Event Timings

10.30am	Guest Arrival and Refreshments
11.15am	'A Fork in the Road: The Challenges Facing Hospitality and Foodservice' presented by Reuben Pullan, Senior Insight Consultant, NIQ
11.45am	Drinks Reception and Canapes
12.45pm	Three course seated lunch
2.45pm	Panel Discussion 'Shaping the Future of Foodservice and Hospitality' plus audience Q&A
3.45pm	Drinks and Networking
4.30pm	Guests Depart

The Event

What’s on the Agenda

Insight Session: 'A Fork in the Road: The Challenges facing Hospitality and Food Service’  

Reuben Pullan, Senior Insight Consultant | Hospitality Operators and Food Team, NIQ will explore how operators limited by cost, time, and regulatory pressures are prioritising their efforts, and where support from the industry can prove most effective.

Panel Discussion ‘Shaping the Future of Foodservice and Hospitality’

Hosted by Mark Stretton, CEO, Fleet Street, our panel of industry leaders including Samantha Davis, Chief Commercial Officer, Foodbuy, Robbie Laidlaw, Managing Director, Thomas Franks and Tom James, Managing Director, Bill's will examine how the following key areas are shaping their organisations today and driving their strategies for the future. 

Innovation and Operational Efficiency — how new ideas, smarter systems, and modern technologies are transforming the way businesses operate, including how digital tools, AI, and technology are reshaping guest experiences, operations, and workforce expectations

Talent, Leadership and Inclusion — how can the sector reposition itself as a career of choice and attract and retain talent, cultivate strong leaders to manage multi-generational teams, create inclusive workplaces, and ensure more women have pathways to board positions.

The Future of Foodservice and Hospitality Businesses — our speakers will share what’s working within their businesses, what’s changing, and how they are preparing for the future.

plus much more.

Drinks Reception and Three-Course Seated Lunch

Guests will enjoy a fabulous drinks reception and three-course seated lunch in the luxurious surroundings of the Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel.  During this time there will be plenty of time to catch up with industry colleagues 

There will also be plenty of networking opportunities during the drinks reception and guests will also enjoy a mouthwatering three-course lunch.

Meet Our Speakers

Samantha Davis, Chief Commercial Officer, Foodbuy

Chief Commercial Officer, Samantha guides the Commercial Directors, GPO Commercial teams, and Culinary function. She focuses on strengthening collaboration across Compass sectors and with their clients to deliver exceptional commercial results for Foodbuy. She brings extensive experience across procurement, supply chain and category management.

Prior to her current role, Samantha was Procurement Director of Foodbuy, where she led the integration of CH&CO into the Foodbuy supply chain following the acquisition by Compass Group UK & Ireland, introducing greater agility and a refreshed approach to procurement.

Samantha began her career at Safeway Plc and went on to hold senior roles at The Restaurant Group Plc, leading both food and non-food procurement before taking on responsibility for logistics. She later spent seven years at CH&CO, progressing to Group Procurement & Supply Chain Director, where she oversaw procurement across a diverse hospitality and catering business, with a strong focus on sustainability and collaborative partnerships.

Robbie Laidlaw, Managing Director, Thomas Franks

Robbie Laidlaw joined Thomas Franks, a family-led independent London business built on the belief that people come first, as Managing Director in January 2026.  Passionate about employability, culture, and personal development, Robbie is dedicated to creating environments where individuals can thrive, build meaningful careers, and reach their full potential. His leadership focuses on fostering a strong culture while driving sustainable growth through great people.

Prior to joining Thomas Franks Robbie spent eight years at Genuine Dining, where he oversaw competitive tenders, mobilisation planning, and commercial growth. He became a well‑known figure in the sector and was recognised as Salesperson of the Year at the 2024 Foodservice Cateys.

During his time at Thomas Franks, Robbie rowed across the Atlantic with Genuine Dining CEO Chris Mitchell, raising over £300,000 for Hospitality Action, a standout example of his commitment to community and sector-wide causes.

Robbie is a high‑impact hospitality leader whose career spans senior commercial roles, award‑winning sales performance, and a strong commitment to social value.   His move to Thomas Franks marks a significant strategic investment in the London B&I catering market.

Tom James, Managing Director, Bill's

Tom has been working in hospitality for over thirty years since his first job collecting glasses in his local pub. He went on to be a senior manager for Henry J Beans, Revolution and two independent restaurants in Jersey and Bristol. 

For the last 15 years he’s been a director of a wide variety of businesses including Jamie’s Italian, Coppa Club and Harbour Hotels.

He joined Bill’s in October 2021 as Group Operations Director and had been Managing Director of the well-loved all day casual dining concept for the past three years. Over that time, the team at Bill’s have delivered record sales, doubled Ebitda and returned to the expansion trail in November 2024, with further openings planned over the next two years.

Meet Our Panel Host

Mark Stretton, CEO, Fleet Street

Mark Stretton is a former Sunday Times journalist, and leisure industry editor. Today he heads the hospitality and leisure sector’s standout strategic communications consultancy, Fleet Street.  Supporting management teams on a range of reputational challenges and opportunities, they work across the corporate and consumer comms landscape, including ESG, crisis management, CEO and leadership messaging, as well stakeholder and community relations.  He is a regular commentator and speaker on key industry issues, and in addition to Only A Pavement Away, Fleet Street’s client partners include Arc Inspirations, Big Table Group, Clermont Hotels Group, Diageo, Heineken, Nutritics, Parkdean Resorts, UKHospitality and Zonal.

Insight - A Fork in the Road: The Challenges facing Hospitality and Food Service’  

Reuben Pullan, Senior Insight Consultant, CGA by NIQ

As Senior Insight Consultant at CGA by NIQ, Reuben is tasked with keeping a finger on the pulse of Great Britain’s hospitality market.

In such a dynamic environment, and with a wealth of data available, monitoring developments in the sector is a full-time job. Reuben supports the sector’s leading operators, suppliers, and trade associations, with the insights they need to see the industry operating at its full potential.