Source: HFTP

Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®), the only organization producing nonprofit hospitality events at an international level, including the world's largest Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC®), is pleased to announce the advisory council for its second annual HITEC Amsterdam. The next HITEC Amsterdam will take place from April 11–13, 2018 at the RAI Convention Centre in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

The HITEC Amsterdam Advisory Council met in Amsterdam this month to plan the upcoming conference's educational program. Sessions planned by the pan-European group will address the issues of top concern to the hospitality technology field. HITEC Amsterdam is an extension of HFTP's tremendously successful HITEC, which just completed its 45th year.

"HFTP was overwhelmed by the success of its inaugural HITEC Amsterdam in March 2017, and is delighted to bring the event back in April 2018," said HFTP CEO Frank Wolfe, CAE. "The HITEC Amsterdam Advisory Council worked hard when they met last month to design an educational program that will radiate interest and knowledge-sharing amongst attendees."

Planning for HITEC Amsterdam is in full swing with guidance from an advisory council representing six European countries. The council is chaired by Carson Booth, CHTP and vice-chaired by Derek Wood. The HITEC Amsterdam Advisory Council who are among Europe's finest hospitality technology group are:

  • Carson Booth, CHTP, startup technology consultant, Germany
  • Fergus Boyd, vice president of digital and IT at Yotel, London
  • James Byrne, owner at Eccleston Square Hotel, London
  • Mark Campbell, chief information officer at Dorchester Collection, London
  • Ally Dombey, director at Revenue by Design, London
  • Gerhard Finster, owner at Arcadia Hotels Group, Germany
  • Thierry Guiraudios, chief information officer at chez Louvre Hotels Group, France
  • Alvaro Hidalgo, managing partner at First Logic Consulting, Spain
  • Timo Kettern, director of IT at Lapithus Hotel Management, Germany
  • Lodewijk Klootwijk, chief executive officer at European Golf Course Owners Association, The Netherlands
  • Phil Le Brun, vice president and segment chief information officer at McDonald's Corporation, London
  • Michael Levie, CHTP, executive at citizenM, The Netherlands
  • Ian Millar, CHTP, professor of IT at Ecole Hoteliere De Lausanne, Switzerland
  • Sophie Pommois, project director of global distribution at Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), Switzerland
  • Michiel Roelfsema, deputy general manager at Hotel Okura Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  • Henri Roelings, founder and CEO at Hsyndicate, The Netherlands
  • Barry Thomas, CHTP, area director of information technology at Rosewood Hotel, London
  • Derek Wood, managing director at Derek Wood Associates Ltd, England
  • Lyle Worthington, CHTP, CIO at The Student Hotel, The Netherlands

In traditional HITEC fashion, HITEC Amsterdam will include an exhibit hall, keynote presentations and over 16 educational sessions about trending hospitality technology topics including: blockchain, OTA's, sustainability, service bus, PMS, API, GDPR/DPO, development methodologies, meeting room technology, consumer journey and more.

For the latest news, follow HFTP/HITEC on HITEC Bytes, PineappleSearch, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter (@HFTP), Instagram (HFTP_HITEC), Flickr and YouTube. For more information about HITEC Amsterdam, contact the HFTP Meetings & Special Events Department at [email protected], +1 (512) 249-5333.

About HITEC

HITEC is the world's largest and oldest hospitality technology exposition and conference brand. HITEC offers a unique combination of top-notch education, and brings together the brightest minds and hottest technologies from across the globe to one place. The unparalleled event offers attendees essential education, access to top hospitality technology industry experts and the resources to find cost-effective ways to improve company bottom lines. Combined with the intimate opportunities to connect with fellow professionals, HITEC has everything to enhance your career.

Historically hosted annually in a different city throughout the United States, HFTP decided to break tradition in 2017 by hosting three HITEC events all taking place outside of U.S. borders– in Toronto, Amsterdam and Dubai. This will be the first time the global association's largest HITEC event – featuring thousands of hospitality professionals from around the world – will take place outside of the U.S. In 2017, HFTP is producing its larger HITEC Toronto as well as two additional, inaugural HITEC events: HITEC Amsterdam and HITEC Dubai.

For more information about HITEC and HFTP's other global activities, contact the HFTP Meetings & Special Events Department at [email protected] or visit www.hftp.org and www.hftp.org/hitec. Download the HFTP/HITEC media kit via the HFTP website.

About HFTP

Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) established in 1952, is an international, nonprofit association, headquartered in Austin, Texas, USA, with offices in Hong Kong, United Kingdom and the Netherlands. HFTP is recognized as the spokes group for the finance and technology segments of the hospitality industry with members and stakeholders spanning across the globe. HFTP uniquely understands the industry's pressing issues and assists its stakeholders in finding solutions to their challenges more efficiently than any organization. It does this via its expert networks, research, certification programs, information resources and conferences/events such as HITEC. HFTP also owns the world's only hospitality-specific search engine, PineappleSearch.com. For more information about HFTP, email [email protected] or download the HFTP/HITEC media kit via the HFTP website. Read industry updates on the suite of HFTP hospitality news sites: HITEC Bytes, Club Bytes, Finance Bytes and HFTP News.

Jessica Blankenship
Public Relations Manager
HFTP