Ufi Ibrahim to chair Brexit panel at Arena Savoy Lecture


The members of the Brexit panel being held at the Arena Savoy Lecture, in association with the British Hospitality Association (BHA), will consider and debate the challenges and opportunities that the hospitality industry could encounter, from an operational, legal and financial perspective.

The panellists hail from the hospitality, finance and legal industries and are all experts in their fields:

Jason Myers, CEO, Busaba Eathai
Jason Myers leads the award-winning restaurant group Busaba Eathai, the UK leading Thai casual dining brand. He has extensive UK and global F&B experience. He has worked in international markets as Jumeirah Restaurants managing director; oversaw all Caprice brands and Noodle House; and was VP of Jumeirah Hotels F&B worldwide, where he was credited for the strategic creation of Jumeirah’s pioneering stand-alone restaurant group RnB.

Bob Silk: Relationships Director - Hospitality & Leisure Team, Barclays
Bob’s 38-year career with Barclays has given him a deep and broad financial understanding and his expertise includes bank manager for SMEs, turnaround management and multi-national corporate relationships. He was a founding member of Barclays’ Hospitality & Leisure Team in 1998, and has worked with a wide range of single and multi-site hotel, restaurant and pub businesses to help finance organic and acquisition growth.

Sebastian Calanan, Consultant, EMW Law
Sebastian is a commercial and contracts lawyer who has worked as a food industry specialist in both legal practice and industry. In the ‘noughties’ he started his own niche law firm and is now with law firm EMW in London and Milton Keynes where he heads the Food and Drink Sector.

Ufi Ibrahim, Chief Executive, British Hospitality Association (BHA)
As chair of the Brexit panel, the chief executive of the leading authority on Hospitality and Tourism representing 46,000 businesses across the UK, will use her extensive industry knowledge and lobbying insight to steer and contribute to the debate.