USA. Avolta Senior Vice President for F&B Commercial Bastiaan van Asten and Chief Executive Officer Northern, Central and Eastern Europe Walter Seib, and Conceptional Managing Partner Fred van Aken have become among the latest key industry figures to join a powerful and diverse speaker line-up at the Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) + Hospitality Conference & Awards in Ontario, California on 25-26 June.
The conference, hosted by Ontario International Airport, will bring together senior executives from airports, food & beverage concessionaires, hospitality service providers, as well as other business partners from around the world. FAB is owned and organised by The Moodie Davitt Report.
Adding dazzle to the already stellar line-up of speakers at the upcoming FAB + Hospitality Conference are (top row, from left): Avolta Senior Vice President for F&B Commercial Bastiaan van Asten; Conceptional Managing Partner Fred van Aken; Avolta Chief Executive Officer Northern, Central and Eastern Europe Walter Seib; (bottom row from left) Avolta Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Office Laura FitzRandolph; and JFKIAT Vice President Customer Experience & Commercial Belinda Jain
The latest confirmed speakers also include Avolta Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Laura FitzRandolph and JFKIAT Vice President Customer Experience & Commercial Belinda Jain.
Bastiaan van Asten and Fred van Aken will be joining Royal Schiphol Group Business Manager Food & Beverage Bram Kreté to present a case study on F&B sustainability at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.
They will share insights on the process, starting from the initial vision and strategy to the implementation of a comprehensive, principle-led joint approach involving all stakeholders within the food & beverage domain (airport authorities, operators and suppliers).
As previously announced, the stellar speaker line-up includes OTG Chairman of the Board of Directors and Interim CEO Tom Fricke, and Ontario International Airport CEO Atif Elkadi.
They will be joined by Dallas Fort Worth International Airport Vice President Concessions Zenola Campbell; Lagardère Travel Retail Executive Vice President Foodservice Mélanie Guilldou; Paradies Lagardère CEO Gregg Paradies; Vantage Airport Group & Midway Partnership Vice President, Commercial Sammy Patel; and Villa Restaurant Group Director of Business Development Christopher McNamee.
Also speaking at the upcoming event are Ontario International Airport Chief Revenue Management Officer Elisa Grey; Delaware North Senior Director, Brands and Concepts Liz Grzechowiak; Conceptional Founder and Chief Executive Officer Reoewein Niesten; tRetail Labs Chief Product Officer & Co-Founder Sossina Shenkute; Dreamfolks Services Limited Chief Business Officer Sandeep Sonawane and Pragma Chief Executive Officer Alex Avery.
The Moodie Davitt Report is also co-organising a session with the Airport Restaurant & Retail Association (ARRA), which represents the interests of commercial concessionaires in North America. ARRA Executive Director Andrew Weddig and Paradies Lagardère Executive Vice President David Bisset are among those taking part in the panel (others to be named shortly), which will discuss the ‘new normal’ in airport concessions in the region and challenges to the business model.
The Ontario Convention Center offers an outstanding venue for the world’s only global airport food & beverage and hospitality event
In addition, former ARI CEO, daa Chief Commercial Officer and current Castlepole Director Jack MacGowan will co-moderate the programme alongside The Moodie Davitt Report Founder & Chairman Martin Moodie and President Dermot Davitt.
Other big-name industry leaders speaking at the event are America Vice President of People Sherree Coker; Concessions International Chief Executive Officer Donata Russell Ross; Plaza Premium Group Director of Global Brand and Transformation Mei Mei Song; SSP America Chief Executive Officer Michael Svagdis; and San Diego International Airport Revenue Generation & Partnership Development Director Deanna Zachrisson.
Also appearing as guest speakers will be Areas USA Chief Executive Officer Carlos Bernal; The Design Solution Brand Development Director John Clarke; Margaritaville Caribbean Group Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ian Dear; Airport Dimensions Senior Vice President of Global Business Development Chris Gwilliam; and Bangalore International Airport Vice President Commercial Development Pravat Kumar Paikray.
More names in the list include Enjoy Repeat, Inc/Concord Collective/Fly With Breeze Chief Executive Officer Greg Plummer; Greater Toronto Airports Authority Dining Development Manager Suzanne Merrell; Qatar Duty Free Vice President Food & Beverage Grant Fleming; DreamFolks Services Limited Chairperson & Managing Director Liberatha Kallat; and Royal Schiphol Group Business Manager Food & Beverage Bram Kreté.
Click on the cover to access the relaunched FAB eZine, which features highlights of FAB+ 2023 in Bangkok
The event will also celebrate the achievements and efforts of the sector with the much-anticipated FAB Awards and people-focused FAB Superstars. The awards ceremony will be the glittering culmination of the event to be held during the Gala Dinner on 26 June at the Sheraton Fairplex Hotel & Conference Center.
The first short-listed entries for the FAB Awards and FAB Superstars were announced earlier this month.
The event will see the Opening Cocktail take place on 25 June at TopGolf Ontario, with the Gala Dinner & FAB Awards at the nearby Sheraton Fairplex Hotel & Conference Center, as reported.
Click here to visit our dedicated event website. 
Note: The Moodie Davitt Report publishes the FAB Newsletter, which features highlights of openings, events and campaigns from around the world of airport and travel dining.
Please email Kristyn@MoodieDavittReport.com to subscribe.
