Brian P. Connors helps hospitality brands and institutions future-proof guest experience through trend-driven innovation, leadership coaching, and game-changing F&B strategy.
- Former Sr. Director of Global F&B Innovation & Founding Faculty Director of the Bacardi Center of Excellence at FIU
- TEDx speaker & named one Most Influential Educators in Global Hospitality, 2023 & 2024
- Developer of Cecilia.ai — the world’s first robot bartender featured on NBC’s Today Show
Brian is known as a hospitality strategist, executive educator, and nationally recognized keynote speaker who helps organizations reimagine leadership, workforce engagement, and innovation through the lens of hospitality. With over two decades of experience spanning global brands, higher education, and high-impact consulting, Brian delivers energetic, insightful, and actionable keynotes that inspire both emerging leaders and seasoned executives.
As the Founding Director of the Bacardi Center of Excellence and Managing Partner of a leading hospitality consultancy, Brian has worked with companies such as Bacardi, Royal Caribbean International, Sandals Resorts, and national restaurant associations to develop future-ready training platforms, optimize guest experience strategies, and align talent with culture. His sessions are rich with industry stories, trend-forward insights, and data-driven takeaways that apply far beyond food and beverage.
Audiences benefit from Brian’s unique combination of academic rigor and real-world know-how. He holds a degree from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and a master’s in Strategic Management from UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality. A TEDx speaker and two-time recipient of “Most Influential Educator in Global Hospitality,” Brian is also a sought-after wine educator who leads memorable, experiential breakout sessions for corporate audiences.
Event organizers consistently praise Brian’s ability to connect across generations, energize leadership teams, and translate fast-moving trends into practical strategies. Whether delivering a mainstage keynote, a breakout session, or a custom wine experience, Brian’s presentations are engaging, intelligent, and built to drive immediate value.
Featured Topic:
Title: Gen Z Beverage Revolution: Designing Drink Experiences that Capture the Next Generation
Takeaways:
- Understand Gen Z’s taste motivations and brand expectations
- Apply 3 new beverage concepts that resonate with digital-native consumers
- Prototype a beverage experience aligned with post-pandemic hospitality norms
Popular keynote themes include:
- Leaders Don’t Take: Storytelling lessons from boardrooms, classrooms, and kitchens
- Future of Hospitality: Navigating Gen Z, culture shifts, and AI-driven learning
- Trendspotting: Culinary, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverage insights for today’s marketplace
Team & Executive:
- The 60-Minute Somm: Fun, interactive wine education for corporate teams and incentive events
Brian speaks to industries that thrive on people—hospitality, foodservice, travel, education, and beyond. His message resonates wherever leadership, innovation, and guest or client experience matter most.
Brian P. Connors helps hospitality brands and institutions future-proof guest experience through trend-driven innovation, leadership coaching, and game-changing F&B strategy.
- Former Sr. Director of Global F&B Innovation & Founding Faculty Director of the Bacardi Center of Excellence at FIU
- TEDx speaker & named one Most Influential Educators in Global Hospitality, 2023 & 2024
- Developer of Cecilia.ai — the world’s first robot bartender featured on NBC’s Today Show
Brian is known as a hospitality strategist, executive educator, and nationally recognized keynote speaker who helps organizations reimagine leadership, workforce engagement, and innovation through the lens of hospitality. With over two decades of experience spanning global brands, higher education, and high-impact consulting, Brian delivers energetic, insightful, and actionable keynotes that inspire both emerging leaders and seasoned executives.
As the Founding Director of the Bacardi Center of Excellence and Managing Partner of a leading hospitality consultancy, Brian has worked with companies such as Bacardi, Royal Caribbean International, Sandals Resorts, and national restaurant associations to develop future-ready training platforms, optimize guest experience strategies, and align talent with culture. His sessions are rich with industry stories, trend-forward insights, and data-driven takeaways that apply far beyond food and beverage.
Audiences benefit from Brian’s unique combination of academic rigor and real-world know-how. He holds a degree from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and a master’s in Strategic Management from UCF’s Rosen College of Hospitality. A TEDx speaker and two-time recipient of “Most Influential Educator in Global Hospitality,” Brian is also a sought-after wine educator who leads memorable, experiential breakout sessions for corporate audiences.
Event organizers consistently praise Brian’s ability to connect across generations, energize leadership teams, and translate fast-moving trends into practical strategies. Whether delivering a mainstage keynote, a breakout session, or a custom wine experience, Brian’s presentations are engaging, intelligent, and built to drive immediate value.
Featured Topic:
Title: Gen Z Beverage Revolution: Designing Drink Experiences that Capture the Next Generation
Takeaways:
- Understand Gen Z’s taste motivations and brand expectations
- Apply 3 new beverage concepts that resonate with digital-native consumers
- Prototype a beverage experience aligned with post-pandemic hospitality norms
Popular keynote themes include:
- Leaders Don’t Take: Storytelling lessons from boardrooms, classrooms, and kitchens
- Future of Hospitality: Navigating Gen Z, culture shifts, and AI-driven learning
- Trendspotting: Culinary, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverage insights for today’s marketplace
Team & Executive:
- The 60-Minute Somm: Fun, interactive wine education for corporate teams and incentive events
Brian speaks to industries that thrive on people—hospitality, foodservice, travel, education, and beyond. His message resonates wherever leadership, innovation, and guest or client experience matter most.
Leaders Don’t Take
Leaders Don’t Take
"Lessons in Leadership from Kitchens, Boardrooms, and Classrooms"
A motivational storytelling session based on Brian’s journey from Michelin-starred kitchens to global boardrooms. Through an engaging and often humorous narrative, Brian challenges traditional leadership models and offers a reframe: today’s best leaders are not command-and-control—they’re curious, human, and built for change.
Key Takeaways:
·...
The Future of Hospitality
The Future of Hospitality
"Lead Where They Are: Gen Z, Culture, and the Workforce Shift"
A provocative, data-rich exploration of generational leadership, talent retention, and culture creation in a post-pandemic hospitality world. Learn how AI, values-driven management, and cohort learning models are reshaping how we lead—and how Gen Z is reshaping what leadership means.
Key Takeaways:
· Generational alignment and communication...
Trendspotting in Food, Beverage & Experience
Trendspotting in Food, Beverage & Experience
"What’s Next? Culinary, Wine, Spirits & NA Beverages That Matter"
An insider’s dive into emerging trends in culinary innovation, premium beverage culture, and non-alcoholic elevation. Explore tools, tech, and training strategies that help teams anticipate change, build standout guest experiences, and increase topline sales.
Key Takeaways:
· The rise of premium NA...
Corporate Wine Tasting Experiences & Breakout Sessions
National Wine Educator | Corporate Tasting Experiences & Breakout Sessions
An award-winning wine and beverage educator, Brian offers engaging, accessible wine education tailored for corporate events, retreats, and incentive programming. Known for making wine entertaining, educational, and inclusive, his sessions cover everything from global wine styles to blind tasting competitions.
Popular Sessions:
• The 60-Minute Somm
• Around the World in...
Gen Z Beverage Revolution: Designing Drink Experiences that Capture the Next Generation
Title: Gen Z Beverage Revolution: Designing Drink Experiences that Capture the Next Generation
Takeaways:
- Understand Gen Z’s taste motivations and brand expectations
- Apply 3 new beverage concepts that resonate with digital-native consumers
- Prototype a beverage experience aligned with post-pandemic hospitality norms
1 recommend Brian
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Accelerating Leaders
On-Site
C.M.P.D.., Founder & Principal, Accelerating Leaders
Verified @acceleratingleaders.comProfessor Connors delivered the Beverage Keynote at the New England Restaurant & Bar Show, offering a powerful look into how Gen Z is crafting a new era of consumption. Blending data-driven insights with industry trends, Connors unpacked the evolving expectations shaping the future of beverage, hospitality, and guest engagement. Christopher Muller, Ph.D., Founder of Accelerating Leaders, described the talk as “a masterclass in marrying educational leadership with operational ingenuity.” Connors stands out as both a trendsetter and a pragmatic change agent—someone who isn’t just theorizing about innovation but embedding it directly into systems, from university curricula to cocktail bars at sea. His keynote didn’t just inform—it challenged operators to rethink how they connect with the next generation of consumers.
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