European Foodservice Summit 2023

Mario C. Bauer

Entrepreneur & Investor
Amsterdam, The Netherlands​

Mario, an entrepreneur, investor, and affectionately known as the "Teddy Bear," played a pivotal role in the global expansion of the fast-casual pasta and pizza chain, Vapiano. Under his supervision, Vapiano expanded its presence to 32 countries worldwide. In 2020, Mario, along with other esteemed entrepreneurs from the industry, demonstrated their belief in the brand by acquiring Vapiano during a challenging period of insolvency. Presently, Mario holds positions as a Board Member and Shareholder of Vapiano, as well as Dean & David. Furthermore, he is the co-founder and CEO of Curtice Brothers Natural Sauces and co-founded White Space Partners International.

Keith Bird

CEO, Marugame Udon
London, UK

Inga Blokker

Director, FoodService Instituut Nederland
The Netherlands​

Inga Blokker is the director of the FoodService Insituut Nederland (FSIN) and the closely connected Food Research Company. It is run as a non-profit association with a membership that covers the entire food chain, both in the food retail and foodservice sectors. FSIN publishes reports of numerous studies conducted by The Food Research Company.

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Gamze Cizreli

Founder & Chairperson, Big Chefs
Istanbul, Turkey

Gamze Cizreli is a prominent figure in the Turkish hospitality industry. With a background in business
administration and a passion for gastronomy, Gamze has created numerous successful brands,
including the renowned BigChefs Cafe Brasserie. Under her leadership, BigChefs has expanded to 85
locations across eight countries, employing over 4,500 people. Recognized for her entrepreneurial
achievements, Gamze has received prestigious awards and accolades, including being named
"Woman Entrepreneur of Turkey" multiple times. A mother of two, she is also actively involved in
community services and sustainable development goals. Recently, Forbes recognized Gamze as one
of the influential "50 Over 50 Women" in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East (EMEA).

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Oli Dervey

Partner Manager Swiss Miles & More, Swisscard
Zurich, Switzerland

Oli manages the co-brand credit card partnerships between Swisscard and Swiss Miles & More as well as Poinz Swiss Loyalty. Building on over 15 years of experience with airlines, hotels and retailers, Oli has a deep understanding of the global loyalty industry. He has worked for program operators as
well as marketing agencies on five continents (not to mention earned and redeemed millions of miles as an avid mileage junkie). He spent nine years with global loyalty company Aimia in Montréal, Canada as a strategist and as the Key Account Manager for Air Canada at the Aeroplan program.
Following his return to Switzerland, Oli was the Head of Loyalty Programs for credit card provider Bonuscard and in summer 2022 joined Swisscard.

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Arnaud Dufour

Secretary General, Serving Europe
Bruxelles, Belgium

Arnaud is a public affairs professional who has been the main coordinator of
Serving Europe, the branded food and beverage service chains association,
since February 2018. He was then officially appointed as the Secretary
General of the Association in June 2021. In this role, Arnaud advises branded
chains on future EU regulatory changes and ensures their voices are heard in
areas that greatly impact the sector such as sustainable food and sourcing,
packaging transition, nutrition and diets, etc. Prior to joining Serving Europe,
Arnaud acted as an independent lawyer in the field of commercial litigation. A
Belgian national, Arnaud holds a Masters in private law from the Université Libre de Bruxelles.

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Harry Goss

Partner & Foodservice Lead, McWin Capital Partners
London, UK

Harry is a Partner at McWin and joined the firm in October 2022. He lead’s the company’s foodservice vertical and is a member of the firm’s management team and Investment Committee. Prior to joining McWin, Harry worked in investment banking for 16 years, including positions at Lehman Brothers and Nomura. For the past 10 years he led Nomura’s food service and leisure investment banking practice in Europe. He has broad product expertise across M&A advisory, financing advisory and principal lending. He advised a number of high-profile public and private companies as well as private equity firms and family offices. As part of this he led several of the largest transactions in the European foodservice sector and in doing so established a global network of relationships.

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André Lacroix

CEO, Intertek
London, UK

Today the CEO of Intertek Group, André Lacroix brings to the table a wealth of experience and leadership know-how earned during over 25 years in global organizations in hospitality as well as other industries. As the president of Burger King International (2001-2003), he spearheaded a global expansion strategy that saw the company's footprint grow to cover over 3,000 sites in 55 countries, while improving product quality and customer service. He also served as Chairman and CEO of Euro Disney, which he successfully led through a major financial restructuring. With his strong track record of delivering long-term growth strategies and shareholder value, André Lacroix is sure to offer a compelling insight into the challenges and opportunities facing the hospitality industry today.

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Victor Lugger

Co-founder, Big Mamma Group
London, UK

Victor Lugger is the co-founder of Big Mamma Group, with currently 23 trattorias in France, UK, Spain and Germany including La Felicità (biggest Food Market in Europe). Big Mamma was the first restaurant group in Europe to gain the B-Corp status in 2018 and achieved the highest rating for a European hospitality group in 2023.Victor is also the CEO of Sunday, the checkout and pay-at-table solution for hospitality present in restaurants in the US, UK and France and now launching in Germany.

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Julian Metcalfe

Founder & CEO, itsu
London, UK

The (co-)founder of Pret A Manger and itsu, Julian Metcalfe is a distinguished figure in the hospitality industry, who has inspired leaders across Europe. After contributing to Pret A Manger's global success, Julian established the healthy fast food chain itsu in 1997. Evolving from sushi-focused menus to hot foods and branded retail products, itsu has been a trailblazer in testing new technologies, revolutionizing both front- and back-of-house operations. With over 100 restaurants across the UK, Belgium and France, itsu continues expanding in Europe through strategic partnerships.

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Richard Morris

CEO, Tortilla Mexican Grill
London, UK

Richard joined Tortilla Mexican Grill as Managing Director in 2014 and subsequently became CEO In January 2019. Richard has over 30 years’ experience in the food sector. After starting his career in the US, Richard held roles at TGI Fridays and Rainforest Café. He joined Loch Fyne Restaurants’ original management team as Operations Director in 1999, becoming Managing Director in 2005. He oversaw the sale of the business to Greene King in 2011. Richard then joined Daylesford Organic in 2011 where he oversaw the Company’s London operations.

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Christopher C. Muller

Courtesy Professor, FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management
Boston, USA

Chris Muller is a leading academic expert in the field of restaurant management. His research has focused on multi-unit organizations, development and growth, and the training of multi-unit managers and leaders. He has held positions at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, UCF’s Rosen College, Boston University, and is currently Courtesy Professor of Executive Education at FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality. He is an author and has lectured around the globe.

Jordi Pascual

Co-founder & Managing Director, Udon
Barcelona, Spain

Jordi Pascual is the co-founder and CEO of Udon Asian Food with currently more than 70 restaurants in five countries serving over 8,000 customers every day. Following a Bachelor in Business Administration and Management in Barcelona, Jordi moved to Gent, Belgium, in 1999 to work as a Sales Engineer for Honda Europe Logistics NV. His family business‘s close ties to Japan and his love of the Japanese cuisine were the spark that caused him to return to Barcelona three years later to start the first Udon restaurant together with his partner Jordi Vidal. The first unit opened in 2004.

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Jochen Pinsker

Industry Advisor Foodservice Europe, Circana
Nürnberg, Germany

Jochen Pinsker has been tracking and analyzing European foodservice and consumer behavior trends for over 25 years. As Industry Advisor Foodservice Europe at Circana (formerly npdgroup) he is also instrumental in developing new services and analysis capabilities for the industry in Europe and the Middle East. In his former position as Senior Vice President Foodservice Europe, he played a significant role in expanding the foodservice business from two European countries in 1998 to nine countries today. Jochen advises some of the largest restaurant operators and manufacturers across Europe.

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Sven Sallaert

Co-founder, Younique Concepts
Amsterdam, The Netherlands

The co-founder of Younique Concepts (position: Future Growth), Sven has developed nine hospitality concepts which are owned, partially owned or managed by him and the entire team of Younique Concepts. Four new outlets are in the pipeline, besides the company’s focus is on the international expansion of the very successful experiential seafood-brand Pesca - which now holds two locations in the Netherlands. Younique Concepts stands out for their revolutionary HR-model, innovative guest experiences and bold marketing approach. Sven studied Hospitality Management and Leadership in Maastricht, Barcelona and Berkely.

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Frank Sieren

China expert, TV journalist, Author
Peking, China

Frank Sieren is a leading German China expert, columnist for the business newspaper Handelsblatt, and bestselling author. With over two decades living in Beijing, he's penned influential books, sparking debates on Asia. Sieren's documentaries (ARD / ZDF) and extensive interviews with leading Chinese politicians and business figures have established him as an authoritative voice on China's evolving landscape. He is co-founder of the Media Forum China.

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Dr. Stefan Tewes

Founder & CEO, Coffee Fellows 
Munich, Germany

Stefan Tewes is the founder and CEO of Coffee Fellows. The coffee shop concept was founded in Munich in 1999 and has now been at the top of the German coffee shop market for several years. The franchise company operates 240 stores in the DACH region and other countries like Bulgaria, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Egypt and Mongolia. The next major milestone is planned for June 2023, when the company will enter the U.S. market.

Tewes, who holds a doctorate in business administration, worked as a management consultant before founding the company.

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Rebecca Viani

CFE, Whitespace Partners
Palma, Spain

Rebecca is a partner and the Head of International Expansion and Franchising Advisory at WhiteSpace Partners, working with European and international foodservice brands on the development and execution of their expansion and growth strategies across EMEA. She has spent her career in franchising, on both the franchisee side and the franchisor side, having worked for and developed foodservice brands in the Americas, Middle East and Europe. Over the last 10 years, she has resided in the Middle East and then Europe leading the franchise development and international growth for Dubai-based house of brands, Awj Investments, followed by U.S. restaurant group, Darden Restaurants, until joining WhiteSpace Partners in 2020. Rebecca is a Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) and regularly contributes to the industry as a guest author, speaker and mentor.

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Judd Williams

Head of Franchise, Marugame Udon
London, UK

As Franchise Director for Marugame Udon Europe, Judd is responsible for the growth of Japan’s number one Udon & Tempura brand in the UK & Europe. He has extensive franchise experience, as both franchisor and franchisee, having previously held leadership positions with Boparan Restaurant Group (Slim Chickens, Carluccio’s, Gourmet Burger Kitchen), Costa Coffee and Starbucks.

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Katrin Wissmann

Executive Editor, European foodservice media
Frankfurt, Germany

Katrin Wissmann is the Executive Editor of european foodservice media and a long-standing editor of the German B-2-2 journal foodservice. She studied journalism and American Studies in Mainz (Germany), Pamplona (Spain) and in Middlebury, VT, (USA). After gaining initial professional experience in print, radio and television, she joined the editorial teams of foodservice and foodservice Europe & Middle East in 2006. Before her current position, which includes content planning and speaker coordination of the European Foodservice Summit, Katrin was Executive Editor of the international trade journal foodservice Europe & Middle East.

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Emma Woods

Chair, Tortilla Mexican Grill
Frankfurt, Germany

Emma has extensive experience at Board level in multi-site leisure businesses. She is currently a non-executive director for The Gym Group plc and has been on the company’s Board since its IPO in 2016. Her hospitality experience includes being the CEO of Wagamama from December 2018 to June 2021, during which time she navigated the acquisition by TRG plc and the Covid-19 pandemic. Prior to this she was Wagamama’s Chief Growth Officer and before that was Group Marketing Director for PizzaExpress. Emma is trained as a global marketer and has previously held Global Marketing Director roles at Merlin Entertainments and Unilever.

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