Sir David Michels FIH is new president of the Institute of Hospitality

During the dinner, Sir David told the story of how, as a student, he was sacked from Simpson's-in-the-Strand for mistakenly pouring Brown Windsor soup into coffee cups and serving it to American tourists. Such a comical mishap, however, had no bearing on his subsequent rise to the top, which culminated in the £4 billion merger of Hilton International and Hilton Hotels Corporation in 2006. In the same year he was knighted for services to the hotel and catering industry. As the new president of the Institute of Hospitality, Sir David will participate in the Institute's executive council meetings and give his valuable input into the strategic decision-making process, as well as taking part in key events such Passion 4 Hospitality, the Institute's unique student debating competition, and its Regional Management Briefings. Institute of Hospitality chief executive Philippe Rossiter FIH comments: "With a highly respected international reputation and strong leadership skills, Sir David is very well equipped to assist us in shaping the Institute's strategic direction over the next few years." Sir David's said: "I learned the skills I needed by asking questions. I used to drive colleagues and the banks mad by constantly saying: 'I don't understand.' You can't know everything, but you need to know a bit of everything. So you either fluff it or you learn it and I've always learned it and I think that is very much part of leadership." Sir David takes over the presidency from Peter Lederer CBE FIH MI, chairman of Gleneagles Hotels.