4C Group joins industry leaders at the Annual Hospitality Conference 2026
18 September 2026
4C Group was delighted to participate in the Annual Hospitality Conference 2026, held in Manchester on 14-15 September 2026. The conference brought together more than 1,100 delegates, 200 investors and owners, over 100 speakers and leading hospitality brands, developers, operators, advisers and local authorities.
Representing 4C Group was Soraiya Salemohamed, the ESG Director. She joined the expert panel for the session, Local First: Rethinking Development Through Community-Led Placemaking. The discussion was moderated by Patrick Whyte, Editor-in-Chief of Hospitality Investor, and brought together an impressive panel of industry leaders such as Eva Chan, Senior Director and Head of Strategic Development & Growth for EMEA at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Ian Thomas, Interim Chief Executive Officer at Experience North East England.
The panel explored the increasingly important role that local developers can play in shaping places and strengthening communities. As attention moves beyond large-scale institutional development, locally rooted and community-led approaches are becoming more visible across the hospitality sector. The discussion considered how developments embedded within their local surroundings can support social activation, create meaningful connections and contribute to a neighbourhood’s long-term identity.
The session also provided an opportunity to examine what the wider industry can learn from grassroots and place-based development models. By engaging communities early and building local insight into decision-making, developers and operators can create destinations that respond more effectively to local needs while supporting sustainable commercial success.
The overarching theme of AHC 2026 was All In: Mastering Risk for Reward. In a UK hospitality market shaped by changing policies, evolving investment priorities and growing operational pressures, success is no longer simply about avoiding risk. It requires businesses to understand the market, make informed decisions and act with clarity and confidence.
The conference explored how hospitality leaders can manage uncertainty while unlocking new opportunities across investment, regeneration, asset management, placemaking, concept innovation and technology. Community-led development plays an important part in this conversation. Meaningful engagement with local stakeholders can help developers understand a location more fully, identify challenges earlier and make better-informed decisions. It can also create stronger relationships, greater local support and developments that deliver enduring social and commercial value.
At 4C Group, we believe hospitality developments should contribute positively to the places and communities around them. Successful placemaking is not achieved through buildings alone; it is shaped by people, partnerships, shared purpose and a genuine understanding of place. We are delighted to be part of events such as the Annual Hospitality Conference, where industry leaders can exchange ideas, challenge conventional thinking and collaborate on the future of hospitality.
PC: Simon Callaghan Photography
About 4C Group
4C Group is a market-leading property developer and operator with a growing portfolio of hotels, residential and mixed-use developments across the UK, East Africa and Canada.
The Group works with major global hospitality brands, including Marriott, Hilton, IHG and Choice, and its portfolio features landmark properties such as The Westin London City and Canopy by Hilton London City, among others.
Through thoughtful development, operational excellence and a commitment to sustainable growth, 4C Group creates exceptional places that deliver lasting value for guests, investors and local communities.
Let’s Connect: