The Consulting Report is pleased to announce The Top 25 Leisure and Hospitality Consultants and Leaders of 2025. These individuals advise the companies behind how the world travels, dines, and unwinds—working across airlines, hotels, cruise lines, restaurants, casinos, and entertainment venues. Their expertise ranges from revenue strategy and asset restructuring to executive hiring, tax planning, and digital systems deployment. Many have led global accounts, designed new commercial models, or helped redefine operating structures for the sector’s largest players.

Some have deep roots in hotel operations or gaming, others in tech or finance. What connects them is a clear understanding of how hospitality businesses create value—and where that value is at risk. They are called on when leadership teams are restructuring portfolios, replacing legacy systems, or preparing for strategic transactions. Their impact shows up in pricing decisions, loyalty redesigns, and decisions about where and how to grow.

Among this year’s awardees, Darin Yug, Partner at PwC, is recognized for leading global hospitality efforts across gaming, hotel, and travel sectors, advising senior executives on large-scale transformations involving enterprise technology, operational redesign, and end-to-end performance improvement across finance, supply chain, marketing, and HR. Will Hawkley, Global Head of Leisure and Hospitality at KPMG UK, is noted for his work with major brands like IHG, Whitbread, and TUI Travel, and for shaping sector strategy through client engagement, industry body partnerships, and longstanding leadership of KPMG’s CFO and e-gaming summits. Kunal Shah, Managing Principal at ZS, is known for directing one of the world’s largest hospitality revenue management operations, delivering AI-enabled pricing, loyalty, and distribution strategies for thousands of hotels while also advising global travel brands on commercial model transformation.

Selected for their leadership across some of the most competitive and customer-driven sectors of the economy, this year’s honorees have helped define the direction of travel, hospitality, and leisure on a global scale. Please join us in recognizing the Top 25 Leisure and Hospitality Consultants and Leaders of 2025.

1. Darin Yug
Firm: PwC
Title: Partner

Darin Yug is the Global and U.S. Hospitality Leader at PwC, one of the world’s leading professional services networks. With over 30 years of experience spanning both industry and consulting for consumer facing industries, Darin has built a reputation as a trusted advisor to senior executives navigating the increasingly complex intersection of consumer/guest experience, operational transformation, and digital innovation.

Darin specializes in advising clients across casino gaming, hotels, airlines, retail, and consumer goods—bringing deep sector knowledge and practical insight to each engagement. His work focuses on large-scale business transformation initiatives, including operating model redesign, data integration, enterprise technology enablement, and change management. He is particularly recognized for his ability to drive sustainable growth and operational excellence across both front- and back-office functions, including finance, supply chain, procurement, marketing and loyalty, and human resources.

Under his leadership, PwC has been at the forefront of helping hospitality and gaming companies reimagine their organizations for the digital age—streamlining operations, elevating customer engagement, and unlocking new value through process and people transformation underpinned by enabling technology such as ERP, HCM, CRM and AI. Darin's approach blends strategic foresight with hands-on execution, enabling clients to adapt to evolving market dynamics while staying grounded in the unique culture and demands of the hospitality space.

2. Marvin Rust
Firm: Alvarez & Marsal
Title: Managing Director

Marvin Rust is a Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal Tax UK and head of A&M Tax EMEA, where he has overseen expansion from one office to 17 offices, and 23 employees to 388 employees in the seven years since he joined.

Based in London, he brings more than 35 years of tax experience across a broad range of taxes and industries working with public, private equity, and privately-owned companies and their owners. His primary areas of focus involve working with clients on complex tax matters from transactions and refinancings, through the BEPS agenda with a focus on transfer pricing. Mr. Rust has worked with clients across a range of industries, including hotels and leisure, real estate, telecoms, pharmaceutical, retail, and consumer products.

Before joining A&M, Mr. Rust spent four years with FTI Consulting, where he led the European Tax Business, more than tripling its tax business in that time. He led the tax team in numerous transactions, refinancings and in complex tax matters, including Carlyle’s acquisition of PA Consulting and numerous transactions for Starwood Capital and Domino’s Pizza Company.

Prior to this, Mr. Rust was a tax partner for 15 years at Andersen and Deloitte, leading their businesses in the hotel industry and transfer pricing matters. Mr. Rust earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and accounting from the University of Hull. He is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and is also a Chartered Tax Adviser with the Chartered Institute of Taxation.

3. Emily Weiss
Firm: Accenture
Title: Senior Managing Director, Global Travel Industry Lead

Emily Weiss is Senior Managing Director and Global Travel Industry Lead at Accenture, a global professional services company specializing in strategy, consulting, digital, technology, and operations. Accenture partners with businesses, governments, and organizations to build their digital core, optimize operations, and accelerate growth. With a focus on delivering measurable outcomes at speed and scale, the firm supports clients navigating complex, rapidly evolving digital landscapes.

4. Ed Bignold
Firm: Alvarez & Marsal
Title: Managing Director

Ed Bignold is a Managing Director with Alvarez & Marsal’s Corporate Transformation Services in London. He leads the firm’s Tourism, Travel, Hospitality & Leisure Practice across Europe and the Middle East. His primary areas of concentration are performance transformation programs and advising pre- and post-deal M&As.

Recently, Mr. Bignold’s performance improvement and operational transformation work has included leading a multi-hundred million £-pound cost improvement program for a large-listed hotel group. Before that, he spent roughly three years working with Accor, Europe’s largest hotel group, across major programs, including delivery of a €200 million EBITDA improvement program, followed by leadership of the subsequent program to separate Accor’s Luxury & Lifestyle business from mainstream brands.

Mr. Bignold works extensively with buy- and sell-side clients on commercial and operating due diligence. His recent, publicly announced transactions include Motel One, the greater than 100-hotel group with pan-European and U.S. operations, sold at a valuation of €4+ billion, and Pellicano Hotels, the ultra-luxury Italian hotel portfolio and The Social Hub (formerly The Student Hotel), successfully acquired by GIC and APG for €2+ billion.

Working with other leaders in the Tourism, Travel, Hospitality & Leisure Practice, Mr. Bignold has also been involved in significant strategy, asset management and financing engagements, as well as supported some of the sector’s most significant financial restructuring situations. 

Prior to joining A&M, Mr. Bignold held positions directly in the hospitality sector, with FTSE 100 IHG Group, focused on performance and operations across IHG’s 750 hotels in Europe, as well as various advisory roles focused on the travel, tourism, hospitality and leisure sector.

Mr. Bignold earned a master's degree (honours) from the University of Edinburgh. He co-hosts A&M’s annual European Hospitality Investment Conference, and is often asked by both national journalists and specialist industry commentators for market views.

5. Danielle Bozarth
Firm: McKinsey & Company
Title: Senior Partner

Danielle Bozarth is a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm that serves as a trusted advisor to the world’s leading businesses, governments, and institutions. The firm helps clients solve their most pressing challenges and achieve lasting performance improvements across industries.

6. Jon van der Veen
Firm: Bain & Company
Title: Partner

Jon van der Veen is a Partner at Bain & Company, a global management consulting firm. Operating across 65 cities in 40 countries, Bain works closely with clients to deliver results across industries including private equity, healthcare, consumer products, and technology. The firm is also recognized for its commitment to social impact, sustainability, and ethical leadership.

7. Nichole Minice
Firm: Protiviti
Title: Managing Director

Nichole Minice is a Managing Director at Protiviti, a global consulting firm specializing in finance, technology, operations, data, analytics, governance, risk, and internal audit. Through a network of more than 90 offices in over 25 countries, Protiviti and its member firms deliver tailored consulting and managed solutions to help clients navigate change with confidence.

8. Christopher Banse
Firm: RSM US
Title: Partner

Christopher Banse is a Partner at RSM US, a leading provider of audit, tax, and consulting services focused on the middle market. With more than 17,000 professionals across the U.S. and Canada and a presence in 120 countries, RSM delivers personalized service and deep industry expertise to its clients.

9. Jim Theodore
Firm: August Leadership
Title: Partner

Jim Theodore has been a leader in executive search for the global hospitality, gaming and travel industries for over thirty years, having significant experience both globally and domestically at the C-suite and general management levels. Clients value Jim for his performance, integrity, and his ability to act as a trusted advisor above and beyond the typical recruitment model. 

Jim was the founder and managing director of Exeter Partners, headquartered in Boston, where he advised and partnered with global and domestic clients within the hospitality, gaming and travel industries, in a variety of engagements. His clients ranged from Fortune 100 companies to start-ups as well as entrepreneurial organizations. Previously, Jim led the travel and leisure practice for two major global search firms. 

As a leading partner in the Travel and Hospitality practice at August Leadership, Jim has successfully led numerous senior-level global searches in the Americas, Caribbean, EU, Africa, and Asia Pacific. 

10. Zahara Kassam
Firm: FTI Consulting
Title: Managing Director

Zahara Kassam is a Managing Director at FTI Consulting, a global business advisory firm that helps organizations manage change, mitigate risk, and resolve complex disputes across financial, legal, operational, and regulatory issues. With more than 8,300 professionals in 34 countries and territories, FTI Consulting is recognized for its expertise in crisis management, business transformation, and strategic advisory.

11. Tausif Khiani
Firm: Capgemini
Title: Vice President | Hospitality Industry Leader 

Tausif Khiani leads Capgemini’s Travel & Hospitality portfolio, overseeing strategy, growth, and delivery across a global, multi-million-dollar business. With over 15 years of experience in enterprise transformation, Tausif has partnered with some of the world’s most iconic travel brands to modernize operations, enhance guest experiences, and drive sustainable innovation.

Known for delivering measurable outcomes and building trusted relationships with C-suite executives, Tausif has led initiatives that improve operational efficiency, unlock new revenue streams, and embed ESG into core strategy. A passionate advocate for the future of travel, Tausif champions the role of technology, personalization, and sustainability in shaping next-generation experiences.

12. Will Hawkley
Firm: KPMG UK
Title: Global Head of Leisure and Hospitality

Will Hawkley is KPMG’s global sector lead for the leisure and hospitality sector and has over 25 years experience of working in the sector. Will is lead partner on a large number of companies across KPMG’s markets sector including IHG Plc, Whitbread, TUI Travel, Evoke, easyJet, Talk Talk, DMGT, Imperial Brands, M&S, News Corp, PxC and across the leisure sector. Will works closely with industry bodies such as UK Hospitality. He also organizes KPMG’s bi-annual pub and restaurant, gaming, Tour Operator, and hotel sector CFO dinners as well as KPMG’s Gibraltar e-gaming summit now into its fourteenth year.

Before joining KPMG, Will was a national account controller at Anheuser-Busch Europe Ltd, the world's biggest brewer working with brands such as Budweiser. Will managed a number of sectors including specialists and convenience, cash and carry, Carlsberg-Tetley and Mitchells and Butlers. Will also worked on a large sales and operations planning project at Anheuser-Busch, leading the sales input to this change management program. During his time at AB, Will also helped develop and deliver account management and negotiation sales training programs.

Prior to Anheuser-Busch, Will worked in national account manager roles for Ross Young’s, a division of United Biscuits, and for Master Foods, a division of Mars UK, in the foodservice and pub retailing sectors. He holds a bachelor’s degree in food science, food economics, and marketing from the University of Reading.

13. Kunal Shah
Firm: ZS
Title: Managing Principal, Travel and Hospitality

Kunal Shah is a Managing Principal at ZS and leader of the firm’s Travel & Hospitality practice, where he partners with leaders across the industry to modernize their commercial strategy and organizations to drive sustained growth.

With two decades of experience in both consulting and industry, Kunal has led commercial strategy engagements and enterprise transformations for global airlines, hospitality brands, and other prominent travel companies. His work spans the commercial spectrum–sales, marketing, revenue management, loyalty, and distribution–where he helps clients design go-to-market strategies, execute important strategic initiatives, and deploy AI-driven analytics and next generation technology. Kunal also oversees ZS’ hospitality revenue management expertise center, which is one of the largest hospitality RM service providers in the world, providing pricing and inventory management services to thousands of hotels across chain scales, around the globe.

Outside client work, Kunal contributes to Forbes on aviation-related topics, teaches executive education at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and served as office managing principal for ZS’ San Diego office from 2021 to 2024.

Prior to joining ZS, Kunal held various commercial roles at United Airlines, where he was awarded the President’s Club distinction. Kunal also worked at another global consulting firm supporting growth strategy initiatives. Kunal holds an MBA from London Business School and a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.

14. Zachary Pomerantz
Firm: Egon Zehnder
Title: Consultant, Head of U.S. Travel & Hospitality Practice

Zachary Pomerantz is a Consultant in Egon Zehnder’s Global Services Practice and is the U.S. Head of Travel and Leisure. Based in New York, he advises clients across real estate, travel, hospitality, and sustainability, drawing on a deep operational background in asset management and portfolio leadership. His experience spans both public and private sectors, giving him a unique lens on how leadership drives performance across industries.

Zach partners with boards, CEOs, and senior executives on top-of-the-house leadership initiatives, including CEO and C-suite succession, executive onboarding, team effectiveness workshops, and board development. He brings his passion for hospitality, true partnership, and a “Life is Service” mindset to every client engagement—creating space for trust, clarity, and meaningful impact. His work in the hospitality sector spans global hotel operators, brands, and private equity-backed platforms, where he helps shape leadership teams that can scale, innovate, and deliver exceptional guest and employee experiences.

A graduate of Cornell’s Nolan School of Hotel Administration, Zach is active in the broader leadership and cultural community through board and committee roles with organizations such as the Cornell Hotel Society and previously with the Juilliard School, the James Beard Foundation, and the American Museum of Natural History. He brings a client-centric mindset and a passion for shaping the future of leadership across sectors.

15. Nick Shay
Firm: Publicis Sapient
Title: Head of Travel & Hospitality, International

Nick Shay leads Travel and Hospitality for Publicis Sapient’s International business and brings over 25 years of experience in the digital space. After earning a degree in computer science in the late 1990s, he began his career in the Bay Area during the dot-com boom, before relocating to Asia to help establish Publicis Sapient’s first office in India.

Nick is deeply passionate about the intersection of technology and human experience, and how it can be harnessed to drive meaningful business outcomes. Over the course of his career, he has partnered with leading cruise lines, hotel groups, airports, and airlines to deliver transformative strategy, innovative experiences, and enterprise-scale technology solutions.

A graduate of Publicis Sapient’s Chief Marketing Technology Officer program, Nick’s thesis focused on the role of personalised data in a world increasingly shaped by privacy and security concerns. Today, he is helping clients harness the power of AI to drive business model innovation and digital transformation, particularly in high-growth regions such as the Middle East. 

16. Ricardo Gonzalez
Firm: Softtek
Title: Managing Director, Hospitality

Ricardo Gonzalez is a Managing Director at Softtek, a global IT services company and pioneer of the Nearshore delivery model. Founded in 1982, Softtek provides next-generation digital solutions to Global 2000 organizations, supporting clients from ideation and development to execution and evolution. With operations in over 20 countries and more than 15,000 professionals, Softtek helps enterprises accelerate digital transformation with agility and scale.

17. Dawn Olivardia
Firm: Grant Thornton
Title: Principal

Dawn Olivardia is a Principal at Grant Thornton, the U.S. member firm of Grant Thornton International Ltd., one of the world’s leading independent audit, tax, and advisory organizations. With over 73,000 professionals across more than 146 countries, Grant Thornton serves public and private organizations of all sizes, delivering personalized service and trusted partnerships to help clients navigate today’s complex business environment.

18. Joe Stather
Firm: Crowe
Title: Managing Director

Joe Stather is Managing Director at Crowe UK, a leading audit, tax, advisory, and consulting firm with a strong national presence and global reach as an independent member of Crowe Global, one of the top 10 accounting networks worldwide. Crowe UK serves a diverse client base including businesses, professional practices, non-profits, pension funds, and private clients, delivering tailored, practical solutions grounded in deep market knowledge.

19. François-Joseph Van Audenhove
Firm: Arthur D. Little
Title: Managing Partner

François-Joseph Van Audenhove is a Managing Partner at Arthur D. Little, a management consulting firm that integrates strategy, innovation, and technology to address complex business challenges. The firm combines creative thinking with analytical discipline to help clients accelerate performance, navigate convergence, and unlock transformative growth.

20. Sachin Avadhani
Firm: EY
Title: Americas Hospitality Sector Leader

Sachin Avadhani is EY’s Americas Hospitality Sector Leader, managing strategy and transactions, consulting, assurance, and tax services across the sector. Enabled by data, AI and advanced technology, EY teams help clients shape the future with confidence and develop answers for the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow. EY teams in more than 150 countries work across a full spectrum of services in assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions, strengthened by sector experience and diverse ecosystem partners.

21. Kumar Paramasivam
Firm: Infosys
Title: Vice President

Kumar Paramasivam is Vice President at Infosys, a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. Infosys supports clients in over 50 countries by accelerating digital transformation through AI-powered platforms, agile solutions, and a strong innovation ecosystem. The company is committed to continuous learning and equipping clients with future-ready digital capabilities.

22. Manish Verma
Firm: Sonata Software
Title: Industry Leader - Retail & Hospitality Accounts

Manish Verma is the Industry Leader for Retail & Hospitality Accounts at Sonata Software, a global leader in digital transformation with 95,000 employees and annual revenues of approximately €11 billion. Atos, the European number one in cybersecurity, cloud, and high-performance computing, delivers tailored end-to-end solutions across industries in 69 countries and is committed to driving secure and decarbonized digital innovation.

23. Leila Jiwnani
Firm: Deloitte UK
Title: Head of Hospitality & Leisure Advisory

Leila Jiwnani is Head of Hospitality & Leisure Advisory at Deloitte UK, part of the global Deloitte network of professional services firms committed to delivering impact through integrity, innovation, and deep industry expertise. Deloitte helps clients lead in their markets while promoting inclusive growth and resilience across industries and society.

24. Rajdev Bhattacharya
Firm: Wipro
Title: Global Head Travel & Expense, Cards and Lodging

Rajdev Bhattacharya is the Global Head of Travel & Expense, Cards, and Lodging at Wipro, a leading global technology services and consulting company. Wipro helps clients address their most complex digital transformation challenges through an integrated portfolio of consulting, design, engineering, and operations capabilities. With a strong commitment to innovation and sustainability, Wipro enables organizations to build future-ready businesses.

25. Teresa Long
Firm: Willis Towers Watson
Title: Industry Leader, Retail, Leisure & Hospitality

Teresa Long is the Industry Leader for Retail, Leisure & Hospitality at Willis Towers Watson (WTW), a global advisory, broking, and solutions company that helps clients turn risk into opportunity. Operating in over 140 countries and markets, WTW delivers data-driven, insight-led solutions across people, risk, and capital to help organizations enhance performance, engage talent, and build long-term resilience.