The first speaker for our 2019 Conference has been announced!

Kate Nicholls, CEO of UKHospitality will be taking part in the Business Day programme on Friday 5th April, which is noted for its top class speakers on both industry specific topics and general business issues.

Kate Nicholls was appointed CEO of UKHospitality, the powerful voice representing the broad hospitality sector, in April 2018, having previously worked as CEO and Strategic Affairs Director of the ALMR.

In April 2018, Kate was also appointed Chair of the Mayor of London’s Night Time Commission to provide the Mayor with independent advice on London at night. Kate is also a member of the Events Industry Board, London Food Board, Tourism Industry Council, Cultural Cities Enquiry and London & Partners Members Group. In February 2019, Kate joined the Advisory Board for the Institute for Industrial Strategy.

After gaining a degree in English and a post-graduate diploma in competition law, Kate worked as a researcher in the House of Commons and European Parliament before joining Whitbread as Government Relations Manager, starting her career in hospitality in 1993. Kate was Director at one of the largest independent public affairs companies, working with a number of hospitality, retail and leisure accounts before establishing her own strategic communications consultancy in 2000. She is a graduate of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge and Kings College London.

Adam Mason says Kate’s booking has set the bar for the rest of the Conference line-up and he’s delighted to welcome Kate to the ceda Conference, he said, “In a very short period of time Kate has driven UK Hospitality to become the leading, authoritative, industry body representing the wider hospitality industry. She is an incredibly impressive person who I have a huge amount of professional admiration for and I am delighted that attendees to our Conference will have the opportunity to meet and listen to her thoughts and views.”