The Great F&B Reset: F&B Leaders in Asia weigh-in on the challenges that the industry is facing, the opportunities that have arisen, and how F&B businesses can leverage this great reset.
Event Details
25 September 2025
10 AM to 11 AM (GMT+8)
This session will be delivered in English
Diamond Ballroom, Level 1, EQ Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
EQ, Equatorial Plaza, Jln Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
About session
The Great F&B Reset: The F&B industry in leading culinary cities such as Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong are undergoing a reset. Ever-evolving consumer preferences, a saturated market place and global inflation are forcing F&B operators to re-evaluate their way of business. On the other hand, exciting opportunities are arising in emerging destinations that have a lower barrier of entry, rising affluent classes, and modest cost of operations. These locations are becoming hotbeds for new F&B innovations and openings.
This session aims to uncover insights on how F&B operators can turn current and upcoming market challenges into business opportunities. Panelists include Sameer Seth, Founder & CEO of Hunger Inc. Hospitality (India); Stefanie Wijono, Deputy Marketing & PR Director at The Union Group (Indonesia); and Sarissa Rodriguez-Schwartz, CEO of SJS Hospitality Group. The panelists will be joining moderator Nicola Lee, Academy Chair of the The World's 50 Best Restaurants, Southeast Asia (South) in dicussing the following:
1. What are the key factors and invisible forces that are contributing to this F&B reset, and how do they impact our industry?
2. On the flipside, what are the opportunities that have emerged as a result, and how can F&B operators leverage on them?
3. What can emerging gastronomic destinations like India and Indonesia learn from leading cities like Hong Kong and Singapore, and vice versa?
4. What does the future hold for the F&B industry in Asia, and what do operators have to do to keep ahead of the curve? "
About The Speakers
Sameer Seth
Founder & CEO,
Hunger Inc. Hospitality
"With 15 years in the restaurant industry across India and the USA, Sameer blends business insight with a deep passion for hospitality. He is the Founder & CEO of Hunger Inc. Hospitality, an Indian hospitality group creating fresh, exciting dining experiences through The Bombay Canteen, O Pedro, Bombay Sweet Shop, Veronica’s and Papa’s. With a focus on reinterpreting tradition in fun and unexpected ways, they bring regional Indian flavours and experiences to life while pushing creative boundaries. Committed to new-age Indian hospitality and creative storytelling, Hunger Inc. is all about celebrating India’s rich food culture while shaping what’s next. "
Stefanie Wijono
Deputy Director of Marketing & PR,
The Union Group
A respected figure in Jakarta’s F&B scene, Stefanie graduated from Switzerland's Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne. She started her hospitality journey more than a decade ago in Singapore, working on brands such as Jamie's Italian, TWG Tea and JAAN. In 2015, she returned to Jakarta to join The Union Group, a leading F&B group which owns and operates 14 brands and 28 outlets to date. Highlights on the group's portfolio include The Cocktail Club, ranked No.12 on the Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024; Cork & Screw, which received the Best of Award of Excellence by Wine Spectator from 2015 to 2024; and Italian American fine-dining chophouse Bistecca.
Benjamin Boh
Managing Director,
McDonald's Singapore
Benjamin Boh is the Managing Director of McDonald’s Singapore. He first joined the McDonald’s system in 2013 as the Director of Strategy & Planning for the regional team, coordinating strategic plans and execution initiatives for Asia, Middle East and Australia. He relocated to Japan to lead business change by introducing new revenue streams for food delivery and modernizing the employee and customer experience in the McDonald’s restaurants. Ben moved back to Singapore to take on his next big challenge in 2019, starting as the Chief Operating Officer overseeing Operations, Human Resources and Real Estate Development, promoted to General Manager overseeing all departments in 2021 and took over the McDonald’s Singapore business as Managing Director from 2022.
Prior to McDonald’s, Ben spent 6 years on insights, analytics and strategy roles in the FMCG space at Analytic Partners and Procter & Gamble.
Outside of McDonald's, Ben serves as the President of Restaurant Association of Singapore, Member of Advisory Council on Community Relations in Defence (ACCORD) and Board Member of the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC).
About The Moderator
Nicola Lee
Academy Chair for Southeast Asia (South), The Word's 50 Best Restaurants; and Contributor at Tatler Asia and the Singapore Business Times
"Nicola holds a degree in Hospitality & Tourism Management and currently serves as the Academy Chair for South East Asia (South) for the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. With a background in luxury hotels, she has extensive experience in food and beverage operations, as well as training and development. In addition to her industry expertise, Nicola has lectured in Hospitality and Tourism and is a contributing writer on wine and travel for Singapore Business Times and Tatler Asia. She was a panel member for the Singapore Tatler Best Restaurant Guide. "
Attendees
This a free-to-attend event for trade professionals. Please note, only attendees with a valid confirmation code will be allowed to attend.
For more information, please contact [email protected]
Brought to you by
In partnership with
Organised by
