From Legacy to 2030
EP Business in Hospitality
Leading communicator in #Hospitality Industry. Runs numerous events, campaigns and consultancy & publishing.
What Hospitality's Greats See Coming Next
The Hospitality Industry Is Entering a Period of Extraordinary Change
From evolving customer expectations to advances in technology, sustainability, and talent development, the landscape in 2030 will look very different. To help navigate what lies ahead, our Vision 2030 report draws on the insights of some of the most experienced and respected figures in the sector.
These senior leaders have shaped hospitality over decades. Michael Hirst, Mike Prager, Michael Gottlieb, Robin Sheppard, Andrew Stembridge, Matt Wood, and Claire Atkins Morris bring unparalleled knowledge—from hotel management to restaurant innovation and everything in between. Their experience is not just historical; it offers a lens into the opportunities and challenges we can expect by 2030.
What Can We Learn From Them?
1. Michael Gottlieb – Founder of Smollensky’s Restaurant Group, Founder of Café Spice Namaste, Former Chairman of the Restaurant Association of Great Britain
Michael reflects on why diners will always value great service, great food, thoughtful ambience, and fair prices—and why these fundamentals will remain crucial by 2030.
How will technology, from tablets to apps, change the way diners interact with staff?
What role will staff personality and training play in creating memorable experiences?
Which innovations and trends will truly endure, and which are likely to fade?
2. Andrew Stembridge – Executive Director, Iconic Luxury Hotels
Andrew explores how purpose, people, and innovation will shape the industry’s next chapter.
How can leaders balance cutting-edge technology with the timeless need for authentic human connection?
What role will emotionally intelligent leadership and strong workplace culture play in shaping the hotels and restaurants of 2030?
How can global brands grow internationally while remaining sensitive to local cultures, values, and sustainability expectations?
3. Claire Atkins Morris – Sustainability Director, Sodexo
Claire tackles one of hospitality’s most complex challenges: delivering real sustainability progress in an unpredictable world.
How can hospitality leaders plan for sustainability when government policy and market signals keep shifting?
Why will 2030 be the critical deadline for proving whether net-zero targets are achievable?
What practical steps can operators take to stay accountable even when progress isn’t a straight line?
4. Mike Prager – Industry Chair & Non-Executive Director, Former SVP Sales & Marketing EAME, Hilton
Mike unpacks the tangled web of owners, brands, and operators shaping today’s market—and explores how franchising, soft brands, and technology will redefine what makes a hotel valuable by 2030.
Why has the explosion of hotel brands made it harder, not easier, for guests to know what to expect?
How will franchising and soft branding change the power balance between owners, operators, and guests by 2030?
As technology gives travellers more control and transparency, will brand logos matter less than loyalty programmes and real-time reviews?
5. Robin Sheppard – Founder, Bespoke Hotels
Robin shares how his personal journey has fuelled a mission to make accessibility a driver of growth, urging hoteliers to see inclusivity as both a moral imperative and a commercial opportunity by 2030.
How can hotels move beyond minimum legal requirements and make accessible rooms feel like upgrades rather than afterthoughts?
Why will the “purple pound” make accessibility a business necessity as well as a social one by 2030?
What role will technology and thoughtful design play in ensuring disabled guests can book and travel with the same ease as any other guest?
6. Matt Wood – Managing Director, Lexington & Elior UK B&I
Matt shows how food service can be a powerful force for social impact—proving that feeding people with integrity creates lasting value for teams, communities, and the wider industry.
How is Lexington turning everyday operations—from paid volunteering to allergen-free menus—into measurable social value by 2025 and beyond?
What innovative partnerships, from Change Please to Fat Macy’s, are helping tackle homelessness and open new career pathways in hospitality?
Why will diversity, sustainability, and colleague wellbeing define the true success of food service by 2030?
7. Michael Hirst OBE – Industry Chair, Former Chairman of Tourism Alliance, Former Chairman & CEO of Hilton International
Michael makes a powerful case for why events are the economic engine of hospitality, arguing that by 2030 the UK must treat events as a growth strategy, not a “nice to have.”
Why do events create far more than economic impact, putting “enjoyment in people’s hearts” and driving community connection?
What national changes—from a dedicated events commissioner to regional growth strategies—are essential for the UK to stay globally competitive by 2030?
How can hospitality businesses tap into the rising demand for immersive, participatory experiences that go beyond traditional leisure?
These seven voices are only a glimpse of the thought-provoking contributions in the Vision 2030 report.
Email Izzy to Pre-order your copy ahead of the late-October launch (izzy.mchattie@epmagazine.co.uk)