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

New GMs and Chairmen

HI+New GMs and Chairmen

Wiesbaden. Accor Paris has sent Laurent Picheral back to Munich; he will switch back from AccorInvest to AccorHotels. New CEO Europe of AccorHotels is a 40-year-old from outside the sector. Hilton has appointed a new Marketing Officer for global business. Moevenpick appoints Mark Willis to new President Asia, Martina Maly-Gaertner joins Arabella Hospitality as COO. At Warimpex, Daniel Folio follows in the footsteps of Georg Folian as new CFO and board member. The Steigenberger Hotels in Jena have new general managers, so do the Roomers Hotels in Baden-Baden and Frankfurt. The well-known Seehotel Krautkraemer in Muenster-Hiltrup is now led by Joachim Freche.

Growth with experienced staff

HI+Growth with experienced staff

Wiesbaden. In view of the expansion plans, 25hours strengthen their management with Christoph Hoffmann, Britta Doenselmann is promoted to General Manager at Adagio access Muenchen, and Brian Staudenmaier takes the lead at Adagio Muenchen City.

Surprising changes

HI+Surprising changes

Augsburg. Daniel Ruff left Wyndham and changed to Belmond. German Dorint Hotels expands management: After Karl-Heinz Pawlizki was appointed CEO in October, a former IHG colleague Joerg T. Boeckeler has also been brought on board as COO. The Kempinski Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten has surprisingly separated from Managing Director Axel Ludwig; in January Holger Schroth, up to now at the Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi, will take on the reins. Having left Nassauer Hof, Thorsten Sander arrived at Malta. Tour operator alltours has appointed Michael Kalt, an IT graduate, on to its management board.

New jobs

HI+New jobs

Augsburg. prizeotel appointed a Chief Digital Officer. Becky Dimant assumes new responsibilities at Associated Luxury Hotels, a young manager runs the Comfort Hotel Ulm/Blaustein. Wolfgang M. Neumann has been announced the new chairman at Hotelschool The Hague.

Confirmed or promoted?

HI+Confirmed or promoted?

Augsburg. Relais & Châteaux confirms Philippe Gombert as President. Robin Kornman becomes Head of Loyalty Marketing & CRM of Global Hotel Alliance. Joseph Chong, new Area Vice President of Peninsula Hotels, now also manages the flagship hotel in Hong Kong. Steigenberger Hotel and Spa Krems announces its new General Manager, while Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof welcomes its new deputy director. With Henk R. Oosterhuis, the industry has lost a highly active but amicable hotelier this week.

New Job or new split

HI+New Job or new split

Augsburg. Christoph Mares becomes COO of Mandarin Oriental Hotels; in addition, further colleagues are promoted to executive level. After only nine months, COO Mario Pick leaves the rapidly expanding Novum Group Hotels; at the same time, there is a new face at the Novum brand niu. The new VP Sales and Marketing of Deutsche Hospitality comes from Moevenpick. Rosewood appointed an ex-Starwood manager as new Chief Development Officer. After ten years, Sabres Chief Marketing Officer Sarah Kennedy has left the company.

New heads for new positions

HI+New heads for new positions

Augsburg. Moevenpick employs a new developer for Europe and North Africa in the London office. Sam Ioannidis builds up the new Four Seasons Athens, Gerhard Hecker joins the Shangri-La in Mauritius. Thomas Schmid has silently left the famous Dolder Grand Zurich. The German DSR Holding gets a new brand managing director, Carsten Rath leaves Kameha and Peter Mettler repositions the parent company, and at Dorint Hotels, two long-standing directors change seats.

GM changes everywhere

HI+GM changes everywhere

Augsburg. New directors everywhere… Star Inn Hotels in Salzburg, Louis C. Jacob in Hamburg, the new Hyperion Hotel Dresden am Schloss, and GCH Hotel Schloss Schweinsburg close to Zwickau have welcomed new managers.

Top positions with new faces

HI+Top positions with new faces

Augsburg. Pentahotels has a new managing director in Frankfurt, Deutsche Hospitality puts a new Key Account Management in place, the legendary Hotel Zur Tenne in Kitzbuehel, Austria will soon be taken over by an internationally experienced luxury hotelier. After 13 years, the top management of the hotel Schweizerhof in St. Moritz changes. nhow Berlin welcomes a new Spanish GM, The Adress Hotel Palace Downtown promoted its hotel manager. Microsoft plans to add two wellknown hotelier names to its Board of Directors. And Cushman & Wakefield appoint another hotel specialist of CBRE.

Lots of new developments

HI+Lots of new developments

Wiesbaden. The Deutsche Hospitality and Best Western Central Europe expand their development team, GBI found a successor for Norman Sauer, and Mike Boehme is supposed to increase the brand awareness of Letomotel. Paul Roll assists Meininger in its expansion in France, Elena Guenther supports the Cocoon brand in development and operations. Last but not least, Frederico Oneto becomes Country Manager Italy at Sweet Inn, and with Carsten Seubert Adlon Kempinski Berli has a new hotel manager. Ameron Boutique Hotel Neckarvillen in Frankfurt welcomed a new GM.

New names worldwide

HI+New names worldwide

Augsburg. On time to Expo Real this week, The Global Hotel Alliance introduced its new Global Head of Development. IHG appointed a new Chief Marketing Officer, and Dubai-based operator HMH hired a new GM for the Bahi Ajman Palace Hotel. Dorint reduces ist board to two Mananging Directors with Karl-Heinz Pawlizki becoming the new CEO. Chris-Norman Sauer changed from GBI to Premier Inn.

Off to new challenges

HI+Off to new challenges

Augsburg. Peter Verhoeven assumes new responsibilities at Booking.com, Dirk Fuehrer joins Falkensteiner Hotels as CCO, A&O appointed a new head of finance, Wolfgang Gallas leaves Primestar and joins B&B, and Susanne Friedrich is now business developer at Deutsche Hospitality. In three Steigenberger Hotels, the GM carousel continues to turn. And Eric Huebbers is back at Louvre.

Time for new things

HI+Time for new things

Wiesbaden. Moevenpick fills the newly created position of Vice President Sales with Julien Bonafous, Raphael Herzog becomes General Manager at Waldhotel Davos and Vitznauerhof starting in summer 2018, Managing Director Guido Riepe leaves Dorint Hotels and Sven Colditz joins Travel Charme.

Personnel restructuring

HI+Personnel restructuring

Wiesbaden. Sophie Etchandy-Stabile, long-standing executive at AccorHotels in France, leaves the company. RIMC appoints Marcel Henneke as the second managing director for Spain. DSR Immobilien focuses on the hotel industry and transformed the management level, and Benjamin Djebali took over management of the Brera Serviced Apartments in Munich. There are also changes on top management level at Interhome.

Creative changes

HI+Creative changes

Augsburg. Karl J. Badstuber and Yves Marchal now advice the investors of JLL, Andreas Scriven takes over from Nick van Marken at Deloitte. Angela Brave leaves IHG and regions are split. Former Kempinski GM Michael Sorgenfrey joins RIMC in Hamburg, Thomas Steger runs the neu RIMC Hotel at Hamburg Airport. Laywer Dr Christian Zerr leaves Hogan Lovells, the Success Hotel Group invented the Director of Means-End, Larissa Beuleke introduces Hyatt House in Europe, Intercity makes several GMs rotate, and Walter Breg now leads the Travel Charme Bergresort Werfenweng. Meininger send Ben Cary to North America, and Novum hires more manager for IT, Interior Design und F&B.

Moving goodbye and exciting staff changes

HI+Moving goodbye and exciting staff changes

Augsburg. As reported via "Breaking News" on Tuesday, Puneet Chhatwal will leave Deutsche Hospitality and switch to Indian Hotel Company with their brands Taj Hotels and Ginger. One week ago, Selektion Deutscher Luxushotels said goodbye to its co-founder Karl Nueser. Moreover, Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Expedia, hit the headlines: he is switching to Uber. The hitherto CFO will become Expedia's new head.

Plenty of changes and new appointments

HI+Plenty of changes and new appointments

Augsburg. The split of Wyndham's hotel business involves personnel decisions. For the first time, Meininger appoints a Chief Commercial Officer. Developer Ralph Steinert joins Vastint. Two men at Marriott/Starwood assume responsibility as Complex Manager on the island of Mallorca and in Munich. Deutsche Hospitality creates the position of Director Leisure Sales International. New general managers have been appointed at the Como The Halkin London, the Savoy Baur en Ville Zurich, the new InterCity Franfurt Hauptbahnhof, the Dorint Pallas Hotel Wiesbaden, at several German Adina Hotels, at two 25hours Hotels and at the Travel Charme Ostseehotel Kuehlungsborn.

Change on all levels

HI+Change on all levels

Augsburg. Moevenpick hires a new CFO. The Grand Hyatt Berlin changed its GM. TUIs Resort Castelfalfi in Italy has a new GM. Swiss Tschuggen Group appoints a Chief Development Officer and transfers a GM to the Tschuggen Hotel Arosa. JA Resorts from Dubai appointed a new Group Director Sales & Marketing. Tina Froboese leaves the BBG Consulting. Investor and operator Munich Hotel Partners expands its IT team. Marina Eggler resigns from CWT. Many current as well as former Kempinski hoteliers mourn the loss of Guenther Haug.

Voluntary and involuntary farewells

HI+Voluntary and involuntary farewells

Augsburg. The president of Sabre Hospitality Alex Alt leaves the company. An experienced Hilton manager joins Swiss-Belhotel in Bahrain. In Germany, the next lawsuit against the head of DSR Horst Rahe seems to be around the corner. The young resort brand Arborea announces its first director and the Grand Elysée Hamburg calls a Kempinski manager into its second rank.

New top executives and GMs

HI+New top executives and GMs

Augsburg. At the end of the year, Stephen Joyce will leave his position as CEO and COO Patrick Pacious will then take over; the organized transfer is already under way. The new Rezidor CEO Federico González-Tejera, formerly NH Hotel Group, brought his former colleague Chema Basterrechea from NH Hotels to Brussels and appointed him as COO. The Best Western Premier Hotel Lovec in Bled, Slovenia, has a new General Manger as well as the 25hours hotels in Duesseldorf und Cologne. A citizen of Leipzig is taking over the new Adina Leipzig, A&O is expanding its management team, and the engagement of Thorsten Faasch at BNP Paribas is official now.

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