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Albert EttingerFounder and CEOThe Austrian brings 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry. He has performed a diverse number of management services for companies (Jumeirah, Hard Rock Hotels and Casinos, Marriott, Starwood, Kameha, Mövenpick) in Europe, Asia and Middle East. Specific expertise includes managing portfolios that consist of 50 rooms to 1200 rooms for both hotel groups and independent hotels. Albert has extensive experience in new business development, asset management, financial analysis and hotel operation.
His career began in Switzerland, where he held a number of management positions for Mövenpick, specializing in F&B and Hotel Pre-openings in the Middle East. Albert also held a VP position at Kameha Hotels, a Lifestyle 5-Star Startup in Germany and joined the Jumeirah Group (including the Burj Al Arab) in the Capacity of Corporate Director overseeing several new hotel projects and more than 200 F&B outlets. Areas of Expertise:
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Barbara SellerVP Rooms DivisionAfter her Diploma in Hotel management, Barbara started to explore the world of Middle East, Caribbean, Asia, Gulf countries and Africa, by working for different international Hotel companies and privately-owned hotels and resorts.
She supported with her experience and expertise in Rooms Division Management independent hotels and companies like Mövenpick, IHG, Starwood, Minor and Design Hotels from 50 to 400 rooms for pre-openings and operation. She develops and reviews business plans and strategies, key performance indicators and manpower planning. Barbara is well known to build high performance teams that work well together to create excellent guest experiences as well as meet and excite financial goals. Areas of expertise:
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Gabriele SchenkVP Food & BeverageGabriele has worked with international hotel companies like Marriott International, Hyatt Hotel Corporation and independent hotels and clubs in Europe, the US, Indian Ocean, Africa and the Middle East. Her expertise lies with Food & Beverage where she held numerous positions as Dir. F & B and EAM F & B for hotels ranging from 50 rooms to 1000 rooms and various restaurant concepts up to 25 outlets. She counts 9 hotel and external venue openings on her CV.
Additionally Gabriele has pioneered the hospitality event management planning department in Dubai World Trade Centre - the region’s largest purpose built complex for events and exhibitions. The customer-focused executive leader looks for unique service experiences for signature events with guest lists ranging from 5 - 50K people including royal weddings, outside caterings and corporate shows. Communicator in English, French and German has seen repeated success with establishing, training and guiding multinational teams of up to 2700. Areas of Expertise:
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Alexandra SencanVP Business DevelopmentAlexandra is a strategic, ambitious and innovative business development professional with more than 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry in the Middle East, CIS and Europe, with a large portfolio of partners in the premium segment worldwide. Alexandra's experience ranges from ultra-luxury 100-room to 1400-room premium hotel chains. Her experience includes brands such as Kempinski, Hyatt, Wyndham and Marriott Luxury Brands that appeal to the largest and most exclusive partner portfolio internationally.
She is an expert who is extremely successful in establishing the most efficient price/benefit balance & exceeding turnover budgets along with minimizing the cost by analyzing market dynamics and adapting to instant trends, developing strategic cooperation with key players in the specified target markets, executing PR actions and elite campaigns according to a narrow target audience. Areas of Expertise:
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Hedi Ben MaouiaVP CulinaryChef Hedi has more than 30 years of culinary experience in luxury hotel operations. He worked for the Leading hotels of the world and Luxury Hotels & Resort.
Three Michelin star France Cuisine, one Michelin star German Cuisine, Italian fine dining Cuisine , Oriental Cuisine, Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese Cuisine, Indian Cuisine. Additionally he has taken a year of confectionery training with a certificate from the best confectioner Georg Maushagen. Vocational training as a chef at the IHK Düsseldorf with certificate. Three Michelin starred French cuisine with Chef Jean Claude Bourgueil. German cuisine with a Michelin starred chef Günter Scherrer. As Executive Chef in Giardino Ascona, he was awarded with 16 points Gault Millau in 2016 and 2017 for Healthy Mediterranean Cuisine. He also was awarded several times with 15 Gault Millau points in Germany as Italian Head Chef. Furthermore Chef Hedi is the Creator of the first international concept of Ayurveda combined with healthy Mediterranean Cuisine. Areas of Expertise:
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EpicureInfluencerAnd of course Epicure, Greek Philosopher 300 BC, not only the inspiration for the name of our company. His philosophy of seeking joy in life has influenced the hospitality industry in many ways.
Of all the means to insure happiness throughout the whole life, by far the most important is the acquisition of friends." |