FutureFWD 2025:
Hospitality & F&B Leaders Gather to Decode the Industry’s Next Chapter
The day-long conference and networking opportunity for F&B and adjacent industry professionals by Saladplate.com sparked deep insights and actionable outcomes.
30 September 2025
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FutureFWD – Hospitality, Food & Beverage event successfully held at EQ Kuala Lumpur. | Photo Credit: Saladplate
On 25 September 2025, more than 200 hospitality and F&B professionals converged at the Diamond Ballroom of EQ Kuala Lumpur for FutureFWD – Hospitality, Food & Beverage, a one-day conference and networking platform presented by Saladplate.com, in partnership with Food & Hospitality Malaysia (FHM) – Official.
A year-in-the-making, the first edition of FutureFWD was a gathering of industry thought leaders, trailblazers and innovators. The conference spotlighted the transformative forces shaping the global hospitality and F&B landscape and how that affects trends and market conditions in Asia. From sustainability imperatives to breakthrough technology, evolving consumer expectations to innovative design; the event delivered a high-impact programme that challenged convention and sparked meaningful conversations.
A Day of Ideas, Insights, and Industry Shifts
The conference offered a variety of session formats, ranging from keynote presentations and panel discussions—a true meeting of minds—to focused sustainability sessions and success stories. These provided actionable strategies for industry professionals. The programme was expertly packaged by emcee Debbie Yong, founder of Atypical Media and former Regional Editorial Director at the Michelin Guide, whose years of industry knowledge and engaging style ensured a seamless flow throughout the day.
Debbie Yong (Founder, Atypical Media), emcee of the conference. | Photo Credit: Saladplate
Sessions unpacked everything from why businesses need to reset to keep up with market changes, emerging sustainability practices that are redefining operational excellence, alongside tech-driven innovations that are powering new efficiencies and guest experiences. They also examined shifting consumer behaviours that demand adaptive, agile strategies, and explored hospitality design concepts that create memorable and enduring impact.
Speakers not only provided plenty of food for thought but also left with much to reflect on themselves.
The conference featured six sessions with industry leaders sharing valuable insights. | Photos Credit: Saladplate
As Sarissa Rodriguez-Schwartz, Co-Founder & CEO of SJS Group, remarked, “What an incredible privilege it was to participate as a speaker at the FutureFWD Hospitality, Food & Beverage conference. Being part of this exceptional gathering of thought leaders who came together to explore the transformative forces reshaping our industry was truly inspiring. This high-impact conference brought together international perspectives on the most pressing topics facing hospitality and F&B today.”
Panelists discuss ‘The Great F&B Reset.’ From left: Nicholas Ng (Founder, Food For Thought); Stefanie Wijono (Deputy Director of Marketing & PR, The Union Group); Sarissa Rodriguez-Schwartz (CEO, SJS Hospitality Group; Nicola Lee (Contributor at Tatler Asia and Singapore Business Times.) | Photo Credit: Saladplate
Echoing this sentiment, Kristian Olsen, Managing Director of Type A, highlighted the strategic role of content in shaping industry engagement. “It was a privilege to share how content fuels both digital presence and word-of-mouth at FutureFWD. What stood out across the sessions was how leaders are moving beyond surface-level marketing to tackle both industry and audience shifts head-on.”
Kristian Olsen, Managing Director of Type A, shared insights on how brands can evolve their marketing strategies. | Photo Credit: Saladplate
Research-Backed Expert Perspectives
Jing Yong, Growth Director – Greater China at GlobalData PLC shared insights on how authenticity and heritage are reshaping menus, brand strategies, and consumer expectations across the region. Her session reinforced the need for brands to embrace local relevance while scaling experiences globally.
Emma Maxwell, leading restaurant interior designer and Founder of Emma Maxwell Studio, shared her reflections on the event: “I was truly impressed by the calibre of discussion and the energy in the room. The programme was impeccably curated with breadth, depth, and rigour, featuring outstanding speakers addressing the most urgent industry challenges. It was a forum of rare substance, brilliantly executed in every detail.”
From her panel, she noted thought-provoking takeaways: Loyalty is built through ritual and behaviour, not aesthetics alone and that independent operators succeed by being fearless and hotels must adopt that spirit.
These are just a handful of insights that underscore how FutureFWD 2025 went beyond surface-level trends, tackling the deeper drivers of success in hospitality and F&B.
Conference speakers Jing Yong (Growth Director – Greater China, GlobalData PLC) and Emma Maxwell (Founder, Emma Maxwell Studio) sharing industry insights.
| Photos Credit: Saladplate
Networking That Mattered
Beyond the stage, FutureFWD 2025 offered delegates ample opportunity to connect, collaborate, and exchange ideas. Networking breaks buzzed with conversations that extended the themes of the sessions, fostering new partnerships and reinforcing the value of collective industry dialogue.
Delegates made connections and exchanged ideas during the lunch and coffee break at FutureFWD.| Photos Credit: Saladplate
A Collective Step Towards the Future
The conference closed on a note of optimism and urgency. While the challenges facing hospitality and F&B are significant—rapid technological change, sustainability pressures, shifting consumer expectations. FutureFWD 2025 made clear that innovation and collaboration will be the engines of progress.
As the organisers emphasised, the journey does not end here. The insights shared at FutureFWD represent the beginning of an ongoing dialogue, one that will shape how the industry evolves in the years ahead. Together, the hospitality and F&B community has taken a meaningful step toward building a more sustainable, adaptive, and experience-driven future.
It was announced that FutureFWD’s next edition would take in Singapore between 21-24 April 2026.
Watch this page for further updates.
Author: Saladplate Editors
