance, shifts in consumer behaviour and demand, and how the workforce and operating pressures are factors to consider. Knowing what specific considerations should be made by operators and managers to take advantage of these factors is vital to the success of your business.
Sponsored By:
Confirmed Speakers: Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, Nicole Nguyen
Transforming Your Leadership & Productivity for Peak Performance
Keynote Speaker - Dr. Nick Bontis
Increase your personal and organizational productivity through focus on the most important actionable tactics that ensure a higher level of efficiency. Dr. Nick Bontis has leveraged two decades worth of research on personal productivity and has worked with many key Canadian Hospitality organizations. The session will give you the tools to shrink your ever-growing “to do” list and focus on the most important activities that are necessary for you to delight your customers, impact your team members, and deliver your value to your organization.
Sponsored By:
Speaker: Dr. Nick Bontis
Current and Projected Economic Landscape and Forecast:
Shaping the Hospitality Industry and How Operators Will Need to Adjust to Manage Through the Next Year
The hospitality sector continues to navigate a complex macroeconomic environment where shifting interest rates, sustained inflationary pressures, and evolving consumer spending habits directly impact operating margins. While demand across foodservice and lodging remains dynamic, operators face an unprecedented push-pull between tight consumer wallets and rising input costs - from labor and supply chains to utilities and commercial debt servicing.
This high-impact session breaks down the critical economic indicators defining the Canadian and Ontario markets today, providing insight for the year ahead. Beyond the macro numbers, the session bridges the gap between economic theory and operational reality, equipping hospitality owners, executives, and managers with the tactical tools needed to safeguard profitability, adjust pricing strategies, and build resilient business models.
Sponsored By:
Confirmed Speakers: Ben Haythornthwaite, Jamie Berryman, David Butler
Social Media Mastery for Hospitality
From Online Buzz to Booked Rooms & Busy Tables
In an industry driven by visuals and immediate recommendations, a static social media presence no longer cuts it. This fast-paced session delivers actionable, low-cost marketing tactics tailored specifically for hotel, resort, and foodservice operators. Learn how to build increased bookings, heightened awareness, direct engagement and customer loyalty by mastering channel-specific content, leveraging short-form video, and turning everyday guest experiences into your best marketing asset.
Sponsored By:
Speaker: Kate Engineer
AI in Hospitality:
Practical Applications, Lessons Learned, and What Comes Next
Experienced AI professionals deliver actionable approaches to effectively make us of AI tools in Hospitality. Positioned around real use cases, operational realities, and how operators can begin thinking about and implementing this technology into their businesses - without requiring large budgets or technical teams.
The session will address key considerations and realities of AI use including areas where AI is actually working today (vs the hype), in areas such as - operations, marketing, guest experience and workforce/productivity, revenue opportunities, and impact on teams. delivering actionable takeaways and practical steps lodging and foodservice operators can take over the next 6-12 months to best make use of this technology.
Sponsored By:
Confirmed Panelists: Adam Mogelonsky Asif Alidina, Fernando SantaCruz
Hospitality Leadership Shift:
Closing the Management and Culture Gap
The hospitality landscape is experiencing a profound shift. As a new wave of operators steps into leadership—whether taking over multi-generational family businesses or climbing the corporate ladder - the traditional playbooks that shaped earlier careers are being re-examined. margin pressures and operational hurdles have heavily tilted the leadership focus toward financial metrics and P&L optimization, sometimes at the expense of the core guest experience and service culture that defines a true spirit of hospitality.
This interactive panel brings together seasoned industry executives and top leaders to address this growing gap. Together, they will explore why financial discipline and guest-centric culture must exist in balance, why re-anchoring our operations around hospitality is vital to the industry’s long-term health, and how existing and future leaders can successfully manage profitability without sacrificing the human element.
Sponsored By:
Confirmed Panelists: Val Upfold, Edwin Frizzell, Janet Zuccarini, Robert Carter