Hosted by Unknown Host · 🇺🇸 US · EN-AU · 34 episodes
Established thought leaders with verified media credentials.
Welcome to 5 Star Conversations, where we uncover the career journeys and insights of the hotel industry’s most influential leaders. I’m your host, Brendon Granger. As an entrepreneur, hospitality technology ambassador, champion for charitable causes, mentor and speaker, I’m passionate about the industry and its people. Together, we’ll uncover the stories behind their careers, the pivotal moments that shaped them, and the valuable lessons they’ve learned along the way. Whether you’re looking for inspiration or practical advice to elevate your hospitality career, you’ve come to the right place.
Unknown Host hosts 5 Star Conversations, a business show with 34 episodes published.
In this episode of 5 Star Conversations, we sit down with Raymond Faulkner, Vice President of Operations and Development for Swiss-Belhotel International. With over 35 years of global experience, Raymond shares his journ
In this episode of 5 Star Conversations, Olivier Berrivin, Vice President – Asia-Pacific at BWH Hotels, shares insights from his 35-year journey as a fourth-generation hotelier. Navigating through major industry shifts a
In this episode of 5 Star Conversations, Julian Clark, CEO of Lancemore Group, reflects on an unexpected journey into hospitality leadership. Although he began his career in financial services and strategy roles in Austr
Dominic Egger’s episode of 5 Star Conversations is a wide-ranging look at what modern resort leadership really takes — from goal-setting and disciplined operations to guest experience, technology, and sustainability. Spe
For this Best Of 2025 edition of 5 Star Conversations, we asked a deceptively simple question: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received throughout your career? What emerged was not a list of neat soundbites, but a col
This compilation brings together one of the most consistent and heartfelt themes from 5 Star Conversations in 2025: advice for those entering, or considering, a career in hospitality. Across roles, regions and career sta
Marcus Hanna, Chief Operating Officer at La Vie Hotels & Resorts, shares a 25-year journey from banquet waiter at Sydney’s Regent (now Four Seasons) to leading luxury assets across Australia and Singapore—including the 2
Zoran Pejović, Chief Growth & Strategy Officer at Lošinj Hotels & Villas, joins us from Croatia to unpack two decades across luxury development and operations (Aman, Silversea, Celebrity). He shares how a scholarship re-
In this episode of 5 Star Conversations, I sat down with Wayne Taranto, the Chief Operating Officer of Ovolo Group. We talk about how Wayne's journey into hospitality started unexpectedly, despite initially considering a
In this episode of 5 Star Conversations, we sit down with international hotelier Mario Mendis, whose 26-year journey in hospitality began humbly as a kitchen hand in Brisbane. Mario shares how his early exposure to the i
In this episode of Five Star Conversations, I sit down with Wayne Williams, CFO of the Minor Hotel Group. Over two decades, Wayne has played a key role in the group’s transformation—from 10 properties in Thailand to more
In this episode of 5 Star Conversations, Jason reflects on a career built on resilience, curiosity, and the willingness to take the harder path. Having spent two decades abroad, he shares how stepping outside his comfort
In this special international edition of 5 Star Conversations, filmed on location in Bangkok, we sit down with Rene Balmer, Group General Manager of Chatrium Hospitality. With nearly four decades in hospitality, Rene sha
In this episode of Five Star Conversations, Anthony Metcalfe, Hotel Manager at Capella Sydney, shares his journey through the luxury hospitality industry. With roots in a hospitality family, Anthony initially resisted fo
James Goodwin, CEO of Accommodation Australia, joined Brendon on 5 Star Conversations to discuss his transition into the accommodation sector, having previously worked in aviation, tourism, and public policy. While new t
In this episode of 5 Star Conversations, Brendon sits down with Dean Minett, a seasoned hospitality professional with over four decades of experience in hotel management, consultancy, and asset management. Dean shares ho
In this episode of Five Star Conversations, Brendon Granger sits down with Matt Tripolone, Managing Director for Australia and the Pacific at IHG, to explore his remarkable journey into hospitality and his vision for the
In this episode of Five Star Conversations, Brendon Granger interviews Erin Pickering, who shares her incredible journey from a career in Australian media to managing luxury super yachts for the world’s elite. Starting w
In this episode of Five Star Conversations, Brendon Granger interviews Rodger Powell, a highly regarded leader in the hospitality and tourism industry with a career spanning over three decades. Rodger shares insights fro
In this interview, Brendon Granger speaks with Scott Bear, General Manager of Mercure Sydney Manly Warringah, whose rapid ascent in hospitality began as an event waiter at Park Hyatt, Sydney, in 2015. Scott has distingui
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5 Star Conversations is hosted by Unknown Host. The show is categorised under business and has published 34 episodes.
5 Star Conversations has published 34 episodes.
5 Star Conversations regularly covers business. It sits in the business category.
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Episodes of 5 Star Conversations average 39 minutes. a focused format where a clear narrative arc and tight preparation matter most.
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