Global Distribution Conference

Facing the Future Together.

Atlanta, GA —
May 23-25, 2022

Conference Agenda

Monday, May 23

8:30 am – 6:30 pm

Registration

1:00 – 1:30 pm

Payments Fireside Chat
Annemarie Graham, Head of Hospitality Payments Strategy, Amadeus
Moderator: Mike Carlo, CEO, Xanderpay

1:00 – 4:00 pm

Fintech Pre-Conference Sessions

1:30 – 2:00 pm

Multi-currency Pricing: Why an effective FX strategy goes beyond rate codes
Laurie Gablehouse, Global Head of Travel Solutions, Worldline
Marc Padrosa, Global Industry Director, Kantox

2:00 – 2:45 pm

What hotels want? What do they think they want? What can they have?
Sandra Sari, Director Global Distribution Strategy & Operation, Hyatt
Marilyn May, Head of Product Management, Payments and POS, IHG Hotels and Resorts
Gianna Rivera, Principal/Owner, Travel Distribution Consultant LLC
Moderator: Annemarie Graham, Head of Hospitality Payments Strategy, Amadeus

2:45 – 4:00 pm

Open Payment Alliance Working Group Session

4:00 – 5:30 pm

HEDNA University – Distribution Fundamentals

4:00 – 5:30 pm

The Future Leaders of HEDNA (FLoH) Reception – By invitation only

4:15 – 5:45 pm

Hotel Analytics Working Group
Who we are:
HEDNA’s Hotel Analytics Working Group is hosting a session for members and nonmembers alike. The Working Group’s mission is to increase awareness and adoption of data analytic practices and tools, demonstrate how data analytics can be applied to hotel distribution, and create global and regional recommendations for hotel best practices.
Who should attend:
Professionals of all levels and different backgrounds belong to the working group. You don’t have to work within analytics to be a part of the working group. Types of companies include: Hotels both large chains and boutique hotels, OTA’s, Technology companies, and Consultants
This session with be hosted by Anisha Yadav, and Matthew Goulden.
Learn More

6:00 – 7:30 pm

Opening Reception

Tuesday, May 24

8:00 – 9:00 am

Breakfast and Networking

8:30 am – 5:30 pm

Registration

8:45 – 9:15 am

Arrival Coffee

9:00 – 9:20 am

President’s Welcome

9:20 – 10:00 am

Spring Forward: Expectations as the Hotel Industry Recovers
Jan Freitag, National Director, Hospitality Analytics, Costar Group

10:00 am – 3:30 pm

HEDNA Lounge

10:00 – 10:45 am

Has Business Travel Changed Forever? A GDS Perspective
Joerg Schuler, Executive Vice President Hospitality Media & Distribution, Amadeus
Lynn Malouf, Head of Enterprise Account Management, Hotel and Car, Travelport
Benjamin Mussler, Senior Director of Global Lodging Ground & Sea Supply, Accounts & Operations, Sabre
Moderator: Gianna Rivera, Principal/Owner, Travel Distribution Consultant LLC

10:45 – 11:30 am

Networking Break

11:30 am – 12:10 pm

GDS Breakouts (Round 1) Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport – Hoteliers Only
These unique breakouts will allow hotel suppliers to directly engage with all 3 GDS. Hear from their product teams with updates on their roadmap, share your feedback/concerns and work collectively to solve for any challenges and discuss opportunities. These sessions will be limited to an audience of hotel suppliers only.

11:30am – 12:30 pm

Tech2Tech – Networking Break
This is an opportunity for Technology Partners to meet with Technology Partners while the hoteliers are in the Breakout Session.

12:15 – 12:55 pm

GDS Breakouts (Round 2) Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport – Hoteliers Only
These unique breakouts will allow hotel suppliers to directly engage with all 3 GDS. Hear from their product teams with updates on their roadmap, share your feedback/concerns and work collectively to solve for any challenges and discuss opportunities. These sessions will be limited to an audience of hotel suppliers only.

12:30 – 1:30 pm

Lunch

1:45 – 2:15 pm

The Future of Travel, Space Travel
Weiping Yu, Physicist & Manager of Crewed Spacecraft Subsystem, NASA

2:15 – 2:45 pm

Content Chaos, Driving Solutions & Best Practices – The Hoteliers Perspective
Sarah Fults, Vice President, Distribution, MGM Resorts International
Chris Murdock, Director Distribution System Support & Strategy, Accor

2:45 – 3:15 pm

What Does it Mean to be Merchant of Record?
Al Enes, VP of Retail, Travel & Mobility – North America, Nuvei
Manika Singh, Vice President – Hospitality Payment Solutions, Planet Payment
Moderator: Mike Carlo, CEO, Xanderpay

3:15 – 3:45 pm

Networking Break

3:45 – 4:30 pm

Diversity: The Art of Thinking Independently, Together
April Key, Director, Distribution Products at IHG
Daniel Flores, VP Client Services, XanderPay
Yin Law, Head of Supply, Hotels, Airbnb
Moderator: Lisa Murphy, Vice President Distribution, Shiji

4:30 – 5:15 pm

Hospitality in 2030, What is in Our Path?
Carl Winston, Founding Director, Payne School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, San Diego State University
Satyen Pandya, CTO, Sonder
Cliff Galitz, Partner Development Manager, Google
Ira Vouk, Consultant/Author, Hospitality 2.0
Moderator: Sandra Sari, Director, Global Distribution Strategy and Operations

7:00 – 10:00 pm

Evening Event: World of Coca-Cola

Wednesday, May 25

8:00 – 9:00 am

Registration

8:30 – 9:30 am

Breakfast and Networking

8:45 – 9:15 am

Arrival Coffee

9:00 – 9:10 am

Vice President’s Welcome

9:10 – 9:45 am

When Consumer Needs Outgrow Hotels Shortcomings, New Opportunities Emerge
Lew Harasymiw, Vice President, Enterprise Distribution, Amadeus
Nadim El Manawy, CEO, Arise
Donnie Schumann, Director of Travel Partnerships, Uplift
Leanne Ballard, VP Content Acquisition, PSNGR1

9:45 – 10:25 am

Travel Segments, are they a thing of the past?
Julia Edwards, Director, Corporate Lodging, Expedia
Matt McArdle, Senior Partnerships Manager, TripActions
James Parsons, Strategic Account Director, OTA Insight
Moderator: Ben Thomas, Chief Commercial Officer, PentaHotels

10:00 am – 1:00 pm

HEDNA Lounge

10:25 – 10:55 am

Networking Break

10:55 – 11:35 am

OTA Breakouts (Round 1) – Hoteliers Only
Shannon McGee, Director, Global Strategic Partners, Lodging, Expedia
Yin Law, Head of Supply Hotels, Airbnb/HotelTonight
Alexander Gevers Deynoot, Director Chains, Hopper
These unique breakouts will allow hotel suppliers to directly engage with all 3 Global OTAs. Hear from their product teams with updates on their roadmap, share your feedback/concerns and work collectively to solve for any challenges and discuss opportunities. These sessions will be limited to an audience of hotel suppliers only.

10:55 am – 12:20 pm

Tech2Tech – Networking Break
This is an opportunity for Technology Partners to meet with Technology Partners while the hoteliers are in the Breakout Session.

11:40 am – 12:20 pm

OTA Breakouts (Round 2) – Hoteliers Only
Shannon McGee, Director, Global Strategic Partners, Lodging, Expedia
Yin Law, Head of Supply Hotels, Airbnb/HotelTonight
Alexander Gevers Deynoot, Director Chains, Hopper
These unique breakouts will allow hotel suppliers to directly engage with all 3 Global OTAs. Hear from their product teams with updates on their roadmap, share your feedback/concerns and work collectively to solve for any challenges and discuss opportunities. These sessions will be limited to an audience of hotel suppliers only.

12:20 – 1:00 pm

There’s Always a Way: How to Cultivate Resilient, Focused, and Energized Teams During Uncertain Times
Alex Banayan, Author of The Third Door, Speaker

1:00 – 1:10 pm

Closing Remarks

1:10 –2:00 pm

Networking Lunch