Andy Hodgson
Andy is a Client Business Partner at CGA by NIQ, with over seven years experience supporting food brands, wholesalers, suppliers, and agencies across the foodservice and hospitality sectors. He helps businesses identify growth opportunities in the Out-Of-Home market through NIQ data-driven insights, strategic guidance and actionable solutions.
Karl Chessell
Karl Chessell is NIQ’s Director for Hospitality Operators, EMEA. He has worked in the eating and drinking out sector for over 25 years, leading teams at businesses including Experian and TransUnion. He and his team support the leading pub, bar, restaurant operators and trade bodies across the hospitality sector. They support board level decision making, using rich data and insight to understand market performance, analyse the key issues affecting the sector and highlight the key consumer trends to embrace.
Des Gunewardena
Des began his career in finance before meeting Sir Terence Conran in 1991. Together, they transformed Conran Holdings into a global restaurant, retail, hotel and design business with annual revenues of around £150 million. In 2006, Des led the private equity-backed buyout of Conran Restaurants, creating D&D London. Under his leadership, the company became one of the UK's leading luxury restaurant groups, launching some of Britain's most iconic dining destinations, including German Gymnasium, 14 Hills and 20 Stories. The business expanded across the UK and internationally, opening Queensyard in New York, and also developed the luxury boutique South Place Hotel in the City of London.
After 16 years at the helm of D&D London, Des launched his latest venture, D3 Collective, in 2023. The business brings together a portfolio of independent restaurants in partnership with investors, chefs and restaurateurs, creating distinctive hospitality concepts with entrepreneurial flair. Throughout his career, Des has received numerous industry accolades, including the UK Group Restaurateur of the Year award in 2020. He has been recognised as one of the Evening Standard's Top 1,000 Most Influential Londoners on multiple occasions and was shortlisted for EY's London Entrepreneur of the Year in 2018. He has also served as a non-executive director of London First and Fulham Shore Plc.
Simon Stenning
With a 30+ year career founded in operational management, with Forte, Hilton and Pret A Manger, Simon moved to a development & strategic marketing role with Compass Group, before developing Allegra Foodservice into the leading source of market intelligence, selling this to William Reed where Simon created and led MCA, merging the data, insight, news and events businesses.
Acknowledged as the leading analyst of the market and expert in making sense of all the data and insight available, Simon stepped down from MCA to launch Future Foodservice, providing unique foresight into the future.
Jo Lynch
Jo brings over 20 of years of hospitality experience to KAM, across agency, operator and supplier businesses within the industry. Building her expertise across multiple projects and disciplines including research and insight, marketing and PR, sales driving, guest experience and operationally focussed projects.
Jo joined KAM at the end of 2022 in the role of Account Director, to help the support the team with their plans for the future development of the business, and work closely with our existing and future clients.
She is an accomplished conference presenter and panel host and is regularly seen on stage at industry events.
Gemma Pym
Gemma has over 20 years of on-trade experience, built on delivering commercial growth for brands and operators. Having worked with one of the UK’s leading route to market businesses and across a wide range of brands, she brings a deep, hands-on understanding of what makes consumers, brands and operators tick to her role as Account Director at KAM Insight.
Chris Brazier
Chris is Group Event Director at Diversified, responsible for leading major UK hospitality trade shows and awards including NRB & lunch! NORTH in Manchester and lunch!, National Restaurant Pub & Bar Show and the London Drinks Exchange as part of the London Food & Drink Festival.
Naddy Onions
Naddy Onions is Marketing Director at Brava Hospitality, leading marketing across a portfolio of hospitality brands including Prezzo Italian, and Jamie's Italian. With over 20 years' experience spanning hospitality and agency leadership, she is known for her bold, customer-focused marketing.