Bashar Wali: confessions of a hotel addict

Hans Meyer: hospitality innovator

“I'm a very big believer in that by listening to people and spending time, you can learn a lot about what's in their mind and about their current and future behaviors. What happens if the company becomes bigger, the distance between you and the guest, the distance between you and frontline employees, becomes bigger. You have to tackle that. So you have to continue the conversation with people.” What a privilege for The Insider Podcast to conclude our first series by sitting down with Hans Meyer, the hospitality visionary who was instrumental in the creation of citizenM hotels and is now making waves in the aparthotel sector with his new brainchild, Zoku. Interviewed on location in the Amsterdam Zoku, Hans opens up about what it takes to transform a hospitality concept from a blank page to a living, breathing brand; why people matter first and foremost; and how hospitality as an industry can bring redundant spaces back to vibrancy. Plus there are insights on AI, the future of work, and much more!

Saudi Arabia: the insider's view - with Mohammed Marghalani

“My father. He's a visionary man. I remember when I graduated from high school, I wanted to be an engineer. And my father asked me to go and search about a hospitality major. And I asked him, I told him, is this something that people study, hospitality and tourism? And he told me, believe me, in 10 years’ time, you'll see the shift in the country and how Saudi Arabia will become a major tourist destination.” Through its Vision 2030 investment program, Saudi Arabia is redefining what’s possible in the world of tourism and hospitality. You’ve read the headlines, but how much do you really know about the changing face of the Kingdom, and how elements like sports, agritourism and the sheer variety of landscapes and microclimates in the country are all playing their part in this story? If you want to know more – and if hospitality is your business you should do – let The Insider Podcast take you on a transformational journey in the company of Mohammed Marghalani, a Glion alumnus who has been a genuine trailblazer for Saudis working in the hotel sector.

Nicolas Bellaton: the Dubai difference

“I think one of the other huge game changers is that – especially in the high luxury industry – you don't compare any more with the best hotel in Dubai; but you have in your mind the experience you had in Paris, and you are expecting the same. Or Singapore, or whatever big city, or New York. So it's good. It pushed us really far to continue to evolve and invent and create.” With more than two decades in the business, including as GM of the Armani Hotel Dubai – the first in the world to carry the Armani name – Nicolas Bellaton knows luxury hospitality better than most. He’s also witnessed first-hand the incredible growth of Dubai as a destination for international travelers, making him perfectly placed to comment on the factors behind this success and their echoes elsewhere in the Gulf region, notably in Saudi Arabia. In his role as Head of Hospitality for Emaar Group, Nicolas invited podcast host Martin Green for a tête-à-tête in the sumptuous surroundings of the Signature Royal Suite at the Address Downtown Hotel, complete with its amazing balcony views of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper. The conversation touched on the secrets of delivering great customer experience, using technology to empower people, the convergence of luxury and hospitality, and much more.

Exploring hospitality's new frontiers with Hala Matar Choufany

“And this is why I think now hospitality is fun. In the last seven to eight years, we've seen much more creativity, because doing business has become also more expensive. The risks are elevated. Which in many ways is great, because we're being pushed now to think out of the box.” What’s the secret of Dubai’s extraordinary growth as a travel destination? Where should hospitality be directing its efforts to develop tomorrow’s talents? Are women fairly represented in the industry’s upper echelons? And what’s the future looking like for Africa’s hoteliers? Insider Podcast host Martin Green had the questions; Hala Matar Choufany had the answers. And what answers they were – drawn from two decades at the sharp end of hospitality consulting, in which Hala has advised on more than 5,000 hospitality and mixed-use projects across the world. Recently presented with the FHS Excellence Award 2025, Hala’s star is shining brightly, and we are genuinely thrilled to have such a globally respected figure as a special guest on our podcast.

Bashar Wali: confessions of a hotel addict

“We mistakenly think we're in the service business; we're in the hospitality business. Wrong. We are in the retail business.” When Bashar Wali opens up about the hospitality industry, it pays to listen. Insider Podcast host Martin Green did just that, when he had the pleasure of Bashar’s company in London a few weeks back. And now you have the chance to explore the mind of a true hospitality original, in our most fearless and fun episode yet! Challenge your preconceptions, see the guest experience from a different angle, and discover Bashar’s “neurotic” and notorious approach to hotel stays… Don’t forget to check out the first six episodes of The Insider Podcast, which you can find on the same platforms as this one.