Meet The Speakers
An Afternoon of Insight and Inspiration
Join us in The Savoy’s iconic Lancaster Ballroom as we bring together a standout line-up of speakers for this year’s HMA Awards. From 4–6pm, leading voices in hospitality marketing will share their insights, strategies and forward-thinking ideas shaping the future of the industry. Meet the professionals who are driving innovation and creativity across the UK hospitality sector.
Event Speakers:
Alex Polizzi | Hotelier and TV Personality
Alex Polizzi was The Hotel Inspector, charged with turning around the fortunes of ailing hotel businesses, making them into Holiday Heaven instead of Hotel Hell. She now appears as The Fixer on the BBC, sorting out the problems in family-run, small businesses.
Alex comes from a long line of hoteliers-her mother, the hotel designer Olga Polizzi, is the sister of Sir Rocco Forte.
After reading English at Oxford University, Alex trained at the Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong,worked for Marco Pierre White at the Criterion, and then worked at various Rocco Forte hotels around the world.
Alex is the proprietor of the Hotel Endsleigh in Milton Abbot, near Tavistock in Devon. Before taking over and stamping their mark on the Endsleigh, Alex and Olga Polizzi had already launched the highly praised Hotel Tresanton at St Mawes in Cornwall.
Suzie Thompson | Commercial VP, Red Carnation Hotels
Suzie Thompson is Vice President for Commercial at Red Carnation Hotels. Red Carnation Hotels are a family-owned collection, with 18 luxury boutique hotels & resorts including Ashford Castle in Ireland, The Milestone Hotel & Residences in London, 100 Princes Street in Edinburgh & The Twelve Apostles Hotel in Cape Town.
Suzie has worked with the collection for 15 years and leads the global commercial strategy for Sales & Marketing, Reservations & Revenue Management. With a passion for technology and distribution, brand and guest experience, Suzie’s previous roles include UK Head of sales for Sabre Hospitality, UK Marketing Manager for lastminute.com and Reservations Management roles with IHG.
Ryan Haynes | Director, Lead Consultant - Haynes MarComs
Former broadcaster, having worked at Radio 1 and LBC, Ryan is a marketing communications consultant specialising in travel and hospitality. As lead consultant at Haynes MarComs, he works with leading technology systems and hotel brands. Ryan is host of Travel Market Life podcast including the award-winning Hoteliers' Voice, speaking to industry leaders exploring industry developments.
Michael Baxter, Founder, House of Gods
Mike Baxter is a serial entrepreneur and founder of houseofgodshotel.com, getsomekip.com and theBaxter.eu. Mike has a passion for creating not only beautiful hotels but immersive experiences that far surpass the norm. As founder and creative director of House of Gods, Mike has created a hotel experience like no other, drawing on the aesthetics of the great heritage hotels of the world to create a luxurious yet accessible hotel offering loved by its guests. Having successfully launched in Edinburgh and Glasgow, Mike and the team are about to locate to London with a 65,000 square foot property in the heart of Canary Wharf due to open October 2025.
Matthew Saunby (“Saunby”), Executive Creative Director, 2050 London
Matthew Saunby (“Saunby”) is the Executive Creative Director at 2050 London, with over 30 years of experience in the creative industry. He began his career at Bartle, Bogle, Hegarty in 1996, spending a decade crafting iconic campaigns for Levi’s, Audi, Xbox, Lynx, and Boddingtons. He went on to hold senior creative roles at TBWA, AMV, and Saatchi & Saatchi, and later founded and led Forever Beta for eight successful years.
Saunby has delivered standout work for global brands including PlayStation, Google, Camden Town Brewery, Guinness, Sainsbury’s, and The Co-op. He also led the launch of the Nissan Qashqai across Europe, delivering the most successful car launch in Nissan’s history.
Known for work that blends cultural resonance with creative innovation, Saunby has earned every major industry accolade — including awards from Cannes Lions, D&AD, British Television Arrows, and Clio Awards in the US
Peter Hancock | Master of Ceremonies
Peter Hancock is an award-winning professional conference and awards host, after dinner speaker and qualified toastmaster. Peter started his career as a waiter in the late1970s and managed small hotels in Sussex and Hampshire before becoming the UK publisher of Johansens guides (1988-2000) and Chief Executive at Pride of Britain Hotels(2000-2021). An honorary Master Innholder, a Fellow of the Institute of Hospitality, a Fellow of HOSPA, an ambassador for James Hallam (insurance), Hospitality Action, The Gold Service Scholarship & The Independent Hotel Show, he is currently Chair of the Quality Advisory Board for the AA and Visit England but prefers to describe himself as “retired”.
