Lausanne, Switzerland — April 21, 2026 — EHL Hospitality Business School announces the second edition of the HumanX Summit, taking place May 19 & 20, 2026, in Lausanne Campus. Bigger, bolder, and entirely redesigned, this year's edition brings together 600 participants and 40 speakers from across the globe for two days that are built to move and inspire. An experience that marks a defining new chapter for human-centric leadership, bringing leaders together to shape the future of the conversation.
A New Framework for Leadership: HumanX
HumanX, standing for Human Experience, Business Excellence, and Experimentation, reflects a new paradigm for leadership in complex systems. The summit positions human-centricity not as an abstract ideal, but as a practical capability shaping business outcomes across sectors.
Under the theme “Leading with Humanity: where connection and care drive strategy,” the summit responds to a defining shift across industries: as technology accelerates, the ability to lead with empathy, emotional intelligence, and human understanding is emerging as a critical differentiator. International leaders, innovators, and decision-makers will explore how connection and care are becoming central drivers of strategy, performance, and innovation.
“At EHL, we believe the future of leadership lies in the ability to combine performance with humanity. The HumanX Summit creates a platform to explore how connection, care, and human understanding can drive both innovation and long-term value.” Markus Venzin. EHL CEO.
Strategic Partnerships Advancing the Future of Hospitality and Service Industries
This year's Summit is shaped by two partners, bridging digital innovation with the human dimension. Co-creation partner Coca-Cola HBC brings together one of the industry's most dynamic and versatile 24/7 beverage portfolios with a deep, long-standing commitment to AI. Headquartered in Switzerland and operating across 29 diverse markets in Europe and Asia, the company is continuously piloting emerging technologies and developing purpose-built tools. These initiatives are designed to free up employee and customer time, deepen customer relationships, raise execution standards in the marketplace, and drive growth that lasts.
The Canton of Vaud, premium partner, adds that same energy at a regional scale: connecting companies, universities, research institutes, and investors into a thriving ecosystem where big ideas find the capital, talent, and partnerships they need to scale.
“At Coca-Cola HBC, we believe the best outcomes happen when people and technology work together. We're energized by what becomes possible when AI augments human thinking - sharper ideas, better decisions, and greater value for our customers and consumers alike. Our partnership with EHL's HumanX Summit reflects that belief in action. It brings together academic rigor and business experience to test, learn, and share what genuinely works - across hotels, restaurants, cafés, and bars. When the right people, insights, and experimentation come together, innovation stops being a concept and starts delivering real, lasting growth for our partners” said Naya Kalogeraki, Chief Operating Officer, Coca-Cola HBC.
Together, we are shaping the future conversations of the HORECA industry - and the HumanX Summit is the innovation catalyst where this future gets built.
A Cross-Sector Line-up Reflecting the Rise of Human-Centric Competencies
The summit convenes a diverse group of global leaders, illustrating how hospitality competencies, such as emotional intelligence, cultural agility, and relationship-building, are increasingly relevant across industries. Our distinguished speakers include:
- Hospitality, food and beverage industry leaders from major global groups including Naya Kalogeraki, COO, Coca-Cola HBC, Satya Anand, VP Marriott, Jean-Jacques Morin Deputy CEO of Accor and Christopher Norton, CEO, Equinox Hotels.
- Michelin-starred chefs Norbert Niederkofler and Roy Guy Krenzer
- Healthcare and experience leaders such as Adrienne Boissy, Chief Medical Officer, Qualtrics
The program also features perspectives from futurism, science, sport, and the arts, including Jason Silva EMMY nominated TV producer, contributors from CERN, Olympians such as EHL Alumna Sofia Meakin and Gold Medallist Olivier Zeigler, and artist Roksana Ciurysek-Gedir.
From Insight to Implementation
Day 1 will explore what’s next: bringing together fresh research, trend insights, and real conversations on the shifts, tensions, and opportunities shaping the future of human experience and business within a fast-changing environment.
Day 2 of the summit, led by the EHL Innovation Hub, will focus on open innovation and actionable outcomes, creating an environment in which participants can co-create solutions and build lasting partnerships. The program will feature a new investors track and collaborative innovation challenges that bring together corporates, startups, the next generation and subjectmatter experts, alongside sessions dedicated to exploring capital flows, emerging business models and concrete partnership opportunities.
A Global Platform for Human-Centric Transformation
With contributions from global institutions including the World Economic Forum, featuring voices such as Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director & Member of the Managing Board, World Economic Forum as well as leading academic institutions such as Harvard and ESADE, the summit positions itself as a global platform for advancing human-centric leadership across industries.