Meet the Team
Recognising that hospitality is the third-largest employer in the UK, the event was the brainchild of four Yorkshire-based hospitality leaders: Louise Wright, Commercial Director at Leeds-based Punch Hospitality; Wayne Topley, Managing Director of Cedar Court Hotels and Chairman of the Leeds Hotels & Venues Association; Paula Kelsey of Famtastic Rocks; and Benjamin Campbell, Venue Director of the Royal Armouries.
Their collective vision was to create an event that truly served the sector’s needs. The organisers recognised Yorkshire’s hospitality community deserved a platform that reflected the sector’s innovation and collaborative spirit.
Paula Kelsey founded Cloud 9 Event Management back in 2003. As a full-service agency, Cloud 9 specialises in hands-on event management and venue finding, helping its clients bring events to life without the stress.
Paula is the creative force behind the much-loved Famtastic brand, which delivers around 30 networking lunches and events each year, connecting agents and suppliers across the industry.
Back
Wayne Topley is the Managing Director at Cedar Court Hotels Yorkshire. He has a wealth of expertise in hospitality management and leads the strategy for the four regional hotels in the Cedar Court group, backed by over 30 years of industry experience.
Wayne is also the chairman of the Leeds Hotels and Venues Association, a not-for-profit organisation that acts as the collective voice of the hospitality industry in Leeds.
Back
Benjamin Campbell is the Venue Director at the Royal Armouries. In his time at the Royal Armouries, he has transformed the Royal Armouries Conference and Events into one of the top venues in Leeds. In addition to its five galleries, Ben is responsible for running the on-site restaurant, conference, and events business across the museum’s 13 spaces.
Ben also acts as the Deputy Chair of the Leeds Hotels and Venues Association.
Back
Louise Wright, MIH, is the Commercial Director at Punch Hospitality, a specialist hospitality marketing agency in Leeds. With decades of experience in the hospitality industry within sales and marketing, Louise enjoys supporting hotels in their marketing campaigns and is passionate about creative ways to improve direct business contributions.
BackSign up for updates
