Topic HR

News & Stories

Hospitality Manager on the move (1): Sonu Shivdasani, Six Senses
The long haul perfectionist
23.9.2005

 

Bangkok. He doesn't drive the car, he works in it. But mostly he doesn't need one anyway: Sonu Shivdasani spends one tenth of his time in the air. Bangkok-Maldives-Oman-Athens-London-Hua Hin-Bangkok…. The CEO of the Asian Six Senses Resorts & Spas has the misfortune of having to be mobile. His luxury resorts are scattered throughout the most beautiful islands in the most undiscovered corners of Asia and Europe. The frequent flight guest thus likes to travel with maximum efficiency.

Reto Wittwer CEO of Kempinski Hotels for 10 years
The luxury man
16.9.2005

Munich. He officially called from Singapore for another reason. He only marginally mentioned what was really important to him: On July 26, Reto Wittwer had been CEO and President of Kempinski Hotels for ten years. Only Kurt Ritter of Rezidor SAS Hospitality has been in office for a longer term. The interview about Reto's anniversary reveals some hitherto unknown details about Wittwer himself.

Fictionary hoteliers' salaries
9.9.2005

Zurich.  A Swiss financial newspaper published the salaries of the150 top earners in Switzerland. Four wellknown hotel managers are to be found among them. But they deny to have been asked about it.

Chances and conditions for young and old GM on different markets
Systematic rotation
9.9.2005

Munich. In Dubai, there are more General Managers on the market than posts available. In Eastern Europe, however, the demand is high. Germany remains an attractive location, although there are comparably few open positions. Maria Puetz-Willems talked with Antje Maesse, the Managing Director of Haystax in Munich and her Global Network partners in Istanbul and London about the chances and conditions for young and old General Managers on the domestic and foreign market. Haystax is specialized in placing executives.

Performance linked bonuses lead to better results
Overview: Bonus schemes for executives
9.9.2005

London. `People are our most valuable asset' is the preferred mantra of many a company these days with more and more firms emphasising that it is their employees which give them the edge in an increasingly competitive marketplace. One has the impression with some of these companies that these grandiose statements are in fact empty words. An overview about effective talent management, bonus plans and reward schemes for all departments and different hotel types.

FOCUS staff: More and more companies rely on personality tests
Reading the coffee grounds:Only 10 out of 100 tests on scientific grounds
2.9.2005

Munich. More and more companies count on personality tests as regards staff selection or team development. However, most of them are neither worth their money nor scientifically backed up. A look at the industry.

FOCUS staff: About the sense and nonsense of personality tests
The less ado, the more information
2.9.2005

Stuttgart. Good interviews resemble good tests. In order to separate the good tests for selecting employees from the mountains of unserious offers, one would need some kind of "Consumers' Association". Baerbel Schwertfeger interviewed the renowned diagnostics expert and psychology professor at Hohenheim University near Stuttgart, Heinz Schuler.

FOCUS staff: Even professors allow themselves to be used for dubious matters
Tests today, dog food tomorrow
2.9.2005

Munich. Due to lacking know-how of human resources managers and providers of personality tests becoming cleverer, applicants frequently have to cope with dubious tests.

Hotel Managers want fair terms on bonuses
Unattainable - guaranteed!
19.8.2005

Augsburg. In times like these the hotel groups set targets so high, that no manager can realistically achieve bonus targets short of working a small miracle. A highly sensitive issue, as our survey soon determined. By far not every General Manager was willing to state his view. The background to the survey is formed by a recent study confirming that the trend towards performance related pay is on the increase.

Manager Salaries: Performance related payment models increase
Freezing of fixed salaries
19.8.2005

Augsburg. The trend towards performance related manager salaries in the hotel industry is becoming increasingly widespread. This was confirmed by an extensive survey carried out by a German Staff Consultancy firm. 93 percent of the 186 representatives of top management who were questioned thought that variable payment models, that is, fixed salary plus performance related bonuses, would take further hold over the next few years. Only two years ago the percentage of respondents holding the same opinion was four points lower. This trend is confirmed by other personnel consultants and headhunters, too.

VIP News

Displacements at top level

HI+Displacements at top level

Augsburg. Beat Sigg of the Victoria-Jungfrau Collection in Switzerland hands over the operation to a representative of the main shareholder. Best Western Central Europe has appointed Carmen Duecker as Co-Managing Director. The Austria Trend Hotel Schloss Lebenberg has a new director. Online Birds opens an office in Lisbon and Carlson Wagonlit Travel has appointed a new head of its Traveler Experience division.

Promotions and farewells

HI+Promotions and farewells

Wiesbaden. Scandic strengthens its Executive Commitee in the digitalization and customer care division. Moevenpick COO Ola Ivarsson retires and Sabine Dorn-Aglagul becomes President Europe in the company. Meininger Hotels appointed Thomas Hagemann as COO and at Jumeirah, Michael Ellis becomes Chief Culinary Officer of the group. GM Franz Zimmermann leaves Schlosshotel Kronberg, Anika Wagner is appointed HR Manager at A&O Hostels, Cornelia Meyer now manages The Liberty Bremerhaven and Cem Yoldas Hofgut Georgenthal.

Now three managing directors at Austria Trend Hotels

HI+Now three managing directors at Austria Trend Hotels

Vienna. In the Hotel Division of the Austrian Verkehrsbuero, three men now take over the management of the 28 Austria Trend Hotels in Austria, Slovenia and Slovakia. The reason for this is apparently a planned massive expansion spurt.

Summerly job changes

HI+Summerly job changes

Wiesbaden. Booking.com and Ctrip are moving closer because of Gillian Tans' seat on the board of directors at Ctrip. Martin Rinck is responsible for Hilton's luxury brands now. Yvonne Urban Scherer and Martin Scherer are leaving the Schweizerhof in St. Moritz and moving on to Pontresina, Burkhard Wolter is going to be General Manager at Waldhaus Flims, and Madeleine Marx is becoming General Manager at The Westin Hamburg. Claudia Wieland is managing the arcona Living Munich now, and Jost Deitmar is taking over the traditional Hotel Lindner in Bad Aibling. Radisson appoints a new Senior Business Director for DACH, and at Aldiana a team of two takes over from Max-Peter Droll.

Experienced new managers

HI+Experienced new managers

Wiesbaden. Jumeirah appointed Alexander Lee Chief Commercial Officer, Jan Hein Simons became partner at MRP Hotels for Germany and Benelux and Andreas Behrmann now heads the Welcome Hotel Meschede.

New momentum

HI+New momentum

Augsburg. Dorint Hotels announced new general managers for their hotels in Berlin, Moenchenglabdach and Binz. Welcome hired a woman to manage the newly added hotel in Euskirchen. And Novum Hotels secures the next new expert for events.

New jobs

HI+New jobs

Augsburg. Hong Kong follows Dubai: Stefan Leser is CEO of Langham Hospitality. Dusit Hotels appoints Marc Hediger for the international expansion. Wolfgang Gallas starts at UBM Hotels, Kayan Kilit leaves Adina, and the Soravia Group has brought in a Chief Information Officer.

New opportunities

HI+New opportunities

Augsburg. At GCH, CEO Yaron Ashkenazi hands over to COO Sascha Hampe. A GM change takes place at The Ritz-Carlton Wolfsburg, and Lindner also welcomes a new Resident Manager at the Lindner Hotel & Residence Main Plaza Frankfurt.

On the way up

HI+On the way up

Augsburg. Steigenberger appoints a Managing Director for its young brand Maxx, Frank Hoerl follows Gabriele Maessen at Azur Hotel Property in Berlin, the Westin and Sheraton Munich have a new Complex Manager for their 1,073 rooms. A Turkish business man comes on board as strategic partner to the operator RIMC Hotels.

New responsibilities

HI+New responsibilities

Augsburg. Claus Sendlinger, founder of Design Hotels, will leave both the managing board and company; Marriott appointed a Ritz-Carlton manager as successor. Four Seasons has assigned regional responsibility to the GM of its Dubai resort. Gerhard Bosse is the new GM at the Kempinski Hotel Das Tirol near Salzburg. Dominik Ritz will become the new GM of Delta Hotel by Marriott Frankfurt Offenbach, formerly New Century.

Careers in Europe

HI+Careers in Europe

Augsburg. The new European flagship of Moevenpick in Basel will be managed by Reto Kocher. Roland Paar becomes COO at Soravia, and at Deutsche Hospitality, Gernot Porcher is the successor of Sigurd Kern as Senior Director Construction, Interior Design and Engineering. Paul Garai, Founder and Managing Director at Star Inn Hotels, died unexpectedly.

New responsibilities

HI+New responsibilities

Wiesbaden. Laurent Picheral took over management of AccorHotels Central Europe in addition to his function as Deputy CEO AccorHotels Europe. Inge van Ooteghem will become COO of Premier Inn Deutschland, and Ringhotels have a new President and Vice-President with Bernd Kanzow and Volker Duerr, respectively.

Change of location

HI+Change of location

Augsburg. Jennifer Fox left Fairmont Hotels, Mandarin Oriental appoints a new person in charge for Northern Europe and Russia, Sebastian Kessel now runs the Courtyard Marriott Basel, his colleague Klaas Fongers takes over the Courtyard and Residence Inn Muenchen. Andreas Johannes Kartschoke is new General Manager of the Hotel Elephant in Weimar, and Nicole Adam is to enforce standards at Castlewood Hotels. Germany also has a new commissioner for tourism.

Change of General Managers

HI+Change of General Managers

Wiesbaden. Emaar Hospitality appointed Mehdi Morad and Riad Abi Haidar as General Managers for the hotels Adress Boulevard and Adress Dubai Marina in Dubai. At Lindner Hotels, the experienced Robinson manager Tom Pick takes on the management of the resort in Portals Nous, Mallorca. Hard Rock International appointed a new Head of Global Hotel Development. A-ja hired the director for its first city resort in Zurich, and hotelier Mario Pick switched to a head hunter.

Worldwide careers

HI+Worldwide careers

Wiesbaden. Gebhard Rainer is now CEO at Sandals, Ralph Tiergart is now appointed Vice President and GM of the extended stay brands ofr Choice, and Roland Elter steps up to management of Maritim Hotels. Constantin and Julia von Deines will leave Nassauer Hof Wiesbaden in May. Novum expands their HR department with Olaf Back and Kirsten Stein. Johannes Mayr now officially supports the leadership team at Sofitel Munich Bayerpost. Leonardo Hotels fill their management positions in southern Germany with Stephan Loewel, Yannick Goossens, Tim Ziegler, and Jacolien Benes.

Experience counts

HI+Experience counts

Wiesbaden. Currently, many experienced managers are changing jobs: At Falkensteiner Michaeler Tourism Group, Agron Berisa has become the new COO and succeeds Jan Hein Simons in this position; at Deutsche Hospitality, three executives have assumed new responsibilities. Dagmar Zechmann left the Westin Hamburg unexpectedly, Anthony Ross is now the new CEO at JA Resorts, and Birgit Conix has been appointed TUI's Chief Financial Officer. Preferred is expanding their female managerial levels. Brent Bouldin joined Choice as VP Marketing, and Roman Barthelmann is the new Regional Director Sales & Marketing at Rocco Forte Germany. The new GM at Burj Rafal Hotel Kempinski Riyadh is Christian Ruge, the GM at me and all Mainz is Holger Hanselmann, at Dorint Meissen it's Mark Anton. And Rafal Rosiejak has been named General Manager at Colliers Int. in Poland.

Surprising changes

HI+Surprising changes

Augsburg. Airbnb is able to win over a top manager of Amazon Prime; Fabrice Collet is the new CEO at B&B Hotels. Karl Schattmaier has a new position – at Welcome Hotels. Hilton has a new Chief Information and Digital Officer. Matthias Niemeyer takes over Development Europa at Adina, and Dorint has hired an eCommerce specialist.

Names and fates

HI+Names and fates

Augsburg. Former Starwood manager Michael P. Wale succeeded Gabriel Pérès becoming CEO of One&Only. Wolfgang Greiner left Mandarin Oriental Munich and the hotel group. Welcome Hotels CEO Christian Kettlitz also left the company. Roland Paar exited from Amedia Hotels as a Partner and Managing Director. Italian Valtur Group clarifies rumours about leadership. Ardi Goldmann, former 25hours partner, has to serve his sentence in prison due to a bribery scandal.

No extensions or transfers

HI+No extensions or transfers

Augsburg. Four Seasons CEO J. Allen Smith will not renew his contract. Choice Hotels pushes its technology by appointing a new Chief Technology Officer, Wyndham has a new president for EMEA, Albeck & Zehden hires a new GM for the Crowne Plaza Berlin City Centre, Travel Charme gets a new lead for the Ifen Hotel in Kleinwalsertal, and arcona follows suit for the new Living-Hotel in Wetzlar. HRS strengthens its power for small and medium-sized business customers.

International leadership positions in focus

HI+International leadership positions in focus

Wiesbaden. Steigenberger Dubai appointed Taras Ettl as new Managing Director for the region and, in Miami, Luis Riu is in trouble with the prosecution. Uwe Prein stepped up into management of alltours España, former head of Swiss Tourism, Juerg Schmid is now involved at The Living Circle, and Miriam Malzkeit is spearheading Forens Resort & Suites in Switzerland.

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