9th European Foodservice Summit EN

Aaron Allen
Quantified Marketing Group
Lake Mary/Fl., USA, www.quantifiedmarketing.com

Aaron Allen is founder & CEO of Quantified Marketing Group. It has grown from a single-man operation to one of the world’s largest restaurant consulting companies in just seven short years. Main subjects: strategic marketing, conceptual design and restaurant brand innovation; guidance to companies such as Mexico’s largest restaurant companies or The Cheesecake Factory. Aaron has already achieved some of the highest honours bestowed on marketing practitioners. He has a track record of double-digit sales improvements for a diverse range of clients. He is in demand as a speaker at leading think tanks.

David Bosshart
Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute
Zurich, Switzerland, www.gdi.ch

Dr. David Bosshart is CEO of the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute for economic and social studies, one of Europe’s leading think tanks. He is the author of various publications including ‘Kultmarketing’ (Cult Marketing), ‘Die Zukunft des Konsums’ (The Future of Consumption), and ‘Billig’ (Cheap), and a frequent speaker at events in Europe, USA and Asia. His work focuses primarily on trade and retailing, management and social change. He studied philosophy and political theory.

Robert Brozin
Nando's Restaurants
Johannesburg, South Africa, www.nandos.com

Robert Brozin is CEO and founder of Nando’s Restaurants. With this concept – flame grilled peri-peri chicken – he realized his dream of pride, passion and integrity. Today, the brand operates almost 700 restaurants in 34 countries around the globe. The Nando’s story is not just a quest for a global brand. It is the story of how things can be done differently in the corporate environment. Besides South Africa (280 stores), strongest presence in UK (200 units). Robert has a university degree and is a very energetic and visionary person – a real pioneer. The Nando’s story is a proudly South African one.

Lori Ann Daytner
Rosinter Restaurants Holding
Moscow, Russia, www.rosinter.com

Lori Ann Daytner is president and CEO of Rosinter Restaurants Holding, the leading casual-dining company in Russia and the CIS. Born in Newcastle, Pennsylvania, USA, Lori went to Moscow in 1990. Only a little later, she was involved in opening the first 'Patio Pizza' restaurant. Rosinter operates nearly 260 outlets and offers Italian, Japanese and Russian cuisine under different brands. Consolidated revenues in 2007: US$ 268.2 m. The holding is listed on the stock market. Lori has a Bachelor’s Degree. Besides English and Russian she has knowledge in a few more languages.

Marcel Dietrich
Globus
Zurich, Switzerland, www.globus.ch

Marcel Dietrich is CEO of Globus – a chain of 12 upmarket department stores in Switzerland with great competence in food & foodservice (30% of total sales). The opening of the famous ‘Globus am Bellevue’ and the refurbishment of the Globus flagship store in Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse are two major milestones in his strategy of getting ‘Globus to the Top’. Marcel has a very profound retail background – and a PhD in Business Administration. He has worked for Interio, Globus Office World and Manor in Switzerland and Germany in a variety of positions. Marcel Dietrich has been CEO of Globus since 2002.

Tom Hannan
Google
Zurich, Switzerland, www.google.ch

Tom Hanan is Sales Manager at Google in Zurich and responsible for the Swiss and Austrian markets. Google began in 1996 as a research project of two students at Stanford University, California. Today, it is the world’s largest search engine making information universally acceptable and useful. Tom studied marketing, economics and astronomy in the United States. On returning to Europe, he worked in one of Switzerland's first online agencies before becoming Managing Director of Yahoo’s sales office in Zurich. In 2003, he moved to Google where he became the first employee of the Swiss Office. Today, he ranks as one of the most experienced managers of the internet world.

Hans Hatt
Ruhr-University Bochum
Bochum, Germany, www.cphys.ruhr-uni-bochum.de

Prof. Hanns Hatt has doctorates in biology, chemistry and medicine and has held the Chair of the Department of Cell Biology at Ruhr- University in Bochum since 1992. He specialises on research into smell, a discipline in which he has already received numerous research awards. Hanns was also the first to identify human olfactory receptors. The internationally renowned scientist is involved with many organisations, inter alia, as speaker of the International Graduate School Bioscience since 2005, as member of the New York Academy of Science and Vice President of the Academy of Science NRW.

Christopher C. Muller
UCF
Orlando, USA, www.hospitality.ucf.edu

Christopher C. Muller, Ph.D., is a leading academic expert. He is currently a professor in the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida where he is Director of the Center for Multi-Unit Restaurant Management. His research has focused on chain-restaurant organization, development and growth and the training of multi-unit managers. Christopher has lectured on these topics throughout the world.

Jim Parker
former Southwest Airlines
Dallas, USA, www.whartonsp.com

Jim Parker, former CEO of Southwest Airlines, is the author of the book ‘Do the Right Thing – How Dedicated Employees Produce Loyal Customers and Large Profits’. He is a lawyer by trade (University of Texas) but spent most of his working life in the airline industry - being mentioned on lists of the best CEOs in USA a couple of times. Parallel to this, Southwest was named by Fortune Magazine as being one of the three most admired companies in America. Today, retired from the Airline Industry, Jim serves on the Board of Directors of a successful restaurant chain (Texas Roadhouse). He is an exceptional speaker with an outstanding success story.

Kim Rahbek Hansen
Sticks'n'Sushi Ltd.
Frederiksberg, Denmark, www.sushi.dk

Kim Rahbek Hansen is CEO of Sticks’n’Sushi Ltd., which he established in 1994 together with two friends, primarily as a hobby. This hobby developed into a successful business. Today, the brand has seven units across Copenhagen serving high quality, fresh conveni - ence food - each individually designed (combining contemporary Danish minimalism with classic Japanese touches). Kim worked for more than 15 years in the media business before re-skilling himself for Sticks’n’Sushi. He believes in private entrepreneurship and sustainabil - ity. The latter crucially involves the way in which we sell and eat food in our modern society.

Walter Seib
HMSHost Europe
Amsterdam, The Netherlands, www.hmshosteurope.com

Walter Seib is Managing Director of HMSHost Europe for both European business development and operations (7 countries/ 170 locations). He joined the company in 1993 as a Multi Unit Restaurant Manager, since then he held various management positions. HMSHost is part of the Autogrill Group, the world’s biggest provider of food & beverage and retail services for travellers. With over €4.8 bn sales in 2007, the Italian group is active in 42 countries with a portfolio of over 350 brands (HMSHost: annual sales of $2.3 bn). Walter, born in Austria, has studied at Vienna’s School of Hotel Management. Great experience in the hospitality industry, especially at airport locations.

Spiros Soukas
Mongo's Restaurants
Essen, Germany, www.mongos.de

Spiros Soukas is founder & co-owner of the Mongo’s restaurant chain. He was born in Athens, Greece. When he was three, he moved with his family to Germany. Excellent education, apprenticeship and time as a journeyman in the hospitality industry – national and international. Spiros opened the first Mongo's Restaurant (Mongolian barbecue) together with his partner, Christian Blech, in 1998. Best-selling operations in Cologne & Düsseldorf. Eight outlets at present – a modified concept is planned. First experience with franchising in Asia.

John Vincent
Leon Restaurants
Leon, UK, www.leonrestaurants.co.uk

John Vincent is an entrepreneur with experience of both large and small companies. He founded Leon with Henry Dimbleby and Allegra McEvedy. Together, the pioneering threesome spotted a gap in the market – natural fast-food. Leon first opened in 2004 in London and was quickly named ‘Best Newcomer of the Year’ by The Observer. This ‘green’ foodservice brand now has ten restaurants and serves over 50,000 people per week. John started his career in commercial positions at Procter & Gamble before moving to Bain & Company. At the same time as launching and growing Leon, John played a leadership role in turning around a Scotch whisky business.

Gretel Weiss
FoodService Europe & Middle East
Frankfurt, Germany, www.cafe-future.net

Gretel Weiss is the Co-founder and Editor-in-chief of the two leading trade magazines - food-service (since 1982) and FoodService Europe & Middle East (since 1998). She is a recognised expert with insider knowledge of the chain-restaurant industry (market analyses, conceptual case studies and trends). Background: farming, university degrees in nutritional science and economics.