The event, to be held on Thursday 19th November 2009 at the Sofitel Hotel, London Heathrow T5, will see Bob Cotton, chief executive of the British Hospitality Association (BHA), address conference delegates on the immediate future for the hospitality industry and the potential challenges to be faced. Topics will include investment in the industry; taxation – with a change in VAT imminent; the ever increasing burden of legislation and demands on businesses; and the effect of a potential change in government in 2010. BAHA chief executive Carl Weldon said: "We are honoured and delighted that Bob Cotton has agreed to address the 2009 Conference. In his role as BHA Chief Executive, which began in January 2000, Bob has been an outstanding champion and ambassador for the UK hospitality profession. Whoever replaces him at the Association will have a very hard act to follow. "In his Conference presentation, Bob will provide delegates with an added bonus – his views on the real strength of hospitality as a business. He will be providing an overview of the industry during his tenure at the BHA – examining the many challenges, changes, and successes the profession has experienced. Who can forget, for example, the 2001 foot-and-mouth crisis and Bob's outstanding leadership?" Cotton will be joined at the Conference and IT Exhibition – entitled 'The Essential Toolkit for Managing the Bottom Line' – by a distinguished line-up of UK and international speakers including: Meinhard Huck, President of Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts Warren Mandelbaum, Head of Revenue Management at Whitbread Hotels & Restaurants David Clarke, Chief Executive of Best Western Hotels Alan Burns, Vice-President, Finance, Hotels.com and Venere.com Jonathan Langston, Managing Director of TRI Hospitality Consulting Robert Barnard, Partner for Hotel Consultancy Services at PKF