State Secretary for Tourism of the Republic of Austria
Susanne Kraus-Winkler, State Secretary for Tourism, has more than 40 years of practical experience as an entrepreneur in the hotel and restaurant business. As an industry representative she worked in the hospitality industry, as well as in tourism consulting and academic lecturing.
She was a founding partner of the LOISIUM Wine & Spa Resort Hotel Group, with the LOISIUM Wine World in one of Austrian’s leading wine regions, two wine & spa hotels in Austria and one wine & spa hotel in Champagne Region of France and one wine hotel project Alsace, France. In addition, she was partner in several hotel management and tourism consulting companies such as Kohl & Partner Vienna, RIMC Austria GmbH and the Harry’s Home Hotel group and advisory board member of MRP-Hotels, a hotel consulting company in Europe.
Susanne Kraus-Winkler was HOTREC President from 2015 to 2018 representing the European Hospitality industry at EU level in Brussels, as well as President of the Austrian Professional Hotel Association within the Austrian Chamber of Commerce representing 16.000 hotels in Austria. She held several positions in the management board of tourism representations in Austria and at EU level and is member of the Austrian chapter of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.
CEO - Ana Hotels
Simona is CEO of ANA Hotels and Vice-president of FIHR - Hotel Industry Federation in Romania, an experienced Executive Director and Board member with a demonstrated working history of over 26 years in Finance & Hospitality services, skilled in Business Planning, Crises Management, Hospitality, Investment Banking, Wealth Management, Capital Markets and Securities.
Holding an EMBA with University of Washington in Seattle and a Postgraduate Diploma in Board Directorship and Governance with Henley Business School, she appreciates that any executive must look for continuous education, upskilling, networking with high quality professionals in order to better adapt and respond to challenges and opportunities of nowadays business environment.
Ana Hotels is the biggest Romanian hotel chain by turnover 2019-2022, owning 6 hotels and 4 SPAs. The portfolio spreads in Bucharest – 2 city hotels InterContinental Athénée Palace & Crowne Plaza, and in resort destinations – mountain in Poiana Brasov (with 3 hotels) and Black Sea side in Eforie Nord – Hotel Europa. Each property has a SPA, part of ANA SPA collection, 3 of them being wellness SPAs in Poiana Brasov and in Bucharest and one being Health, Wellness and Antiaging Spa on the seaside. Also, the group owns businesses in real estate market of Bucharest – commercial and office building and the ski-lift company of the resort Poiana Brasov.
The Company was set-up in 1996 by the owner Mr. George Copos, when he starting acquiring properties during the privatization process from Romania.
First acquisitions were the mountain resort hotels and the current Crowne Plaza Bucharest, which entered into cooperation with IHG Hotels & Resorts, the hotel being operated under management agreement. Later in 2018 when management agreement ended, Crowne Plaza brand remained and the property started to be operated under franchise agreement.
In 2001, ANA Hotels sea side hotel - Hotel Europa - was added to the portfolio and 3 years later, its extension was built, the largest medical and wellness SPA from Romania, Ana Aslan Health SPA. The uniqueness of the area and its natural resources – with salted water and the therapeutic mud of Techirghiol Lake – are the natural factors incorporated in the therapies and treatments well-known and appreciated by the clients. In order to benefit of these natural resources, in 2018, an extension to Ana Aslan Health Spa was build - Techirghiol Pool, which is a unique concept on the Romanian seaside, an open-air area exclusively dedicated to treatments with mud and salted water. It helped during the pandemic period – to keep offering treatments in the open air, by the pool side.
In 2005, Ana Hotels acquired the owning company of Athénée Palace Hilton Bucharest hotel, together with its operating management agreement signed with Hilton Worldwide for a 25 years term, by the acquisition time being almost half term.
Managing Director - Pimlico Asset Management
Anne-Marie Auriault is Managing Director at Pimlico Asset Management, a global private client advisory firm specialising in hotel real estate investments and asset management. Ms. Auriault has 20+ years of experience in the field of hotel real estate in strategic advisory, investment, Capital Markets and Asset Management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the US.
She also holds Non-Executive Director & independent Board Member positions in several companies.
Ms. Auriault has an MBA in International Hospitality Management, EHL, and an Advanced Certificate in Hospitality Real Estate & Finance, ESSEC Business School. She is Vice President of HAMA Europe (Hospitality Asset Manager Association Europe).
Pimlico Asset Management is a global private client advisory firm specializing in real estate investments and asset management, whose primary focus is the hotel property sector.
The quality and depth of our expertise enable us to accompany our clients through every step of the asset life cycle.
Pimlico in Numbers
Pimlico provides asset management and advisory services on 3 continents.
AUM: +€500 million of assets under management
Getting more for from your hotel property investments & Pushing your investment forward
Hotel Property Owners turn to Pimlico Asset Management for independent guidance in ensuring long-term sustainable growth of their portfolios at every stage throughout its life cycle.
We provide an integrated hotel asset management platform enhancing operational efficiencies and maximising the value of your investments.
What does Pimlico bring along?
You work with a sparring partner to bring the best to you with practical and enduring solutions.
We bring deep industry knowledge and critical hands-on experience.
We have expertise in value-added asset management, hotel operations, repositioning, and (re)branding.
Hotel Asset Management demand deep knowledge of the property market, understanding of the needs and financial requirements of owners, debtors, and expectations of operators to counterbalance objectives and limit divergence among all parties.
Group CEO - Tacit Investment S.A.
Maciej Wolski is the Group CEO of Tacit Investment, a prominent player in the premium real estate market in Poland. With a strong and established capital position, Tacit Investment became a precursor in the premium real estate market, creating new and exclusive products that set the tone for discussions about the future of the market in Poland. Under his leadership, Tacit Investment has become an active player in the hospitality and hotel sector.
Milestones Summary of Tacit Investment Group:
1. The flagship investment, the unique Cosmopolitan Twarda 4 apartment building, a 44-storey fully glazed and finished to the highest standard building that quickly became an icon and the most important element of the Warsaw skyline.
2. The implementation of the unique Park Lane residence, located in a prestigious location, right next to Łazienki Królewskie in Warsaw.
3. The establishment of the private high school, Akademeia High School, which has won many prestigious awards.
4. The establishment of The Bridge Wrocław MGallery Hotel Collection - the first and one-of-its-kind hotel project that combines the past and heritage of the historic Ostrów Tumski with the present time, offering a unique and stylish experience.
5. The creation of the one and only Nobu Hotel Warsaw, a brand owned by Robert De Niro, Nobu Matsuhisa, and film producer Meir Teper.
These milestones highlight Tacit Investment Group's focus on premium real estate, with a specific emphasis on high-end residential projects, and a private school. The group's two hotels, The Bridge and Nobu, are highlighted as the latest additions to the portfolio. Under the leadership of Maciej Wolski, Tacit Investment continues to create new and innovative projects that set the tone for the future of the premium real estate market in Poland.
President of the Advisory Board - HR Group Management GmbH
Rupert Simoner, an Austrian hotelier and entrepreneur, has had 33 years of experience in the industry working with brands like Marco Polo, Hilton, Kempinski and Vienna House which he founded in 2015. Today he is the CEO of Lombard Estate Capital, owner of the Vagabond Club Hotels and President of the HR Group Advisory Board.
Managing Partner - SoHospitality GmbH, Vienna
Roland Paar has spent the last 30 years working successfully in the international luxury hotel industry, including leading positions for Ritz Carlton, Capella, and the Aman Resorts. As former European President of the "Plateno Group", part of the second-largest hotel group in the world, he has driven the successful expansion of the Plateno Group in Europe, the Middle East, and the CIS countries.
For several years, Paar has managed the hospitality division for the SORAVIA group, as Managing Partner of SoHospitality GmbH.
President EMEA - Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
As resident of EMEA, Dimitris Manikis is responsible for the development of all of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’ brands in the EMEA region as well as maximising the performance of all new and existing franchise and managed hotels. Prior to joining Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, he spent over 27 years with RCI across a number of senior roles.
Mr. Manikis is an Industry Advisory Board member for Hotelschool the Hague, a Senior Advisory Board member for the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance and a Board member for Christel House Europe
Wyndham Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: WH) is the world’s largest hotel franchising company by the number of properties, with approximately 9,100 hotels across over 95 countries on six continents. Through its network of approximately 836,000 rooms appealing to the everyday traveller, Wyndham commands a leading presence in the economy and midscale segments of the lodging industry. The Company operates a portfolio of 24 hotel brands, including Super 8®, Days Inn®, Ramada®, Microtel®, La Quinta®, Baymont®, Wingate®, AmericInn®, Hawthorn Suites®, Trademark Collection® and Wyndham®. The Company’s award-winning Wyndham Rewards® loyalty programme offers over 97 million enrolled members the opportunity to redeem points at thousands of hotels, vacation club resorts and vacation rentals globally. For more information, visit www.wyndhamhotels.com.
Senior Manager – Corporate Strategy & Board Secretary - CPI Property Group
Mindee Lee, Secretary to the Board of Directros and Senior Manager responsible for Corporate Strategy, has over ten years of experience in real estate investment management and capital markets financing. Before joining CPIPG in 2021, Ms. Lee has gained important experience in investment and asset management in Europe and Asia.
Ms. Lee graduated with a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Queensland, Australia, and completed an MBA in Hospitality with École hôtelière de Lausanne.
Managing director and Co-Owner - Est-Hotels
Mr. Koller is a dynamic hospitality professional, who currently serves as Managing Director and Co-owner of EST-Hotels. With properties in Vienna, Budapest, and Croatia, Mr. Koller brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the table. With a strong background in both family-owned and multinational hotel chains, including K+K Hotels and Hilton, Mr. Koller offers a unique and valuable perspective on the industry. Holding a Bachelor's degree in Finance from the University of Economics and Science in Vienna and a Master's degree from the Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland and having worked as Auditor and Management Consultant for KPMG and other companies in Asia and Europe, Mr. Koller is a well-educated and highly knowledgeable speaker on operational as well as hotel real estate topics.
EST-Hotels Group is a newly founded, family-owned company specialized in the restoration and redevelopment of historic properties into upper upscale hotels and residences throughout Europe.
The company's current flagship property is the Grand Hotel Savoy in Budapest, which has recently re-opened its doors after decades of decay. This legendary hotel is a prime example of EST-Hotels Group's commitment to preserving heritage while providing guests with contemporary comfort. The hotel features elegant interiors, state-of-the-art technology, and exceptional service, making it a top choice for travelers visiting Budapest.
Another notable project of EST-Hotels Group is Palais Chotek in Vienna. Once residence of the heir to the throne of Austria, this iconic building is being carefully restored and transformed into an upper upscale hotel with 170 rooms und suits. The property is set to open in early 2025 and will provide guests with a unique blend of historic charm and modern comfort.
Projects in Prague and London are currently being evaluated.
Industry Lead Real Estate - Raiffeisen Bank International AG
Matthias currently works as industry lead for real estate at Raiffeisen Bank International AG (RBI) based in Vienna and in this position he is responsible for the client coverage of real estate customers by a dedicated team of relationship managers. He started his banking career as trainee at RBI in 2007 and held several positions within RBI Group, inter alia in real estate finance.
Raiffeisen Bank International (RBI) regards Austria, where it is a leading corporate and investment bank, as well as Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) as its home market. 12 markets of the region are covered by subsidiary banks. Additionally, the RBI Group comprises numerous other financial service providers, for instance in leasing, asset management or M&A.
Around 44,000 employees service more than 17 million customers through approx. 1,700 business outlets, the by far largest part thereof in CEE. RBI's shares are listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange. The Austrian regional Raiffeisen banks own around 58.8 per cent of the shares, the remainder is in free float. Within the Austrian Raiffeisen Banking Group, RBI is the central institute of the regional Raiffeisen banks and other affiliated credit institutions
Managing Director / Head of Hospitality - Cerberus Global Investments B.V.
Mr Arandelovic joined Cerberus in September 2022, overseeing the Hotel Asset Management as well as Hotel Transactions. Prior to joining Cerberus, Mr Arandelovic has held several operational roles with Hilton in different European markets until 2018, overseeing the management of several hotels in multiple countries. Thereafter, from 2018 - 2022, Mr. Arandelovic was Chief Operating Officer of the Hotel Division of Aroundtown SA, the largest German Commercial Real Estate Investment Company; working with international brands and operators and growing the European hotel portfolio to one of the biggest ones with 186 hotels.
Mr. Arandelovic is a graduate from Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne, Switzerland, and holds a Master of Science from Strathclyde University, Scotland. His passion for food & wines made him co-owner of the renowned restaurant Domenica on Noordermarkt, Amsterdam in 2018. He lives with his family in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Founded in 1992, Cerberus is a global leader in alternative investing with approximately $55 billion in assets across complementary credit, private equity, and real estate strategies. We invest across the capital structure where our integrated investment platforms and proprietary operating capabilities create an edge to improve performance and drive long-term value. Our tenured teams have experience working collaboratively across asset classes, sectors, and geographies to seek strong risk-adjusted returns for our investors. For more information about our people and platforms, visit us at www.cerberus.com.
CEO - Szallas Group
Before joining Szallas Group in 2011 as CEO, Jozsef Szigetvari was a publisher at the Hungarian subsidiary of IDG from 2001 to 2009. He started to work at Sanoma from 2009 and managed all the transaction based digital products until 2013. As a portfolio director of Profession.hu, - Hungary's leading job portal - he was responsible for reorganising Profession.hu’s product development processes and optimising its organisation.
Szallas Group
2007: Two Hungarian start-upers dared to dream big and created the miskolc-szallas.hu domain. Their purpose was to make all the Hungarian accommodation offers easily available and comparable on the same platform.
2009: The page was already available in 5 languages; szallas.hu domain was bought this year
2011: József Szigetvári joined Szallas.hu as CEO; 50% of the company’s ownership was bought by Sanoma; SzallasGuru.hu - focusing on coupons and discount travel offers - was launched this year
2013: Szallas.hu became the biggest domestic OTA in Hungary (based on the common research of eNET and Hungarian Hotel Monitor); reached the number of 10 000 accommodation partners; started acquiring accommodation in Croatia
2014: won Deloitte Technology Fast 50 prize in the CEE region as the fastest growing tech company
2015: the company had its new owner: 70% PortfoLion (an all-stage CEE venture capital and private equity firm, part of OTP Group) + 30% OTP Bank. The purpose of the acquisition was to strengthen the international expansion of Szallas.hu.
2016: Szallas.hu launched its own blog - presenting the best programs, recreation and entertainment opportunities to those who would like to travel
2018: the company partially acquired Travelminit.ro
2019: acquisitions continued this year, in Hungary the company acquired maiUtazás.hu group which also includes PihiPakk.hu and utazok.hu. In the Czech Republic Hotel.cz group was acquired (this group includes hotely.cz, hotel.cz, spa.cz, penzion.cz, and konfi.cz.)
2020: Travelminit integration closed, the company became 100% owner of Travelminit. Despite the COVID, the company’s financial results were even better this year than it was in 2019.
2022: One of the biggest and most significant Central European digital acquisitions in the tourism sector in recent years has been closed: Polish company, Wirtualna Polska acquired Szallas Group for EUR 82 million.
Szallas Group now operates the largest domestic travel portals in the CEE region together with its 500 employees in 5 different countries.
CEO - FMTG – Falkensteiner Michaeler Tourism Group AG
Otmar Michaeler is CEO and one of the three visionary co-founders of FMTG, Falkensteiner Michaeler Tourism Group. Since 1995 he has also been managing director of the tourism consulting firm Michaeler & Partner. From 2010 to 2020, he was President of the Südtiroler Volksbank. Born in the Alto Adige, he has managed over the years to affirm his competence in the tourism and financial field with great maturity and strength, becoming one of the leaders in tourism and a source of continuous innovation for the group.
COO, Member of the Board - UBM Development AG
Martina Maly-Gärtner, MRICS, joined the Managing Board of UBM Development AG as COO on 1 September 2021 and is responsible for the areas hotel, human resources and insurance. As part of her international career, she has been accountable for the hotel portfolio and strategy development of Arabella Hospitality with its head office in Germany as COO since 2018. Prior to that, she led the European-focused tourism consulting and hotel development company Michaeler & Partner in Vienna as Managing Director for 8 years. In addition, Ms. Maly-Gärtner has 10 years of operational hotel management experience in America, the Middle East and Europe with internationally recognised hotel chains.
Director - CP Holdings
Mr. Hennebry is the Hotels Director for CP Holdings responsible for the portfolio of 45 hotels owned and operated under two distinct brands; Danubius Hotels and Ensana. Danubius is the leading operator in Hungary predominantly in city centre and resort locations. Ensana is Europe’s largest health spa hotel operator located in 5 countries principally in Central Europe. Mr. Hennebry has a background of over 25 years in the hotel, spa, financial and private equity sectors across management, operational and financial roles in Europe, Asia and the U.S.
CEO - Polski Holding Hotelowy
With over 25 years of experience working with big brands like Radisson, Accor Hotels, Best Westerns, Gheorghe Marian Cristescu has contributed outstanding efforts to the development of the Hospitality and Tourism industry in Poland. In 2016 In 2016, G. M. Cristescu took the position of President of the Board of Polski Holding Hotelowy, which is now the largest hotel company in the country, within Polish Capital. Cristesccu also holds a number of honerable awards, such as the “Man of the Year” by Hotelarz magazin in 2012, 2018, 2020; the Grand Prix of MT Targi Polska in 2020, and a commemorative medal of the 100th anniversary of the Polish Olympic Committee in 2022. Furthermore, President Cristesccu was awarded the Bronze Cross of Merit by the President of Poland - Andrzej Duda, and received the honor badge "For merits for tourism" awarded by the Ministry of Sport and Tourism in 2019. Cristesccu has surely marked his name in the industry as he was ranked the second most influential person in Polish tourism by Wasza Turystyka magazine in 2021 and 2022.
The PHH Group currently has over 50 hotels and facilities with nearly 6 000 rooms, which makes it the second largest hotel group in Poland and first with only Polish Capital. The PHH Group offers an extensive network of hotels and facilities located in various parts of Poland - in large cities, smaller towns, as well as mountain and coastal tourist areas, of various standards: business premium, leisure premium, business, economic, leisure, health resorts.
The Group cooperates - as a franchisee - with leading global hotel chains, such as Marriott International, Hilton International, Best Western Hotels&Resorts, InterContinental Hotels Group and Louvre Hotels Group. Moreover, PHH is the most significant Marriott partner in this part of Europe, receiving the Partnership Circle Award as the most valuable business partner among owners and franchise partners in Europe in 2019.
The group's goal is to create a strong and professional Polish hotel entity, competitive in the industry, efficiently managing the base of facilities by implementing modern procedures, improving profitability or adjusting the hotel's standard to the possible introduction of a hotel brand.
Founder, President & CEO - Double W Group
Vladimir is an experienced real estate and hotel developer and investor. He has been involved in over 30 landmark hotel projects in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Russia, Spain, Austria and other countries. Among his accomplishments, there are a number of milestone properties, including the 1st internationally branded hotel in Ukraine (Radisson SAS/BLU) and the 1st A class business centre in Ukraine (“Leonardo”). Currently, Vladimir’s project portfolio includes several hotel projects in Ukraine (Odessa, Kyiv) and recently he started a hotel project in Austria.
CEO/ Managing owner - HR Group
Throughout his academic career, Ruslan Husry gained the titles Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Master of Law (LLM). His entrepreneurial success is based on many years of experience as a company consultant, investor and manager for internationally acting companies as well as his work for various investor groups within Germany. With the acquisition of Markgraf Hotel in Leipzig in 2008, he began creating the HR Group as one of the leading hotel investment and operating companies in Central Europe.
The HR Group is one of the leading multi-brand operators in Central Europe. The Berlin-based company has been successfully acquiring and operating hotels for more than ten years. With more than 145 hotels in over 100 cities and 10 countries, including various projects signed and under construction, over 25.000 rooms, HR Group continues to strive for expansion.
As a multi-brand operator, the HR Group is partnering with well-established hotel groups including Accor, Vienna House, Wyndham Hotel Group, Dorint Hotels & Resorts, Hyatt and Deutsche Hospitality. Further it is acting as reliable partner for institutional investors such as Pandox AB, DEKA, Union Investment and others. The HR Group is strongly represented in different markets and has achieved above-average sales performance in recent years.
Comprehensive market and extensive real estate knowledge as well as professional management structures form the basis for success. HR Group is looking for city and business hotels in international and national cities as well as resorts in leading leisure destinations.
Founder and sole shareholder of HR Group is Ruslan Husry, who has been successfully working as an investor, managing director and manager of various hotel and real estate projects. Since 2008 he has been working as an entrepreneur as well as the founder and managing director of the HR Group.
“The power of imagination makes HR Group infinite. With our unique set of great people, excellent market knowledge, tremendous track record and a vast variety of successful co-operations with financial institutions, all combined with our passion and dedication for success – we want and will expand our business gradually. Utilizing our unique platform, creating synergies with more than 20 brands currently in operation and enhancing back-end technologies by a wide margin, will give HR Group the competitive advantage and maximizing profitable returns; whether for a single property and/or entire portfolios.”
Vice President Business Development - Radisson Hotel Group
In the region since 1995, David Jenkins joined the Radisson Hotel Group in 2015 as Vice President Business Development covering Eastern Europe, Russia, Baltics, CIS, Ukraine, Georgia and Israel. This followed on from a 10-year period as one of the most respected hotel consultants in the Russian market with JLL, Cushman & Wakefield, DTZ and Horwath. Prior to consulting, David spent 8 years with Interstate in Moscow working in operations for the 3 Marriott properties. David has a degree in Hospitality Management and now has almost 30 years of experience in the industry from operations, consulting and development.
In recent years David has signed multiple hotel agreements in Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, Hungary,
Georgia, Ukraine, Russia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania amongst others.
The Radisson family of brands can be found around the world in more than 120 countries, with currently over 1,700 hotels in operation and under development. Radisson Hotel Group operates the business in EMEA and APAC with over 1,100 hotels in operation and under development. The international hotel group is rapidly growing with a plan to double the portfolio by 2025. The Group’s overarching brand promise is Every Moment Matters with a signature Yes I Can! service ethos.
The Radisson family of brands portfolio includes Radisson Collection, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson RED, Radisson Individuals, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson, Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, and prizeotel brought together under one commercial umbrella brand Radisson Hotels.
Radisson Rewards is Radisson Hotel Group’s loyalty program, which delivers an elevated experience that makes Every Moment Matter. As the most streamlined program in the sector, members enjoy exceptional advantages and can access their benefits from day one across a wide range of hotels in Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific.
Radisson Meetings provides tailored solutions for any event or meeting, including hybrid solutions placing guests and their needs at the heart of its offer. Radisson Meetings is built around three strong service commitments: Personal, Professional and Memorable, while delivering on the brilliant basics and being uniquely 100% Carbon Neutral.
At Radisson Hotel Group we care for people, communities and planet and aim to be Net Zero by 2050 based on the approved near-term Science Based Targets. With unique solutions such as 100% carbon neutral Radisson Meetings, we make sustainable hotel stays easy. To facilitate sustainable travel choices, all our hotels are becoming verified on Hotel Sustainability Basics.
The health and safety of guests and team members remain a top priority for Radisson Hotel Group. All properties across the Group’s portfolio are subject to stringent health and safety requirements, as outlined in the Radisson Hotels Safety Protocol. The Safety Protocol is an integral part of Radisson Hotel Group’s Safety and Security program ensuring we always care for our guests and team members.
Deputy Managing Director for Strategy - Accent Hotels
Peter Kerek joined the independent Hungarian hotel management group, Accent Hotels, when it was founded in 2007 and he is now one of the top managers of the company. Accent has filled a gap on the Hungarian market providing professional hotel management services to independently owned hotels. Peter assisted the company along its journey to become one of the marketing leading hotel groups in Hungary. Having started as Project Manager, he later became responsible for coordinating the sales and marketing activities of the portfolio as Director of Sales and Marketing. In 2012, 5 years after its foundation, Accent was already operating more than 1000 keys in a diverse portfolio of 3 to 5-star properties including city hotels and wellness resorts across the country. Since 2017 Peter has taken the initiative to become in charge of the strategic development of Accent Hotels with keeping the sales and marketing department in his focus but extending his activities into business development roles. He is a deputy managing director at the group which operates closely 2000 keys now and is continuously expanding its portfolio both in Hungary and Austria.
Accent Hotels is one of the most colourful and dynamically developing hotel chains in Hungary. Our portfolio includes a wide selection of hotel categories from Austrian ski hotels through castle hotels and business hotels to four-star wellness hotels. We at Accent Hotels work to ensure that our guests always leave with unforgettable experiences, maximum satisfaction and return to us.
Accent Hotel Management provides a full range of hotel consulting and operations management services to hotel owners, developers and lenders.
- Established in 2007 by CEE hotel industry professionals with many years of international experience in hospitality industry and catering.
- Currently operating almost 1900 rooms in 26 hotels in Hungary and Austria, on behalf of real estate owners and investors.
- Around 650 employees based in hotels in 2022 and a head office in Budapest of 41 professionals supporting our hotels.
The core services of the company are hotel operation, project and development consulting, also business audit and evaluation.
“To provide superior, professional management, creative marketing and disciplined financial control to the owners of quality hotels - with the aim of maximizing revenue, profit and asset value in each hotel through correct market positioning, active sales and cost control, and the highest level of guest satisfaction.”
Regional Vice President, Mixed-Use Development - Marriott International EMEA
Jaidev (“JD”) Menezes is the Regional Vice President, Mixed-Use Development for Marriott International for Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). JD is responsible for the growth of Marriott’s portfolio of residential brands including The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, Bvlgari, W, EDITION, The Luxury Collection, JW Marriott, Marriott, Westin, Le Meridien, Autograph Collection, Sheraton, Delta, Renaissance, and Tribute Portfolio. Marriott is the world’s largest hospitality company and the world’s largest branded residences operator. JD has a successful track record over 20 years with extensive experience in both hotel and residential development across EMEA, Asia, and the Americas. Prior to joining Marriott, JD was head of global development for Emaar Properties’ hospitality division. Previously, he spent 15+ years with Fairmont-Raffles (now Accor) in development and strategy roles including his last role as Executive Director, Mixed-Use Development (EMEA). JD earned his bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and his MBA from the Ivey Business School.
Owner & CEO - Mamma Group
After finishing his business studies in 1984, Herbert Pinzolits worked as a journalist for Trend, which at that time was the leading business magazine in Austria. After 4 years Mr. Pinzolits started his own publishing company, which was running 24 magazine titles and employing 420 people when it was sold in 2008. Starting then, Mr. Pinzolits step by step began to develop real estate projects for himself with his own funds. The current hotel portfolio of MAMMA GROUP includes 6 units with over 1,100 rooms across Austria and Germany.
Mamma Group
- Real estate developer since 2011 based in Vienna
- Focusing on commercial real estate, particulary retail and hospitality
- Currently developing seven greenfield hotels in Austria an Germany
Area Vice President Austria-Czech Republic-Italy-Hungary / General Manager Member GDEIC - Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council Chair Women@Hyatt DBRG EAME
Born in the Netherlands, Monique began her career with Hyatt more than 25 years ago at Grand Hyatt New York. After numerous posts, including at Hyatt in Boston, Princeton, Chicago and Singapore, Monique took on a CEO role for the first time in 2007, leading the Roppongi Hills Club in Tokyo. Her first hotel opening was Hyatt Regency Düsseldorf in 2010, before she moved to the Austrian capital in 2013 for the opening of Park Hyatt Vienna. With the Andaz Vienna Am Belvedere, Monique is now responsible for Hyatt’s Austrian portfolio, which counts two stunning properties and a Thompson hotel under construction. Since December 2019, her mandate was further extended and she is now also responsible for 6 hotels in Italy including the iconic Park Hyatt Milan, Parisi Udvar in Budapest and the recently opened Andaz Prague. She serves on the Global Diversity Equity and Inclusion Council for Hyatt and is the chair for the Women@Hyatt efforts in EAME.
The SIGNA Group is a privately managed international investment and industrial holding company active in the real estate, retail and media business sectors. Since its foundation in 1999, SIGNA has successfully developed into a company of truly international scale and format. Today, SIGNA is one of Europe’s most important real estate investors and operates a number of reputable commercial concerns.
SIGNA Real Estate operates at twelve locations in Austria, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and Switzerland. The gross asset value of the real estate group amounts to over 30 billion euros, and the additional gross development volume amounts to around 27 billion euros.
The portfolio includes some of the most prestigious properties such as the legendary Chrysler Building in New York and Selfridges on London’s Oxford Street, the KaDeWe and the Upper West Tower by the Gedächtniskirche in Berlin, the spectacular Elbtower high-rise project in Hamburg’s HafenCity, the premium Alsterhaus department store in Hamburg and the Oberpollinger and the CORBINIAN development project in Munich. In Austria, the outstanding portfolio properties include the premium Park Hyatt Vienna hotel and the Goldenes Quartier business district.
With these projects, SIGNA continues to make important contributions to advance urban development. SIGNA does not just focus on the individual property; it re-conceptualizes issues such as inner-city development, sustainability, diversity of use, networking and mobility. For livable cities – for all of us.
President of the Management Board - Liburnia Hotels & Villas
A Senior Tourism Industry professional with 25 years’ experience in management. Director and strategic leadership positions across Central and Eastern Europe. Has been responsible for successfully leading the opening of new hotel group subsidiaries, takeovers and acquisitions. A strong leader, who has developed high performing teams to achieve ambitious financial targets, high level operational and performing standards and been accountable for around 1,600 employees.
Vice President - Aareal Bank AG Special Property Finance - Hotel Properties
Lior is passionate about the hospitality industry, likes to discover new hotel concepts, and enjoys culinary experiences. He started his career in hotel consulting, followed by over four years of experience in commercial property development, being responsible for the acquisition, development, and sale of projects. As a next step, he supported the asset management team of a large German institutional investor, being responsible for the CEE hotel portfolio. Since 2020 Lior has been working in the hotel financing team of Aareal Bank, where he is providing large-scale loans for hotel investments across Europe. If you don’t find him working, he enjoys the mountains during winter, or you might find him on an island in SouthEast Asia.
Head Development Northern Europe - IHG Hotels & Resorts
In his current position, Miguel is responsible for developing IHG’s brands in DACH, Nordics, and Eastern Europe. Working collaboratively with development partners is key to his success whilst delivering value for both franchised and managed hotels.
With IHG since 2015, Miguel is responsible for the signing of over 35 new deals, the majority across Poland and Eastern Europe and more recently in the Nordics.
Prior to joining IHG, Miguel co-founded the Polish Hotel Company, rolling out some of IHG’s most well-known brands in Poland.
Miguel has extensive international experience in hotel management and development and has been involved in over 20 projects in Europe, including Portugal, Spain, and Poland.
Managing Director - Horwath HTL Budapest
Marius is passionate about the world of investments centred around hotels, resorts, themed attractions and culinary experiences. He has been involved in hundreds of projects from the Americas through Europe to the Middle East and Asia. The real estate cycle has re-focussed Marius’ activity to hotel transactions, acquisition due diligence, branding and concept development in the CEE, Caucasus and beyond. Marius launched the first Hotel Investment Platform (HIP) in 2020.
Managing Partner - Realiscon
Dávid is the co-founder and managing partner of Realiscon, M.Sc. civil engineer, member of RICS. He has over 15 years of experience in real estate development related technical services. Before establishing Realiscon in 2016, Dávid worked on building contractors’ side, in project management and technical quality supervision as well. Since its foundation Dávid with Realiscon has set up a high-profile client portfolio of the most valuable property asset types such as hotel, office, residential, logistics, and public institution. Realiscon provides development project management, quality control, TDD, BREEAM, LEED, and WELL consultancy, ESG audit and design for wetland & water infrastructure. Dávid as the representative of a service provider has an extensive insight to the dynamics of the RE sector.
Director-Associate in the Hospitality Investment team of Azora
Nicolás has been involved in Azora’s hospitality investment team since January 2016, having participated in 22 acquisition deals, 2 divestment deals and the successful raise of Azora European Hotel & Lodging fund, totaling €815m equity, implying the largest final closing in a sector-focused in Europe’s history. Nicolás has two degrees, in Business Administration and Law, in ICADE in Madrid (Universidad Pontificia Comillas), and is currently studying History & Geography in UNED in Madrid.
Azora is a leading independent investment and management platform of real assets, having invested in sectors such as hospitality, residential, offices, logistics, senior living, renewable energy or infrastructures. Founded in 2003, it has received €6.7bn of equity commitments from its institutional investors, currently with €9.2bn of AuM, counting with 280 professionals.
Azora is one of the leading investors in hospitality in Europe, having committed an investment of approximately €2.7bn and acquired 87 hotels and c.24,500 room keys since 2014.
Azora’s current hospitality fund (the “FCR”), raised in 2020, counts with €815m of capital commitments from a group of leading global investors, including pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, insurance companies and large global institutional investors, among others. The FCR is focused on investing in (i) the sun and beach and leisure segment in Europe’s top tourist destinations; and (ii) city tourism through lifestyle hostels.
Currently, FCR’s portfolio is composed of 41 hotels and over 11,500 keys located across Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Germany, and Belgium.
Director of Project Management - Mogotel Development Holding Ltd.
Sabīne Krieviņa is working in Mogotel Ltd since 2016, taking roles of Quality Assurance Director, Administrative Director and currently as Director of Project Management, being in charge of new projects, like hotel openings and takeovers, as well as renovation and development projects. Sabīne started her career at Radisson Blu Daugava Hotel, followed by a Sales Manager role in Reval Hotels in Riga. Later she became the Head of Sales & Marketing for Latvian hotel operator KOLONNA Hotels Group, then the Quality Manager at Baltic Travel Group, before joining Mogotel.
Mogotel Hotel Group is hotel operator from Latvia and is the largest in Baltic Countries in the terms of hotels and rooms, with experience in growing profits and managing accommodation properties of different sizes and target markets since 2002.
The company was founded in 2002 when a small hotel in Riga (Latvia) became the company’s property and then was subsequently sold. After owning and selling couple of hotel properties, company decided to concentrate just on hotel operations. Until March 2020, when covid pandemic begun and severely influenced hotel industry, company operated 17 hotels in Latvia and Estonia.
In 2021 Mogotel founded a joint venture together with a state-owned development finance institution ALTUM, that gave opportunity to sign first lease contracts outside Latvia and Estonia.
Company signed first franchise contract with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts and Accor for 6 hotel properties in different cities in Europe.
During years 2020-2022, company started operating hotels in Poland (Wroclaw), Germany (Essen, Munich), Hungary (Budapest), Slovenia (Ljubljana), Estonia (Tallinn) and Ukraine (Kyiv).
In the years 2022 and 2023 also franchise contracts with Hilton Hotels & Resorts and IHG Hotels & Resorts were signed. Work on several development projects is already ongoing. More hotels to start operations during this year.
Currently, company operates 22 hotels in 8 countries. In all together, makes a team of 1400 employees.
Senior Director South Eastern Europe International Hotel Development - Marriott International
Silvija Lovreta holds the position of the Senior Development Director SEE with Marriott International, responsible for growing the company’s multi-brand portfolio. Prior to joining Marriott International development team in Europe, Silvija advised a significant number of renowned companies within the industry as a Managing Partner with Horwath HTL, particularly focused on emerging markets within South Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa. Silvija holds a Master of Science degree in Economics of Tourism and is a member of Cornell Hotel Society.
Macy Marvel Consulting
Macy Marvel is a Geneva-based journalist/consultant and is an associate at Hotel Analyst. He is a frequent presenter at international hospitality and tourism industry conferences and, for 20 years, he was professor of economics at the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL), the world oldest and largest hotel management school. He has also authored dozens of hotel industry studies for Mintel International in London, as well as numerous journalistic articles for HospitalityInside.com. and industry reports for Hotel Analyst and Questex. Mr Marvel has also performed hotel valuations and market studies for EHL Advisory services, the consulting division of the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne.
Founder & CEO - apaleo GmbH
Ulrich „Uli“ Pillau is an entrepreneur and angel investor. He is founder of apaleo, a Munich based start-up developing a next generation cloud platform for the hospitality industry.
Previously Uli was involved in building up several very successful software companies in the hotel and travel space. His companies included Fidelio Software, today the worldwide leading Property Management System for hotel chains and hotels. Fidelio was later acquired by Micros and today is part of Oracle.
Subsequently he was leading IDeaS, a company offering the first scientific revenue management software for the hotel industry which quickly became the standard Yield & RMS system for hotels around the globe. In 2010, IDeaS was sold to SAS Institute and today is actively managing over a Million hotel rooms with its software.
Between 2010 and 2016 Uli was Managing Director of hetras which invented the first true Cloud PMS for hotel chains.
Apart from his current venture apaleo, Uli invests in start-up companies that develop innovative software and apps. for the hotel industry.
Uli is a frequent speaker on many conferences and panels for hotel and travel technology, and in his private life has a big passion for hotels & travel, technology and running.
Director - Horwath HTL Hungary
Attila joined Horwath HTL Hungary in 2012. Since his arrival, he has taken part in the concept development of various tourist attractions and hotels, prepared market and financial feasibility studies, and hotel valuations in Hungary, Russia and numerous CIS countries. He is also the author of industry articles covering key tourism trends in Hungary and CEE. Attila has hotel operations background through various positions held from F&B to revenue management, in Switzerland, the UK and Hungary. He is a graduate of IBS Budapest with First Class Honours in Travel & Tourism Management.
Vice President Development Accor Eco - Midscale & Premium Brands “Eastern Europe, Balkans, Italy & Greece
Since 2023, Frank Ruel has been the Vice President – Development Accor Eco - Midscale & Premium Brands “Eastern Europe, Balkans, Italy & Greece”.
After more than 20 years of service at Accor Hotels - including senior operational roles in Belgium and General Manager positions in the UK, Russia and Turkey - he was appointed as Area General Manager for Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, in 2012, then from 2014 as Area General Manager for Romania, Bulgaria and Macedonia. In September 2017, he was appointed as the Head of Development Orbis/AccorHotels for Eastern Europe and since 2018, he has been holding the position of VP Development Accor Eastern Europe.
Hotelier
Jean Paul is a board level executive with 18 years’ experience in senior business and operational management roles for Hilton Worldwide in Europe, Middle East and Africa. Jean-Paul has deep expertise in all aspects of operations, strategy, business management and corporate development within the hotel industry. He has extensive expertise in owner/operator, management, franchise and lease business models. He has directly led and managed the pre-opening, opening, take-over and integration of hotels and chains, negotiation of hotel agreements, post-acquisition integration, and preparing hotel chains for disposal.
Vice President, International Hotel Development - Marriott International
Tim Zeichhardt has been working with Marriott International since 2015. He has signed over 80 hotel projects since joining. He is located in Berlin, Germany. Tim Zeichhardt joined Marriott International from IHG where he worked from 1999 until 2015. During the time with IHG he was responsible for Hotel Development in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and held different corporate leadership roles within IHG’s sales and marketing organization in the EMEA region.
Managing Partner - Horwath HTL Germany
Prof. Dr. Christian Buer, Managing Partner at Horwath HTL Germany, Austria and Switzerland, started his career at Steigenberger Consulting, where he completed his PhD in the field of hotel leadership and hotel processes. This was followed by positions at the joint venture ArabellaSheraton as Group Director Marketing Services & Development and the Fundus Group as responsible for their hotels.
As professor at Heilbronn University, he leads the Department of Tourism Management and is co-founder of the Institute for Tourism, Travel & Hospitality. Dr. Buer is also the Founder & Chairman of the Heilbronn Hospitality Symposium and Honorary Chairman of the Tunisian Hospitality Symposium in collaboration with Catharge University, Tunis.
Chairman & CEO - Hussar & Co., Inc.
Tom has spent 30 years investing private equity and advising family offices, funds and corporations on private equity investments and cross-border M&A, largely across Central and Eastern Europe. Early in his career, Frater worked for two European family offices (Brennikmeijer & DeBenedetti) focused on retail apparel and printing/ packaging consolidation strategies. He later moved to Shanghai, China where he established his own private equity fund (TigerPack Capital) and later took over the cosmetic packaging division of Crown Holdings (Risdon International). In 2010 he established Hussar & Co., where most of his work is on buy-side investments for funds such as Starwood Capital listed corporations such as IMMOFINANZ AG. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, speaks English, German and Hungarian and is currently based in Zug, Switzerland.
Director of Sales and Marketing - Sts. Constantine & Helena Holding JSC
Lyubomir Stamboliyski is the Director of Sales and Marketing of Sts. Constantine & Helena Holding JSC, which operates 1 700 keys, a thermal and a resort. With previous experience in Marriott International, Lyubomir and the management team take on the challenge to fulfil Sts. Constantine & Helena Holding JSC’s investment programme and expansion, which since 2017, has developed, opened and operated 3 Luxury segment properties, one upper upscale and the largest thermal complex in Bulgaria.
CEO - Rabmer Group
Ulrike Rabmer-Koller is the owner and CEO of Rabmer Group - an internationally operating company active in construction and environmental technology such as renewable energy, water & energy efficiency, no-dig pipe rehabilitation, limescale protection and water and wastewater technology. She has gathered a vast experience in international business development and in providing innovative solutions for climate protection.
Ulrike Rabmer-Koller has always put a special focus on innovation and environmental technology. She was the initiator and a long-standing spokeswoman at the Clean-Tech Cluster and the Network Resource and Energy Efficiency Upper Austria, the Vice President of the ACT (Austrian Clean Technology Center), the Vice President of AATT (Austrian Association for Trenchless Technology) as well as a member of the Advisory Board of the ACR (Austrian Cooperative Research).
Ulrike Rabmer-Koller has also been representing the interests of businesses at a regional, national and European level: since 2002, she has held several positions in the Economic Chamber of Upper Austria, in the national Crafts section, and in the "Women in Business" organization. From 2015 to 2020, she served as Vice-President of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKÖ). From 2016 to 2019, she was President of SMEunited. Her strong commitment has been recognized by the European Commission, which nominated her for several functions: from 2013 - 2014, Ulrike Rabmer-Koller was a member of the EU Commission's High-Level Group on "Key Enabling Technologies. In June 2017, she attended as the representative of the EU the meeting of the G7 environment ministers in Bologna and worked with other company representatives to develop positions for better integration of ecology and economy. In December 2017, she was appointed to the High-Level Round Table "Industry 2030", in which she developed together with 19 other experts from across Europe proposals for the European Industry Strategy 2030. In 2018 she was nominated to represent the EU in the "G20 Business Women Leader Task Force". In 2020, she resumed her role as Vice-President and Chairperson of the Sustainable Development Committee of SMEunited, which she had already held before her Presidency.
In October 2020, she was appointed Honorary Consul of Belgium in Upper Austria.
Ms. Rabmer-Koller graduated from Johannes Kepler University of Linz with a Master of Business Administration.
Senior Director - Horwath HTL Spain & Andorra
Philip Bacon is a hospitality and real estate specialist with over 35 years’ of experience in professional business advisory services and general management in a wide range of independently-managed and publicly-listed international companies across Europe as well as in Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean. Philip’s focus is on residential business models and mixed-use developments, managing projects and cross-functional international teams during development, start up and operational launch.
CEO - Deutsche Hospitality
A graduate of Loyola University New Orleans and Harvard Business School, Bonke’s 30 years in the hospitality industry has spanned international experience as Senior Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer, and Chief Operating Officer of renowned hotel groups such as Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Loews Hotels & Co and Shangri-La Group. Prior to joining Steigenberger Hotels GmbH in April 2022, he worked as a Senior Advisor for the Boston Consulting Group.
Managing Partner - Horvwath HTL Austria
Prior to her consulting life, Brigitte has been working in Executive Positions for international Firms like Kempimski, Corinthia and Hilton Hotels. Over 10 years, she has been working on tourism projects across Austria, Germany, Hungary, Czech Republic, and Russia, supporting hotels in developing new strategies, helping to optimize revenues and increase profits. Since 2020 her company is part of the Horwath HTL international network, offering all areas of hotel and tourism consulting. Brigitte is an external lecturer at Modul University Vienna, a member of the Advisory Board of Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Europe and a Cornell Society member.
Managing Director - Horwath HTL UK
As Managing Director of Horwath HTL (UK), a business unit of Crowe UK LLP, Malcolm leads specialist teams providing advisory services to hospitality and tourism stakeholders in the UK and worldwide. Services include strategic planning, feasibility analysis, due diligence, transaction support and valuation. Prior to joining Horwath HTL, Malcolm operated an independent consulting practice from Hong Kong and held senior regional development roles with Meridien, Starwood and Mövenpick Hotel and Resorts.
Director of Luxury and Lifestyle Development Marketing - IHG Hotels & Resorts
Remi Lefevre is a brand and product marketing adept with a fiery passion for hospitality. He currently helps driving New Projects Marketing for the portfolio of Luxury & Lifestyle Brands at IHG Hotels & Resorts. Remi blends close to 20 years of experience in hotels, restaurants, bars & cafés with a love for thoughtful, meaningful branding and the art and science of crafting great experiences for guests and partners.
Director of Finance Division - Polski Holding Hotelowy
Paulina Mazurkiewicz-Kurek graduated the University of Economics in Poznań and ESCP Paris and has ACCA qualifications. Paulina started her professional career in the Accor Group in Paris in the Treasury and Internal Audit Department. Then she joined Accor Polska, participating in many corporate projects, including implementation of brands chain in Polish and Lithuanian markets, innovative structures for financing investments (real estate leaseback) and structuring the Accor-Orbis transaction. In 2004, Paulina joined Orbis SA, where she introduced internal control procedures and operational audits in Accor and Orbis hotels and subsidiaries. In 2007-2013, as a member of the management board for financial matters in Orbis Transport, she implemented the de-investment strategy of the Capital Group consisting of 5 companies.
Member of the Supervisory Boards of Orbis Transport, Orbis Travel, Capital Park, PKS Gdańsk. Since 2017, she has been the Finance Director at Polski Holding Hotelowy (formerly Chopin Airport Development). In PHH group there are currently 54 hotels, which makes it the second largest hotel company in the country and the first with exclusively Polish capital. At the beginning of the crisis related to the coronavirus pandemic, in 2020 she joined the work of the advisory team at the Ministry of Development, as well as a consultative function for the Ministry of Finance, in some issues related to the tourism market, which were included in the anti-crisis and financial shield proposals, as well as in solutions proposed by the Ministry of Finance.
Founder - Senior Partner - Head of Development - Monoplan AG
Daniel Schneider is a recognized and excellent expert in Swiss and European hospitality and real estate industry. He and his partner founded Monoplan AG in 2008 with the idea of focusing on hotel and hospitality projects. Based in Switzerland and with offices in Frankfurt and Athens, he and his international team from Monoplan plan and develop new hotel concepts, and create brands and new destinations throughout Europe. Prior to Monoplan, he worked as an architect and project developer in São Paulo and Zurich.
VP Accor Development DACH, Eco, Midscale and Premium Brands
Since January 2023, Thiemo Willms has been leading Accor's development in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland as Vice President of Development Central Europe. He has been part of the Accor Development team in Munich for more than six years, most recently in the role of Director of Development Central Europe. Before joining Accor, Willms worked as an analyst for the JLL Hotels & Hospitality Group in London as well as for well-known and internationally renowned companies from the catering and hotel sector, including Do&Co in Vienna/Austria and Grand Hyatt Hotel in Beijing/China. The passionate marathon runner studied at Henley Business School in Reading/UK, where he graduated in International Business. Before that, Willms studied at Hotelschool the Hague in the Netherlands.
Globall Business Director - Horwath HTL
James Chappell, Global Business Director - Horwath HTL. Originally from the world of advertising, James started in the hotel business in the best possible way, by accident, and has never left. James did a three-year management trainee course at the famous boutique hotel, Lydmar, in Stockholm before leaving to join consulting firm Overlook Hospitality Management. James was Managing Director of The Bench for 5 years before becoming Managing Director of STR Global. A regular speaker at conferences and on TV (CNN, BBC) and others talking about the industry.
Managing Director - Arbireo Capital
With an experience of more than 20 years in hotel real estate and finance, Christoph Flügel is responsible for all hospitality activities in the Arbireo Group. He led national and international transactions of more than 8 bn €, including restructuring and repositioning existing hotels.
Prior to his current position, he worked as department head and authorised representative at Union Investment. He started his career at international law firms Lovells and Morrisson & Foerster.
Partner, Head of European and CIS Hotels and Leisure practice, Dentons
Alex is the founder of Dentons’ CIS Hotels and Leisure practice and has developed a reputation as one of the few leading experts in this field in the CIS and Central & Western Europe. He now works with Dentons’ European offices as well as those in the Middle East and Asia in representing hotel owners, lenders, developers, contractors and operators on all legal issues pertaining to hotels and hospitality properties, including land acquisition, design, development, financing, construction, management, leasing, and franchising. Alex’s key focus is the representation of the owner against all major operators that have developed respect for his approach and his focus on getting hotel deals completed.
Vice President for Development - Hyatt International (EAME)
Takuya Aoyama is Vice President for Development with Hyatt International (EAME) LLC, responsible for expanding Hyatt’s portfolio of brands in the markets of Central & Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and the CIS.
Takuya has been working in the field of real estate and hotel development since the early ‘90’s and held positions with companies including European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Holiday Inn Worldwide, Andersen and Starwood Hotels & Resorts. Since joining Hyatt, Takuya has successfully negotiated and closed over 30 management and franchise deals, including Andaz Prague, Parisi Udvar Budapest, Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay, Hyatt Regency Zadar, Hyatt Regency Novi Sad, Hyatt Regency Sofia and Hyatt all-inclusive collection properties in Bulgaria.
Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of premier brands. As of September 30, 2022, the Company's portfolio included more than 1,200 hotel, all-inclusive, and wellness resort properties in 72 countries across six continents.
Head of Commerce, Value One Hospitality
Liliane is Development and Brand strategist at Value One Hospitality, part of the Value One group. She is responsible for brand strategy and business development for Value One‘s newly created hotel brand, AWA Hotels. AWA Hotels is a ESG and sustainability focussed lifestyle brand, with developments throughout Europe in the pipeline. Liliane is also the creative mind behind concepts for all new developments.
Prior to joining Value One, Liliane co-founded and managed HOTCO. Liliane has a passion for people, sustainability and travelling, and has lived and worked in Switzerland, Austria, Japan, Bolivia and Hungary.
Strategic Development, Lenikus Group
Lucca Lenikus was born in Vienna in a multicultural environment, attending the Vienna International School. After finishing his Business Studies in Barcelona and gathering experience in institutional real estate investment, Lucca Lenikus joined the LENIKUS Group to develop the investment sector of the company. Additionally, he is a great asset when it comes to future product and strategic developments in the real estate, wine, and hospitality sectors.
In his free time, he enjoys sports and travel.
Vice President Development Europe, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
As Regional Vice President Development for Europe at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Christian Michel is responsible for leading the company’s growth strategy and execution in the region.
Joining the company as Director of Development for Eastern Europe in 2004, Christian’s remit has expanded to more markets over the years, more recently to cover the whole European region. A 30-year industry veteran, Christian served in various General Manager positions for recognised hotel brands in different countries, including Ramada by Wyndham, Swiss Inn and Mövenpick Hotels.
Christian is a native Swiss and has lived and worked in the UAE, Egypt and Switzerland, he speaks French, English, and German. He holds a bachelor's degree in Catering Trade from the Hotel School in Lausanne, as well as a Swiss Confederation Certificate of Marketing.
Christian started his career as a professional chef for The Gstaad Palace and food remains one of his biggest passions, along with traveling.
