In this podcast, Victor Mogilev speaks to our audience about Hospitality HR recruitment in South East Asia and explains how this region has its unique challenges and opportunities.  Victor traces his educational and career path to explain how his Swiss hospitality management background allowed him to pursue a global career and landed him today in Bangkok working as a partner for LHC International.  LHC is an international hospitality and operating real estate executive search firm with a core team of professionals focusing on recruitment of senior management roles. 

 He also shares his insight into key trends for management positions in the South East Asia region and what kind of profiles HR recruitment businesses are looking for.  Additionally, he describes how technology and digitalization have impacted the recruitment process for hospitality roles and provides valuable advice on how to navigate working in this region for young talents looking to expand their horizons.

 Victor Mogilev is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in the travel and hospitality industry. Originally from Russia, Victor has immersed himself in diverse cultures, having lived and worked in Asia for more than a decade.

 A graduate in Hospitality Management from the esteemed Glion Institute of Higher Education, Victor's journey in the industry has been marked by significant contributions. He has held number of roles in the Corporate Office of a well-established regional hotel brand and spent several years with a leading Inbound Destination Management company in Asia.

 For the past 5 years, Victor has joined forces with a close friend and business partner, Garry Levin (another graduate of Glion Institute of Higher Education) to spearhead the development and growth of LHC International. This hospitality-focused executive search firm operates across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, reflecting Victor's commitment to shaping the future of the industry through talent acquisition and strategic leadership. LHC International has established itself as one of the leading recruitment firms across the hospitality industry with offices in Berlin, Singapore, Bangkok and Palma de Mallorca.

In this podcast, Chris Horn who is currently the General Manager at Gold Key Media, discusses his career path and answers our questions about the synergies between the Media and Hospitality.  Gold Key Media has a hard earned and formidable reputation for quality and credibility in the industry for providing a reliable, competitive service and consequently represent all of the world’s leading hospitality brands with the world’s most respected and trusted publications.  In addition to supplying some of the finest hotels in the world, the company now also supplies airlines, private jets, superyachts, private medical, Corporate HQ’s, UK Armed Forces, Embassies, Private Clubs etc.

We ask Chris pertinent questions about how and why he created Gold Key Media and what are its vision, values and objectives. Chris also discusses the decline of media advertising and how this is affecting current media outlets. He shares his impressions and predictions of how media outlets will continue to evolve and change.

Finally, Chris discusses his involvement with AICR and his personal ties to the hospitality industry and why young people should embrace careers in this ever-changing, ever-growing field.

Chris Horn began his career in the media industry back in 1991 when he joined America’s largest newspaper, USA Today as Circulation Manager for Europe, before going on to become Circulation Director Asia Pacific, based in Hong Kong.

He returned to the UK in 1996 to become Managing Director of Johnsons Inflight News, responsible for the distribution of international media to the world’s leading airlines, including global brands such as British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Cathay Pacific and others.  Chris set up Gold Key Media in 2020. Using the same “one stop shop” media distribution solution he’d successfully provided to the airline industry, Chris’s vision was to create a similar business model for the hotel industry.

In his previous role at USA Today, Chris had established strong links with many of the world’s finest hotel concierges and had become an associate member of the prestigious and globally renowned Les Clefs d’Or, otherwise known as The Golden Keys Association. In his desire to forge a new working relationship with his new company, Chris asked the Golden Keys Association if he could call his new company Gold Key Media in recognition of the key role these individuals would play in the success of the new business.

Since those early days, Gold Key Media has thrived and evolved into becoming the world’s largest provider of media to the hotel industry. Supplying over 4,000 hotels globally with print and digital media solutions for their guests. Chris’s first publishing client was world renowned National Geographic magazine, and his first hotel clients were Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Cliveden Hotel and The Waterside Inn. They all remain as clients today, 24 years later. A testament to the quality of service provided.

Gold Key Media is proudly associated with organisations such as The Master Inn Holders, The AICR Association, Institute of Hospitality and Chris is also a proud Ambassador for the industry charity, Hospitality Action.

In this episode, we speak to Geoffrey Toffetti, who is the CEO of Frontline Performance Group and a veteran in the hospitality field. We talk to Geoffrey about Discretionary Effort and why it is so important for hospitality businesses to encourage, motivate and engage their teams.  Geoffrey explains what discretionary effort is and how it can be the link between excellent service, motivated staff and revenue increases.  

 Geoffrey also gives some very clear advice on how managers can improve organizational excellence and he shares some personal stories on how implementing discretionary effort has resulted in better staff morale, engagement and professionalism. “Over the past two decades, we experienced firsthand the influence an engaged team (led by engaged leadership) has on performance, job satisfaction, and ultimately the success of our program.”

 Geoffrey Toffetti is a hospitality industry veteran and the CEO of Frontline Performance Group, where he leads the charge in transforming frontline teams into powerful drivers of revenue and guest satisfaction. With over two decades of leadership experience across operations, customer experience, and strategic innovation, Geoffrey brings a uniquely practical lens to building high-performance cultures in hospitality, dining, and travel.

Having worked his way up from the front desk to the boardroom, Geoffrey has a deep understanding of what it takes to engage teams, elevate service, and drive consistent, measurable results. He’s passionate about bridging the gap between service and sales—helping organizations empower their frontline staff to create standout guest experiences that also move the bottom line. At FPG, he has guided the development of IN-Gauge, the company’s data-driven platform that brings 30 years of frontline performance expertise to life.

A trusted partner to global hospitality brands like Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt, Geoffrey is now sharing the insights he’s gathered from decades in the field—helping business leaders rethink how they train, motivate, and mobilize their people at the point of service.

 Vadim Bekker is currently the Managing Partner at Vibe Hospitality in Bangkok, Thailand.  In this podcast, Vadim talks about his experience in the Thai hospitality field and why he has no plans to leave this beautiful country.  After working in the Maldives as a Guest Relations Officer, Vadim chose Thailand to pursue his career path and has been working there for over 10 years.  He describes the hospitality scene in Thailand and why the country continues to attract tourists from all over the world.

Vadim also explains the reasons for creating his own company and pursuing his entrepreneurial goals with the creation of Vibe Hospitality, a service provider and advisory specialised in food and beverage for new and existing businesses in South East Asia.  Vibe Hospitality offers practical solutions based on a company’s needs, budget, expectations and objectives. The company’s core value is to create strong concepts, competitive business models and genuine success.

Finally, Vadim talks about the importance of maintaining his alumni connections in Thailand and why he still enjoys frequent get-togethers with his former classmates.  In addition, Vadim gives our listeners advice on pursuing a global career in hospitality and the many reasons why he is happy to have embraced this career path.

Vadim Bekker is a graduate of Glion Institute of Hospitality in Switzerland and obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Administration.  He has worked in Food and Beverage in The Maldives and Thailand and has held several management positions.  In 2020, Vadim became a managing partner at Vibe Hospitality.

Andrew Parshukov is currently the Head of Business Growth at JetRockets, a forward-thinking company specializing in custom web and mobile application development across various industries.  In this podcast, Andrew talks about his career path from studying hospitality in Switzerland and working in the hospitality field to teaching in Vietnam and developing his passion for technology and AI.  

Andrew gives our listeners some insight into how AI is revolutionizing the hospitality field and what to expect in the coming years.  Andrew assures our listeners that AI will never replace the “human touch” that so many customers value but instead will improve customer service and make travel and tourism more appealing.

Andrew is a versatile professional known for his determination and commitment to finding solutions. With a unique approach to problem-solving, he embraces challenges head-on, vowing to find answers when faced with uncertainty. Currently, Andrey serves as the Head of Business Growth at JetRockets.  In this role, he dedicates his efforts to elevating business processes, assisting clients in launching new projects, and contributing to the company's overall growth. 

His enthusiasm for his work is palpable, and he enjoys surrounding himself with like-minded tech enthusiasts. Andrey's professional journey has been marked by significant achievements and diverse experiences: 10 years in hospitality worldwide, English teaching in Vietnam, and Business Development in the Tech industry.

Ursula Connolly is the founder and Managing Director of People Skills Business. She has more than 30 years experience in developing and motivating individuals and companies to achieve successful results.  In this podcast, Ursula tells our listeners about how she works with internationally respected organisations to help them align the development of their employees with their brand and strategic business objectives. She describes how her main focus is to help organisations engage and develop their people so that they in turn deliver great customer service and achieve desired business results.

In 2004, Ursula established People Skills Business.  People Skills Business partners with companies in the hospitality, tourism and leisure industry who are passionate about equipping and enabling their people to deliver great work and exceptional service to customers. Their mission is to put learning at the heart of the business by providing bespoke leadership and executive coaching programmes that are easily accessible to all and encourage a culture of continuous learning.

Ursula comments on what makes a great hospitality leader, the role of women in the current hospitality field, the challenges facing hospitality in the future and how businesses can attract and retain young people by providing more learning and development and not shying away from hard truths. 

Ursula has led multi-cultural teams and managed large-scale projects across Europe, Middle East, Asia and North America. Her breadth of knowledge of Human Resources and the international service industry make her well equipped to work with senior management to help them recognise and solve key business issues.

She has been recognised and won awards for her work with Maybourne Hotel Group, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group and InterContinental Hotel Group from Personnel Today and World of Learning Awards.

Ursula has a Masters in Human Resource Strategy from London Metropolitan University, a Diploma in Hotel Management and Business from Technological University Dublin and is a qualified Time to Think Coach. She is also highly experienced as a programme manager, designer, facilitator  and presenter.

To learn more about People Skills Business click here: https://www.peopleskillsbusiness.com and here: https://vimeo.com/739985876

Vanessa Kellerhals currently works in Iraq for the UNDP (United Nation Development Programme) but little in her career path would hint at her one day working in peacebuilding and development. 

 In this podcast, Vanessa explains how she went from working at the Dolder Grand Hotel in Zurich, winning the AICR world’s best receptionist in 2010 and then onto Lebanon to learn Arabic.  From there, she moved back to Switzerland to pursue her studies in Social Sciences.  After finishing her Master’s degree and trying to gain a foothold in peacebuilding and development during the pandemic, she was thrilled to learn that she was chosen to work for the UNDP in Iraq.

 Vanessa’s credo of “embrace the chaos” has been useful while working in the hospitality field and most certainly in her current position as the Programme Officer of the UNDP Social Cohesion Team in Baghdad.  Iraq’s recent history has been marked by many devastating conflicts and much of the UNDP’s work revolves around working with international partners as well as the government of Iraq to rebuild destroyed infrastructure, bring back displaced people to their homes, and support in laying the foundation for development in the country.  “Social Cohesion work” includes all projects aiming to support people from different backgrounds to live together peacefully and to be accepting of each other.

 Vanessa describes how her hospitality career prepared her for her current profession.  She describes some of the hospitality transferable skills such as customer care and service, interpersonal communication, teamwork, decision making and crisis management that are skills she can use in her daily development and peacebuilding work.

In this podcast we speak to Aoife McArdle, an Innovation & Disruption Expert. Aoife was an early leader in the most disruptive industries the world has seen in the last 20 years. She was a key initiator and driver of rapid growth at Airbnb (travel and hospitality), Skype (telecommunications) and Apple (music, e-commerce). 

 Aoife shares her personal stories as a host on Airbnb before she began working there and how the company’s mission and values won her over. It’s hard to think of a more quintessential story in disruption than Airbnb — the global platform that changed the way we think about staying in other people’s homes, which disrupted an incumbent industry. It pivoted and thrived during the pandemic and floated 3 years ago with a market cap of over $80bn. 

 At Airbnb, Aoife pioneered and expanded regulations for home sharing and spearheaded cross-functional efforts that resulted in the implementation of some of the first ever home-sharing laws in the world. She shares some remarkable anecdotes with our listeners and describes some unforeseen experiences in meetings she had with city officials who were concerned with how Airbnb would change the local tourism scene. 

 After 4 years as General Counsel EMEA, Aoife became a founding leader of Airbnb’s Experiences business, leading Business Affairs, Social Impact and Diversity & Inclusion. She also initiated, led and closed Airbnb’s largest global partnership, a 10-year landmark deal with the International Olympic Committee, which will drive economic empowerment opportunities for millions of hosts, athletes and local communities during the next 4 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

She is an expert at navigating complex policy and risk for disruptive companies that are expanding globally and will share her take on what companies need to consider when they have to make difficult trade-offs between scale and risk. Aoife previously worked as European Legal Counsel at Apple and as Global Head of Commercial & Regulatory Affairs at Skype. During her time at Apple and at Skype, Aoife also saw huge growth and scale in her role including the launch of the iPod and the first partnership that enabled Skype on mobile. 

 Aoife is an Advisor and Board Member in the USA and Europe, as well as an angel investor. She coaches entrepreneurs and founders, prioritizing female and minority founded companies.

In this podcast, Brigitte Lawler from Swiss4Africa describes the work that their non-profit organization, registered in Bern, Switzerland, is currently doing in South Africa. They work with small NPO’s in South Africa to break the cycle of poverty,addressing four of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. 

They were founded by 5 members a year ago and at the time of founding, three of its members were based in Switzerland while the other two are on the ground in South Africa. 

 They work with local communities to identify their greatest needs and implement a 2-pronged approach by fixing the most urgent short-term needs and building sustainable models for the long term to get them to a point of being self-sustainable. 

 Their self-sustainable model depends on what best suits a particular community. Swiss4Afrika has realised that these models need to have certain elements: 

1. Create an ability to generate income / provide resources to the community so they are not reliant on donations. 
2. Develops skills for members of the community that they can apply to contribute to their community well-being. These skills should be transferable so that it enables them to be employable outside of the community. 
3. Creates employment opportunities and experience building for members while they are living in the community. 

 One of their communities is called Soli Deo Gloria Care Centre (Soli), based in Lydenburg. Swiss4Afrika formed an alliance with a global organisation called Meals on Wheels, a type of soup kitchen for the frail and poor in the area. With this alliance, they will be able to train people in kitchen skills and provide a much needed service to the local population.

 Randel van Heerden, Director of Swiss4Afrika: 

Randel has volunteered in some interesting places around the world. In South Africa he volunteered as a policeman to assist investigations in crimes committed against children. Randel moved to the Philippines with his wife and volunteered to build a school for the poor on a garbage dump in Manila. 

With others, he assisted in delivering aid to affected people each time a typhoon blew through Manila.  In Guatemala he assisted an NGO called Constru Casa to build homes for the poor.  In the Ivory Coast, Randel headed up a team of volunteers who helped to renovate the Abidjan zoo. He was sponsored by the Swiss and German embassies as well as the Calao Foundation in Luxembourg, the San Diego Zoo in the USA and private donors. In 2022, Randel and his wife moved to Switzerland and started Swiss4Afrika.

 Brigitte Lawler, Director of Swiss4Afrika: 

Brigitte Lawler is the founder of Legenda solutions-focused consultancy specializing in business growth, scaling tech companies and transforming business for the digital world. Having worked in more than 30 countries and lived in 4, Brigitte has developed a global perspective to business in different markets. Brigitte is able to draw on experience as a Global Transformation Manager across several business and functional areas, as well as adapting those skills and competencies in the world of Entrepreneurs and Start-Ups. As a founding member and director of a Non-Profit Organisation, Brigitte equally applies her expertise on organizational, process and people development in an effort to alleviate poverty. Key-note speaker and author. 

In this podcast, João de Saldanha describes his path from hospitality to the world of finance and investment.  Despite some early disappointments, João was able to move forward and he shares his insights into how difficulties can be turned into opportunities for growth and success.  He also explains how his hospitality training was a powerful tool for his future career and how a hospitality education gives you the transferable skills that can be used in many industries and fields.  In addition, João describes the common characteristics between hospitality and finance.

 João also speaks to our listeners about the importance of self-discovery, determination and resilience and how he was inspired to create a new project called "We Accelerate Prosperity" when COVID hit back in 2020.

 João de Saldanha is a Portuguese adventurer thriving in the vibrant streets of London.  He has always had an entrepreneurial spirit and he took the leap into starting his own business at the age of 27. Throughout his journey, he experienced the thrill of success, but also faced the bitter taste of failure. Not once, but twice, his businesses failed, testing his resilience and determination.
 
During those challenging times, he often daydreamed about a different path—a path where he could create a diverse investment portfolio that would provide him with a consistent income and occasional capital gains. The only problem was, he didn't know where to start or how to navigate this new territory.
 
 Thankfully, destiny intervened when a friend introduced him to a personal development program that resonated deeply with him. It was a moment of clarity and he realised that he had to embark on a journey of self-discovery, focusing on both his mindset and financial intelligence. He devoured books, watched enlightening videos, attended empowering conferences and seminars and sought guidance from coaches and mentors. With every step, he began constructing the blueprint for his dream—a portfolio of investments that would reward him with regular dividends.
 
 But he didn't want to keep this newfound knowledge and success to himself and he felt an overwhelming desire to share it with others.  Over the years, as he honed his skills and implemented effective strategies, he discovered his true calling—to empower and uplift others on their own financial journeys.
 
 Since 2012, he has been immersed in the world of business, investments and start-ups. Through his guidance, he has helped many individuals increase their wealth to over €1 million. Witnessing their transformations and witnessing their lives change for the better has been one of the most rewarding experiences of his life.

In this podcast, Puneet Baijal talks to us about the current tourism and hospitality trends in India and more specifically in the Gujrat region where he is currently the General Manager of the five-star Hyatt Regency Hotel in Ahmedabad.  He shares his passion for hospitality and describes how Indian culture plays a big role in the way Indians welcome guests and tourists to their country.  We ask him to explain why India has always been a popular tourist destination and continues to capture so many travelers’ hearts.

 Puneet also explains how India is preparing young people for the industry and what can be done to improve hospitality education and increase the number of qualified staff for the future.  We also ask him how he foresees the future of hospitality in India and the challenges that the industry will face in the coming years.

 Puneet Baijal is currently the General Manager at the luxurious five-star Hyatt Regency Hotel in Ahmedabad, Gujrat India.  The Hotel has been and continues to host many Presidents, Prime Ministers and global state dignitaries.  With over 25 years in the hospitality industry, predominantly in the Middle East and India, Puneet has led diverse teams of up to 48 different nationalities to deliver successful business initiatives.  He helped to secure the Best Hotel of the year in 2017 and the Best Upcoming Hotel awards for the Hyatt Regency, Chandigarh in 2018.  

 Puneet has repeatedly been recognised for exceptional performance: Leading F&B Director/Best GM - Hyatt, India; Best GM in Middle East - Hyatt, Doha, and Best GCC Business Leader - Roda Al Bustan, Dubai.  He has consistently achieved 95%+ in employee satisfaction scores and maintained the lowest staff attrition rate.
 
 He has also been the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) committee leader, arranging outreach to NGO’s and underprivileged sectors of the community to share the hotel’s luxury features and offer employment opportunities.
 
 
 

Jacquy Pfeiffer embodies the French pastry chef’s persona with style and grace and shares his many career choices and experiences across the world.  From his native Alsace to Chicago via California, Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Brunei and Hong Kong, Jacquy has brought his pastry magic to the many places he has worked.  He explains how he started as a young apprentice in the Alsace region and the importance of hard work, a strong sense of perfectionism and a good dose of humility when it comes to creating his signature pastries.  He also describes the artistry and creative focus needed to become a sought-after pastry chef.  Jacquy has shared his pastry passion with many and has co-authored several books. In addition, he created a pastry school in Chicago with Chef Sébastien Canonne, where they trained thousands of professional pastry chefs. 

Baking is Jacquy’s passion. He comes from a long lineage of family bakers. He started learning the craft like many do, at a young age, in his father’s kitchen.  This is where he learned that when you can make a beautiful croissant or a baguette, you bring joy and happiness to others.
 
 What drives Jacquy is not just to be the best at his craft, but also to share his passion with others. Twenty-five years ago, he co-founded The French Pastry School  in Chicago with Chef Sébastien Canonne.  He is happy that all the pastry chefs they have trained can, in turn, bring joy and happiness to many more people.

More recently, they have taken their 25 years of instructional knowledge and have put it into an online, on-demand, educational format that allows both enthusiasts and professionals to build on their knowledge in Baking and Pastry Arts.  This is available through The Butter Book (www.thebutterbook.com) which offers an on demand online education as well as their partnership with Rouxbe (www.rouxbe.com) which offers a wide range of educational programs in Pastries and Breads. 

 In this podcast, Francesca Palazuelos talks to us about Mexican hospitality and her passion for food.  She describes her early forays into the Food and Beverage side of hospitality while working in Kenya and Brazil.  Her passion for food eventually led her back to her native country, Mexico, where she has worked in the industry since 2011.

 Francesca shares some lively anecdotes about her first internship and gives her advice to young people who are just starting out in the business.  With humour and a good dose of humility, she also shares her challenges with learning accounting and cost management and how she turned these challenges into success by authoring a Cost Management book in Spanish.

 Finally, she shares her ideas hospitality recruitment and trends and how she sees the future of hospitality. 

Francesca Palazuelos embarked on her hospitality journey with a deep passion for the field, commencing her education at the renowned Glion Institute of Higher Education in Switzerland, where she had the privilege of learning from the best in the industry. Her career has taken her to various corners of the world, including internships at the Grand Hyatt São Paulo in Brazil and the Mexican embassy in Nairobi, Kenya; experiences that instilled in her a profound appreciation for the industry. 

Over the years, Francesca has been fortunate to work with some of Mexico's well-known restaurant chains, including Grupo Cinbersol, Banquetes Susana Palazuelos, Liverpool (Experiencia Gourmet), and Giornale. In a testament to her dedication and hard work, she found herself entrusted with the role of Director of Operations at the age of 28, overseeing 16 restaurants and a team of 400 employees. 

One notable achievement in her career was her involvement in the introduction and adaptation of Magnolia Bakery to the Mexican market. Francesca is now a consultant, offering her insights to more than 10 companies, including yacht clubs, vineyards, and boutique hotels in Punta Mita and Zihuatanejo, spanning various concepts such as fine dining, large café chains, sushi, seafood casual, and concept restaurants, among others. 

Francesca has authored a book titled "Recetas para el Éxito," aimed at providing practical advice on cost management, purchasing, and inventory control for restaurateurs, drawing from her hands-on experience. She remains committed to her passion for the culinary world and strives to make a positive contribution to the industry. 

Chantal Wittman is an educator, a hospitality expert, a competition judge and received the MOF (Meilleur Ouvrier de France) Maître d’Hôtel award.  In this podcast, Chantal gives our listeners some background information about the French MOF competitions and what this means for the people who have been given this title.  Chantal has taught in some of the most prestigious hospitality institutions including Lycée Hôtelier de Strasbourg, the Glion Institute of Higher Education, the Ecole Ducasse.  In addition to teaching, Chantal also teaches Master Classes around the world and has participated as a judge in dozens of competitions.

 In this podcast, Chantal explains the French “Arts de la Table” or how to prepare and present food following very strict guidelines and etiquette.  This tradition goes back to the time of Marie Antoinette, when the French nobility created extravagant table settings and service to impress their guests.

 For anyone who has had the pleasure of eating in a French gastronomic restaurant, this art can be described as a culinary ballet. "Arts de la Table" is a French custom of refinement, elegance and rigor regarding the dining experience and it is a unique way of approaching the presentation of a meal. Finally, it creates a particular ambiance and sets the tone for the entire dining experience.

 Chantal also describes the challenges she has faced in a hospitality field that is predominantly masculine.  With candour and passion, she takes our listeners on an exploration of the Maître d’Hôtel profession and describes why she followed this career path.  She also explains her desire to transmit the values of this important profession to younger generations so that the Arts de la Table does not become a lost art.

Claude Achaume has been working as the private rooms manager for the exclusive 5 Hertford Street Private Club in London for several years and in this podcast, he shares his experiences and some interesting anecdotes that have made headlines!  Claude describes how his years at the iconic Connaught Hotel in London shaped his sense of hospitality and taught him the importance of discretion and tactfulness.  

 While working at the Connaught, Claude met actors, royalty, celebrities and politicians and he describes some of his most memorable moments.  He tells our listeners why the Connaught was unique and highly appreciated by its guests.  

 After the Connaught, Claude moved on to the London Ritz where he continued his Food and Beverage career there until 1991.  It was Mr. Julian Payne, the former manager at the London Ritz and a much-appreciated mentor, who introduced Claude to the London private club scene and gave him the opportunity to start working for them.

 Claude shares his hospitality acumen, his values and why he hasn’t considered retirement as of yet.  As a Frenchman living in England for many years, Claude tells us why he appreciates London and why he decided to come back from France after working eight years at the Château de la Pioline in Aix en Provence.  Claude also tells us why it’s no longer easy to find experienced and dedicated staff and how he has seen the hospitality field struggle, change and evolve.

We also ask Claude to share his ideas on how the private club niche is just one of the many places young people can aspire to work and what skills are needed for this kind of employment.

Finally, Claude talks about how 5 Hertford Street Private Club welcomed guests as part of the Coronation of Charles celebration in May of this year.  Understanding royal protocol is just one of the many reasons  why Claude is a very popular, admired and treasured hospitality expert.

In this podcast, Cathleen Cain, explains why many hospitality businesses are not accessible for people with limited mobility and what hospitality businesses can do to improve this.  In her opinion, some simple, inexpensive changes can make a world of difference.  Cathleen has travelled around the world and in this podcast, she describes the particular challenges she has had to face as a paraplegic in a wheelchair.   

As a California native living in Switzerland, Cathleen went from an accessibility friendly environment in the USA to limited accessibility in Europe.  She also explains that accessibility isn’t just about physical improvements, but attitudes towards people with limited mobility.  Although she has seen some major improvements, Cathleen thinks that many places need to be more pro-active and sensitive to limited mobility issues.

Cathleen Cain has a Master’s in Mental Health and is a certified Somatic Experiencing therapist.  After 18 years as a licensed psychotherapist in the US, Cathleen Cain moved to Switzerland in 2006. The driving force in her work is to help others find or re-find ease and comfort in their being.  Her own journey of healing after a traumatic accident 40 years ago had her searching for a therapist who had both psychological and body work skills.  As these professionals are difficult to find, studying both somatic and cognitive approaches to help others re-establish their equilibrium has been her focus. She works in English and French.

With 30 years of experience in mental health as a body-oriented therapist, Cathleen enjoys creating a safe environment for explorations that lead to personal solutions. The approach she has developed taps into her clients' existing resources.

Her professional training includes Somatic Experiencing, Soma Embodiment, EMDR, Solution Focused and Milne Cranio-Sacral training.

Her personal interests are dance, sports, meditation, nature experiences as well as reading, bee keeping and family.

Francesco Bonotto has been the manager of the legendary Venice-Simplon Orient Express for over five years.  In his own words: “I am the Hotel Manager of a 5-star hotel moving on rail tracks across 5 different countries with an international luxurious clientele looking for a lifetime experience.  A very wide knowledge and a multitasking mind set are necessary tools to cover such a role. Additionally, the variables involved in the operations are many and most of the time, unforeseen.”  Francesco discusses the importance of making sure the guests have a unique, unforgettable and once in a lifetime experience. 

 In this podcast he shares some memorable moments and the particular challenges he has had to face. We also discuss the literary and cinematic legacy of this mythical train and what guests are looking for when they board.  

 Francesco describes his professional path and what led him to this remarkable hospitality position.  Several years working in China allowed Francesco to gain invaluable experience and knowledge of another culture and in this podcast, he talks about his time spent there.

 Francesco Bonotto in an experienced Operations Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the food & beverage industry. He is skilled in catering, the hospitality industry, multi-unit management and restaurants. He has strong business development experience and a Bachelor’s degree focused on Business Administration in Hospitality from GLION institute for Higher Education in Switzerland.

In this podcast, chocolatier Aditi Malhotra Ahooja shares her unique path from her childhood in New York City, to a Swiss hospitality school and onto becoming a successful entrepreneur.  Aditi talks about her family’s love and support, learning to become a pastry chef, some inevitable bumps along the way and her passion for chocolate.  She describes how her labor of love, Tache Chocolates, came into being.

Tache Chocolate was founded by pastry chef Aditi Malhotra Ahooja. Her delicious and unique chocolates draw inspiration from her travels around the world and her Indian background. Each bite sized treat tells a story and captivates the senses! Aditi describes them as a “Journey of the Senses”

She is a graduate of The Glion Hotel School in Switzerland and The French Culinary Institute. Aditi first started her career working under acclaimed pastry chef Pichet Ong and then went on to work as a Japanese chef at Morimoto. Aditi had an opportunity to learn from a chocolatier in Paris before opening her own storefront in NYC. 

Since opening Tache in 2012, Aditi and her chocolates have taken the confectionary world by storm.  She was the winner of Zagat’s 30 Under 30 Award and selected as one of Forbes 30 under 30 game changers in Food & Wine.  She competed twice as Forbes best young chef in America as the only dessert chef invited. 

All of Tache’s creations are handcrafted in her mini Willy Wonkaesque factory and are handmade from the finest ingredients in the world. Tache is also famous for its chocolate-making classes, which have gained the attention from the New York Times and Time Out Kids.  

Her chocolates have been featured in The New York Times, Time Out, TV Asia, The Huffington Post, The Village Voice, Business Insider, Food and Wine, InStyle Magazine, Gotham Magazine and an HSBC commercial.

Tache’s name comes from the French word “tache” which means spot or smudge. When it comes to Aditi, she always has a “tache” of chocolate smeared all over her chef’s coat. There was no other option then to name it after the evidence of a whimsical chocolatier!

In this podcast, Philippe Rey-Westlund and Byron Rey-Westlund talk about their labor of love and fine dining with the creation of Underground Dining at Naglee Park in the Silicon Valley.  We learn about how this idea was born, how it blossomed into a full-time job for its creative chef Byron and how Philippe’s family history of running a hotel and restaurant in Crans-Montana, Switzerland helped him to become the welcoming host for an eclectic clientele.

Both Byron and Philippe talk about their travel and dining experiences and how cuisine from different places influenced Byron’s culinary explorations and dishes.  With humour and a touch of irreverence, they describe some of their underground dining events, give advice to people who may be interested in creating an Underground Dining venue and their favourite places to go for Underground Dining.

Byron Westlund Jr. grew up in Cupertino, California surrounded by fruit orchards. Cupertino, before becoming the Apple Corp. headquarters was a small village one hour south of San Francisco populated mostly by Italian and Mexican immigrants. There he was introduced early to the delicious tasty layers of ancestral Mexican cuisine. 

After college, Byron worked in technology and with the responsibilities of holding leadership positions, he was afforded the opportunity to travel the world for business. As an adventurous and curious person, Byron would explore the food scene everywhere he landed. With offices and staff he would visit, on an almost monthly basis, Grenoble, Lyon, Geneva, Mexico City, Tokyo and Singapore.  Byron would go out of his way to sample all local tastes and traditional dishes. 

Upon his return home to Silicon Valley, he would spend hours recreating the flavours and structures of the dishes he so loved while out in the world. Underground Dining at Naglee Park was inevitable and for ten years, became Byron's retirement-from-technology job, but much more fun and creative. Byron loves nothing more than welcoming friends and family to his table and to share with them his passion and love for good, heart-warming, soul-lifting food and good times.

 Dr. Philippe Rey is the Executive Director of ACS in the Silicon Valley, California.  He first joined Adolescent Counseling Services in 1998 as Caravan House Program Director. After three years at Caravan, he became a member of the executive team as Associate Director and has now been the agency's Executive Director since 2004. 

Philippe was born and raised in the French-speaking region of Switzerland and came to the United States in 1984 to attend the University of California at San Diego. In 1997, his doctorate in clinical psychology with a concentration in child and family therapy was conferred by Alliant International University in San Diego. Before pursuing graduate studies and a career in psychology, Philippe graduated from business school in Sion, Switzerland. 

 With his husband Byron, Philippe operated an "Underground Dining" establishment which served as a cultivation & fundraising vehicle for ACS since 2011.1

In this podcast, Mohammed Marghalani, currently the Saudi Chief of Franchised Assets Operations for PIF Hospitality Projects, talks to us about the enormous changes that have occurred over the past five years in the Saudi hospitality field.  With over 18 years in the hospitality field and an MBA from the Ecole Hotelière de Lausanne, Mohammed also discusses Swiss Hospitality education and how the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is bringing best educational practices to hospitality schools there.

 Mohammed also shares his passion for hospitality and describes how the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is moving quickly to meet the hospitality and tourism demands that the country is facing.  The Vision 2030 project is focusing on opening up new destinations for tourists and creating unforgettable experiences for them.  

 Finally, Mohammed discusses the efforts the Kingdom has made to be more open and to project a more modern image of their country. He also discusses the work opportunities for women in Saudi hospitality and what is being done to promote their employment.

 Mohammed Marghalani is currently the Saudi Chief of Franchised Assets Operation at one of the PIF hospitality projects. He has more than 18 years of experience in the hospitality industry. He was the former Cluster General Manager for The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh and Jeddah where he managed and oversaw the overall operations and strategic direction of the five-star property that consists of 493 rooms and suites, including its nine dining outlets. 

 Mohammed joined The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh as a member of the pre-opening guidance team in 2011 in the role of Assistant Director of Finance. Prior to this, he had a progressive and successful career with other well-known luxury brands. In January 2020 Mr. Marghalani became the General Manager for the iconic property and drove it successfully through the Covid -19 crisis and the return to its normal phases while achieving impressive results financially and qualitatively.  He was recently awarded the best General Manager in Ritz-Carlton globally for 2023. 

 Marghalani began his educational career by acquiring a bachelor's degree in hospitality and tourism management in 2006 from Glion Institute of Higher Education in Switzerland. After that, Mohammed went on to advance his knowledge in the field by obtaining his MBA with a concentration in hospitality management from the Ecole Hotelier de Lausanne in Switzerland. He was also enrolled with the Marriot Ascent Leadership Program at the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School in the United States to thrive and grow his leadership skills. 

 Marghalani has several leadership qualifications - he is a member of the Saudi Council of Leaders,  and he has been one of the participants in the first version of the Leaders 2030 Program for the MiSK  Foundation. This program has over 1000 leaders who contribute to achieving the goals and strategies of the Kingdom's Vision 2030.

In this episode, we talk to Yannick Bouyidou, whose hospitality career with Ritz-Carlton led him to work on four different continents in different leadership positions.  Currently, Yannick wears several hospitality hats including entrepreneur, mentor, guest speaker, philanthropist and educator.  Yannick has a 360 -degree vision of the current hospitality trends and business stakes and understands how business, performance, excellence in customer service, technology, and innovation can go hand in hand with philanthropy and giving back to society.

 Yannick also discusses how to interest and motivate young people to join the ever-changing hospitality environment and best practices when it comes to training and retaining young talents.  Yannick has an contagious passion for hospitality training and education while recognizing the importance of matching knowledgeable and dedicated hospitality educators with young minds.

 Yannick Bouyidou, MBA, is a driven, multi-lingual hospitality professional turned entrepreneur who holds a bachelor's in Hospitality Management and an MBA in Business Transformation & Entrepreneurship. Yannick worked for over a decade for the luxury hotel chain The Ritz-Carlton, holding various leadership positions on 4 continents tasked with improving customer experience, employee engagement, and ultimately financial performance.

 Today, Yannick decided to reinvent himself with a vision of giving back by sharing his passion and expertise in customer success strategies and entrepreneurship with recipients such as industry experts, startup founders, and students around the world. 

 Yannick co-founded two companies and is actively involved in the Swiss start-up ecosystem, working as a judge & mentor for MassChallenge Switzerland, leader in helping startups across Europe grow their businesses by accelerating nearly 400 startups across multiple industries (+CHF 196M in funding). 

 Today, Yannick’s mission is to create an ecosystem of products and services that allows individuals and companies to achieve their personal goals by collaborating and sharing a meaningful journey together.

Winner of the Best Swiss Receptionist Bucherer trophy in 2015, Judith Malavallon went from working in an iconic BEAU RIVAGE Palace to becoming a teacher at the school she attended in Switzerland.   After a management change, she continued teaching at another prestigious Hospitality School in Lausanne.  But Judith is a firm believer in having a healthy work/life balance and having children has allowed her to see other options available to someone with a hospitality background.

 In this podcast, Judith discusses what it was like to compete for Best Receptionist and what she learned from the experience.  She also talks frankly about the position of hotel receptionist and the challenges young women can face in front office positions when they decide to have a family. 

 Finally, Judith describes her new career path as a career coach and how her hospitality background has tied in with this new position.  She ends this podcast with advice and suggestions for young people getting into the hospitality field.

 Judith Malavallon has a hospitality management background and worked several years as a hotel receptionist in Switzerland. In 2015 she won the Bucherer Trophy for Switzerland’s Best Receptionist and the contest gave her the ticket to the worldwide contest in Vienna, where she finished 2nd runner up. For several professional reasons, Judith left her position at the Beau Rivage Palace in Lausanne and decided to pursue a different challenge. 

 She became a hospitality instructor at Glion Institute of Higher Education and this was where her passion for training and coaching was officially put into practice.  After a few years and a change in management she left hospitality education and did some coaching for a luxury car company to improve their service, especially at front desks and for after-sale service. 

 Judith was recruited to work at EHL as a front desk instructor and she trained students in practice and in theory for front office and housekeeping operations. 

 When Covid-19 arrived and changed everyone’s life, her priorities evolved and she realized that her professional situation no longer matched her personal family situation, vision and values.  She spent time self-reflecting about what professional field and job would fit with her new role as a mother and wife.  She did a skills assessment at Ingeus in Lausanne and in the end, she became an employment coach there.  Her daily tasks include coaching one-to-one with people looking for a job as well as giving workshops about various topics useful when in job search.  As she likes to remind us, what is essential is to have a work-life balance. 

In this podcast, Claudine Thoma talks about her professional path from hospitality to education and why she decided to pursue her passion for the hospitality field as a young woman.  She also discusses hospitality and hospitality education in Luxembourg, her native country and how she successfully stepped outside of her  passion for hospitality business into her new passion for hospitality education.  

 In addition, Claudine shares her insights into how the hospitality field is evolving and why hospitality education needs to keep up with these changes.  Claudine also explains how young people can prepare for successful careers in hospitality and tourism.  

 Claudine Thoma is a passionate teacher with a demonstrated history of working in the hospitality industry. She is currently a Hospitality Management lecturer at Hotel and Tourism School in Luxembourg along with being the Hotel Reception Expert for EuroSkills this year and WorldSkills next year in Lyon, France.

 Claudine has an extensive background in hospitality and has worked in Rome, Brussels, and France.  She is skilled in Event Management & Commercial Management and has a strong operational experience with over 16 years of experience in luxury hospitality companies, but above all, she loves challenges! 

In this podcast, Rocco Bova, an experienced hotelier with over 25 years of international experience gives our listeners food for thought and questions the current hospitality status quo.  Lack of qualified staff, high turnover, and the pursuit of unsustainable practices, Rocco touches on some of the reasons the hospitality world needs to re-invent itself to become more sustainable, ethical and responsible.  

 Rocco also gives his insight into hospitality education and why schools need to be more honest with potential students about their future careers.  He discusses the proliferation of new hospitality brands and describes he ideas on sustainability in the hospitality field.  Finally, Rocco talks to us about his personal, revolutionary hospitality project in Mexico, My Humble House. 

 Rocco has worked for some of the best international brands in 11 countries, from Europe to Middle East, Asia, India, Africa, the Caribbean and Mexico.  He started his career in Dubai with Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts, worked with Four Seasons, Hilton, Aman Resorts, IHG, LUX* Resorts, Starwood (now Marriott), and other independent companies managing world class, luxury hotels. 

 Educated in Italy, the UK and most recently with Cornell University in Singapore, Rocco is an avid learner and continues his educational investigations online to keep up to date with the latest global tourism trends.  

 Rocco contributes actively as an influencer of the hospitality industry through social medias, writing articles in digital blogs, speaker in several conferences and podcasts, visiting lecturer at hotel schools and has been a Board Member of pro bono organizations like Hoteliers Guild, GSN Planet and the World Wellness Weekend. After years of brewing his idea and mastering the art of hospitality, Rocco has decided to put all his experience and knowledge into a revolutionary hospitality concept with a unique business model and begun working on ''My Humble House'' concept. 

 Rocco is still actively working in the industry and he is currently in Mexico, consulting for various developers of boutique hotels and master planned communities.

Originally from Ankara, Turkey, A. Burak Ipekci was fortunate enough to realise that the hospitality industry was his calling in his late teens. Already doing seasonal work in the industry, Burak went ahead to study Hospitality Management at Bilkent University, the country’s first private university. A career that spans three countries and over 30 years, Burak has worked at Soho Grand Hotel, Hilton New York and Le Parker Meridien in New York before relocating to London. 

 After serving many years on the Board of Directors of the New York City Association of Hotel Concierges, at the time of his relocation to London Burak was serving as the youngest ever President of the association. In London, Burak worked as Head Concierge at South Place Hotel, Andaz Liverpool Street, The Westbury, and most recently at Hilton London Metropole before taking on the role in 2022 at The Royal Horseguards.

 In this podcast, Burak shares his professional insights, his motivations and why becoming a Les Clef d’Or Concierge continues to inspire young people working in hotels. Burak succinctly describes what a concierge does, the skills set necessary for successfully thriving in this profession and how technology has actually made his job easier.  

 With many awards under his belt, Burak also has been very active in the world of Concierge. He utilized the late 90s and early 00s serving on the Board of Directors of the New York City Association of Hotel Concierges in various roles from Membership Director to President. For the past decade, Burak has shifted his focus from the organisation's national to the international side. Other than serving as the General Secretary for the British section of Les Clefs d’Or for a couple of years, Burak also was elected to the role of International Assistant General Secretary in 2017 and continued on his journey as the General Secretary from 2019 for UICH Les Clefs d’Or.

 As an active Ambassador for Centrepoint, the charity that promotes career opportunities and accommodation for the young homeless, Burak also invests time working regularly with the US Charitable Trust encouraging underprivileged young people to choose the hospitality industry as a career path. 

 A lover of gastronomy, trivial knowledge and travel, Burak’s international destination knowledge and professional network are second to none. He loves expanding that knowledge and network both by virtue of sharing what he has to offer freely and happily with fellow Les Clefs d’Or members and young members of the community at every chance he gets.

In this podcast, Alexandre Maia de Carvalho tells our listeners about his hospitality career in Portugal and why it continues to be one of the top-ten destinations for European tourists and is gaining popularity for travellers coming from the US, China and Canada.

 Alexandre’s specialty is luxury hotels and resorts, and in this podcast he describes this growing field and how it has evolved over the past 10 years and what the future holds for this niche.  He also discusses the current challenges that the hospitality field is facing and how it can adapt to an ever- changing environment. Finally, he gives advice on how hotels can better recruit, train and retain talent. 

 Alexandre Maia de Carvalho was born in Coimbra, Portugal in 1973, and today lives between Lisbon and the Algarve.  He is currently the General Manager of the Wyndham Grand Algarve, Portugal.  He has a strong commercial profile oriented towards luxury consortia, upscale travel agencies and luxury concierge companies.

 Alexandre also owns and operates a boutique hospitality consulting firm called MC Hospitality Advisors www.mchospitalityadvisors.com focused on helping private equity firms to find assets and start operating them in Portugal and luxury hotel openings.

 Alexandre holds a degree in International Hospitality Management from the Glion Hotel School, and a postgraduate degree in F&B Management from Cornell University. In recent years, he has invested heavily in online training in Asset Management, Portfolio Management and Private Equity. 

 Alexandre is very experienced in bridging solid foundations between hotel operations, management companies and private equity funds. Maximizing asset value by property repositioning and curating unique guest experiences: turning great hotels into iconic properties. He has a strong track record leading hospitality focused projects, excels at design and is both a creative and strategic thinker.  Alexandre is an actual and former member of Tourism Boards in Lisbon, Cascais and Vilamoura. 

In this podcast, Christian Michel tells our listeners about hotel development and in particular, the continued growth and development of the Central and Eastern European markets.  Christian describes his long career with Wyndham Resorts and how he has honed his knowledge of hotel development in Central and Eastern Europe.  

Christian also speaks to our audience about why Central and Eastern Europe have become such popular destinations.  Finally, he talks about hospitality education in Switzerland and how hospitality schools must continue to train and educate for an ever-changing hospitality reality. He also gives young people advice on how they can prepare for a career in hospitality development.

 As Vice President of 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 various General Manager positions for recognised hotels 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 is multi-lingual and speaks French, English and German. He holds a bachelor 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 travelling.  

In this podcast, Laurence Toudjui gives our listeners a glimpse of Cameroonian hospitality by describing the current projects that are underway in her native country. Cameroon is currently catching up with other African countries that attract tourists.  With its 400 km of Atlantic coast, Cameroon has fabulous sites for beach loving visitors and the country has many natural attractions that are not found anywhere else in the world, making it possible to have various categories of tourism. Cameroon is one of the oldest countries of Africa and therefore has a lot of sites that can claim to be labelled as World Heritage Sites

 The potential for increasing tourism in Cameroon is one of the reasons that Laurence is passionate about hospitality training in her country and she describes her entrepreneurial forays into the Cameroonian hospitality world.  

 Laurence Toudjui is an alumni of Glion Institute of Higher Education, Switzerland. She is also a certified etiquette coach and consultant from the British school of etiquette. She started her career in France and Switzerland in the hotel industry and then decided to go back to her motherland Cameroon where she worked both in and out of the hospitality industry. She is an expert in hospitality management, which has been her dream from her childhood. Laurence created AYS (At Your Service) a hospitality training center based in Douala, Cameroon.

In this podcast Manrique Rodriguez talks about Lebanese hospitality and compares Lebanon to other countries in the Levant and Middle East and shares his extensive, global insights into the hospitality field.  He touches on the topic of hospitality changes and challenges and the importance of moving towards more sustainable practices and eco-tourism.

 Manrique Rodriguez recently became the General Manager of the JW Marriott Guanacaste in Costa Rica and he was the General Manager of the iconic Intercontinental Phoenicia in Beirut, Lebanon.  He has a strong background in hotel operations with over 30 years’ experience in different styles of hotels.  He has a highly motivational, people-orientated management style with a clear vision of hotel objectives.  

 Manrique also talks about a tragic and unforgettable event – he was in the Phoenicia hotel on August 4, 2020 when the explosion at Beirut's port occurred.  It was one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in global history. The explosion sent shock waves through the city, killing at least 220 people, and wounding over 7,000.  In addition, there was extensive property damage all over Beirut and The Phoenicia hotel was forced to close due to extensive damage.  Manrique talks about this trying, challenging event that happened during the COVID pandemic.

 Manrique has had a progressive hotel management career spanning more than 30 years within IHG Hotels & Resorts.  A truly global hotelier, he has worked as General Manager for IHG Hotels in the USA, Brazil, Australia, Spain and in Beirut, Lebanon at the Intercontinental Phoenicia.

Tim Oberli is currently the Assistant Reception Manager at the world famous Bürgenstock Resort near Lucerne, Switzerland. He is also the current World Skills Vice Champion of Hotel Reception.  In this podcast, Tim describes first becoming the Swiss Skills champion and subsequently his participation in the World Skills competition last year in October in Montreux, Switzerland.  

 Tim describes his experience in Montreux and the lasting impressions he has from participating in this important event.  He recognises the importance of his support team and family during a increasingly demanding preparation for this three-day event. He also talks about the mental and physical challenges of competition and how he learned how to overcome moments of doubt and stress.  

 Finally, Tim talks about the support he received from his team at the Bürgenstock and how his employment at the reception desk was a vital part of his competition performance.  He also shares his impressions of meeting competitors from around the world and the lasting friendships that he developed with the other contestants.

In this podcast, Dr. Stowe Shoemaker talks about Hospitality Education at Harrah College of Hospitality at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.  Stowe has been in hospitality education for over 25 years and in this podcast he shares his insights into how the hospitality field is changing and the importance of hospitality schools keeping up with an ever-changing the industry. 

 Dr. Shoemaker (Ph.D., Cornell University) recently transitioned to the UNLV Office of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement after a decade of service as dean of the UNLV Harrah College of Hospitality.  He is an acknowledged expert in pricing, revenue management, consumer behaviour and customer loyalty programs. 

Dr. Shoemaker has served as an advisor to numerous hospitality service providers over the course of his career including British Airways, Accor, Hilton, Landry’s and Hyatt.  He has helped game developers test market new casino games (both slots and table games), developed pricing strategies, developed programs to measure customer satisfaction, modelled the success and failure of marketing programs, and developed segmentation strategies based on consumer motivations in the gaming, lodging and restaurant industries. 

In addition to this, he has published two marketing textbooks, Marketing Leadership in Hospitality and Tourism: Strategies and Tactics for a Competitive Advantage and Marketing Essentials in Hospitality and Tourism: Foundations and Practices, and his research has won numerous awards.

 Since 1996 Dr. Shoemaker has served as a member of the executive education faculty at Cornell University where he has taught courses in strategic pricing, revenue management, strategic marketing for hotels and restaurants, and customer loyalty.

 Dr. Shoemaker has also applied his knowledge of hospitality to help healthcare professionals improve patient satisfaction.  He has held a joint appointment at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX and worked with Memorial Healthcare Systems, Houston. His third book, Hospitable Healthcare: Just What the Patient Ordered, will be  launched on September 5th 2023 and can be preordered on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Today’s podcast features Tom Su, a former hotelier who has found a unique way of combining music with hospitality.  After working several years in the hospitality industry in Taipei, Tom chose a different path in telecommunications.  But his love for music and his desire to share this passion has finally led him to bringing musical joy to hospitals and senior care facilities.  Listen to this episode to learn how he combines music, hospitality, communications, counseling and volunteering in his life.

 Tom Su is a musician, a hotelier, a telecommunication manager, a life counsellor and a volunteer. He was born in Taiwan and has a fine arts bachelor degree in violin. He also graduated from Glion Hotel School in 1996.  He later became the director of sales and marketing at The Ritz Taipei at the ageof 30. In 2003, he emigrated to Canada where he earned an MBA at the University of Victoria, specialising in Service Management. During the pandemic, he recognised the mental health crisis, so he went back to school and got his certifications in Life Coach and Life Counselling.

 Currently Tom is working at Telus, a telecommunications company in Canada. Since 2006, he has also been playing the violin with the West Coast Symphony. Most importantly, he is an active volunteer in senior care facilities, hospitals and his community. 

 Recently, Tom was awarded as a Local Hero from the mayor of Burnaby in June 2023, to recognize his contribution to the community and an article about his volunteer work was featured in Pancouver, a local Vancouver publication.

(https://pancouver.ca/violinist-tom-su-spreads-joy-and-builds-empathy-by-taking-his-music-to-the-people/). 

In this podcast, Marina Franolic talks about hospitality in Croatia, a popular Mediterranean destination with rave reviews.  Marina explains why Croatia has become a favourite tourist destination and why so many tourists return there for their holidays.

 Marina also discusses her work at The Bench, a global investment event organisation and hospitality trends and innovations such as long-term stay that are focused on travellers that would like to be more comfortable in their accommodation, or are staying for a week, a month or more in the city. 

 Marina also speaks about lifestyle hotels that are particularly attractive to younger travellers who want to experience the local atmosphere even within the hotel. Lifestyle brands bring the community inside by creating different rooms and social spaces and also serving the local clientele.

 Finally, Marina talks about the future of hospitality and the importance of sustainability and gender equality and what the industry needs to do to improve on these vital topics.

Marina Franolic is the Managing Director at The Bench, a global hospitality investment event organiser. Marina joined in 2019 when her Adria Hotel Forum – now IDEEA Hospitality Investment Forum, was acquired by The Bench. 

Marina began her hospitality career at the Glion Institute of Higher and the Hotel Savoy, Rocco Forte group, in Florence. After several years outside of the hospitality industry, in 2012, she established her company with the goal of bringing global trends to the regional industry. 

In 2013, Adria Hotel Forum was launched with the idea of showcasing world trends, sparking the creation of new ideas and partnerships and overall development of the hotel industry. Within years, AHF was confirmed to be the only internationally recognised hotel investment conference within South-Eastern Europe whose partners were global companies. The company then started another unique event with the goal of bringing trends into everyday hotel operations – HOW /Hotel Operations Weekend/ Festival that gathers every year more than 500 participants. In 2018, the company was rebranded as HESA Group and served as the connoisseur of the regional market and opportunities. 

In addition, Marina serves as the Industry Advisory Board Member at Glion Institute of Higher Education and holds both Croatian and Italian citizenship.

In this podcast, Mary Mayenfisch-Tobin discusses gender equality, sustainability and corporate responsibility in the hospitality and tourism fields.  Using her lifetime experience as a lawyer, educator and activist, Mary looks at the current global situation with a critical eye and explains why it is in the interest of hospitality and tourism companies to ensure that they put ethical and sustainable business practices into practice.  

 Mary also touches on why it is important for business to be inclusive and the disastrous consequences of making decisions without all the stakeholders around the table.  Finally, Mary stresses the importance of including law and human rights courses in hospitality, event, tourism and sport management curriculum.

 Mary Mayenfisch-Tobin is a lawyer and accredited mediator with substantial experience in private practice with corporate in-house capacity. Mary has a lifetime of experience in Business and Human Rights, Corporate Social Responsibility and issues pertaining to male/female equality. She is an expert in issues relating to Hospitality and Tourism Law and in matters relating to Common law succession and contract law. 
 
 Mary formerly worked as Law Professor at the Ecole Hotelière de Lausanne lecturing in Hospitality and Business Law and went on to become Director of the Pepperdine University program in Lausanne, where she established the campus in Switzerland in 2006. She also lectured on International Business law with a focus on human rights. 
 
 Mary is experienced in matters of education, works in the area of student counselling, stakeholder relations and outreach, business development, as well as the organisation of internships.  She is a specialist in the area of Business and Human Rights, she has worked, lobbied and lectured in the Swiss Romand area since 2005. 

In this podcast, Satomi Nishihara talks about hospitality in Japan and how the Japanese philosophy of “Omotenashi” is integrated into the way the Japanese welcome guests.  She touches upon this unique cultural phenomenon and why it is not always perceived positively by business travellers. 

 Satomi also shares her personal research into sustainable tourism and how protecting endangered lilies on the remote island Shikoku became a case study for improving responsible eco-tourism and nature conservation.

Satomi Nishihara is a university lecturer and has a PhD in Tourism.  Satomi is a graduate of Glion Institute of Higher Education where her passion for hospitality began. She pursued her career in operations and sales marketing for international hotels before embarking on her career in the academic field.

Specialised in sustainable hospitality management, Satomi is the co-founder of the The Edge, which provides revenue focused sustainable hospitality management strategies for hotels as well as a founder of MIBo, a hospitality consulting company, specialised in developing sustainable strategies for hospitality and tourism worldwide. 

In this podcast, Puneet Baijal talks to us about the current tourism and hospitality trends in India and more specifically in the Gujrat region where he is currently the General Manager of the five-star Hyatt Regency Hotel in Ahmedabad.  He shares his passion for hospitality and describes how Indian culture plays a big role in the way Indians welcome guests and tourists to their country.  We ask him to explain why India has always been a popular tourist destination and continues to capture so many travelers’ hearts.

Puneet also explains how India is preparing young people for the industry and what can be done to improve hospitality education and increase the number of qualified staff for the future.  We also ask him how he foresees the future of hospitality in India and the challenges that the industry will face in the coming years.

Puneet Baijal is currently the General Manager at the luxurious five-star Hyatt Regency Hotel in Ahmedabad, Gujrat India.  The Hotel has been and continues to host many Presidents, Prime Ministers and global state dignitaries.  With over 25 years in the hospitality industry, predominantly in the Middle East and India, Puneet has led diverse teams of up to 48 different nationalities to deliver successful business initiatives.  He helped to secure the Best Hotel of the year in 2017 and the Best Upcoming Hotel awards for the Hyatt Regency, Chandigarh in 2018.  

Puneet has repeatedly been recognised for exceptional performance: Leading F&B Director/Best GM - Hyatt, India; Best GM in Middle East - Hyatt, Doha, and Best GCC Business Leader - Roda Al Bustan, Dubai.  He has consistently achieved 95%+ in employee satisfaction scores and maintained the lowest staff attrition rate.
 
He has also been the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) committee leader, arranging outreach to NGO’s and underprivileged sectors of the community to share the hotel’s luxury features and offer employment opportunities.
 
 
 

Andrea Obertello is currently the General Manager of the Four Seasons Hotel in Milano, Italy.  In this podcast, Andrea talks about her career choices and how she became General Manager in an industry that is predominately male.  She talks about working in the iconic Milano Four Seasons Hotel, located in a 15th century convent, the second oldest Four Seasons hotel in Europe.  Andrea compares hospitality in Italy to other places she has worked and analyses the changes she has seen in the hospitality industry over the past 10 years

 Originally from Argentina, Andrea has worked at Four Seasons Hotels in Miami, Doha and Marrakech but she feels at home in Italy where her family originated from.  Andrea is upbeat and positive when she talks about the challenges she has had to face in the hospitality industry and she shares some of her success stories and emphasizes the importance of creating and welcoming opportunities. 

 Finally, she gives our listeners insight into her leadership and communication styles and shares some of her hospitality philosophy and anecdotes.

 Andrea holds a degree from Glion Institute of Higher Education in Switzerland and began her career with Four Seasons as a receptionist in Uruguay. She has worked in many hotel positions during her career, which has led to her understanding of the many faceted aspects of running a successful hotel.  She has thoroughly enjoyed the opportunities Four Seasons has given her to work in different places such as South America, North America, the Middle East, Europe and North Africa.  

Arian Röehrle is currently the president of AICR, The International Association for Deputy Managers and Front Office Managers of Luxury Hotels.  In this podcast, Arian tells our listeners about this important networking organization and how it has grown into a well-established professional and educational entity.  He discusses the importance of networking in the hospitality industry and why AICR has its place in this ever-changing field.

 Arian also talks about his own career choices and path and why young people today should embrace the hospitality field.  He gives our listeners insight into some of the challenges the field is currently facing, why training, mentoring and education are so important and how hospitality leaders and managers can improve their communication and leadership styles.  He touches upon managing culturally diverse teams and how to create effective and motivated teams.  Finally, Arian discusses the challenges of working in the hospitality field and having a healthy work / life balance.

 After being employed in the hospitality industry for the last 15 years and working his way up from pageboy to general manager in 11 hotels across five countries, Arian and his wife Anja have founded A&A Hotel & Gastronomie Betriebs-GmbH.  They plan on continuing to surprise and delight guests and staff by creating lasting relationships and memorable moments.

In this podcast, Luiz Prebianca discusses how he ended up working in Australia, what he loves about working there and how Australian hospitality differs from other places.  Originally from Brazil, Luiz moved to Germany as a teenager to attend high school and then onto Switzerland to attend a Hospitality Management school.  He has worked in Brazil, the USA, Dubai and began working in Australia in 2010.  With his signature sense of humour, he discusses what kind of tourists come to Australia and the how the Crocodile Dundee effect has made Australia such a popular destination.

 Luiz also gives his advice on leadership and successful hospitality management strategies. He shares his insights into how hospitality managers can motivate and inspire their staff and why training and communication is key. Finally, he talks about how the hospitality industry has changed and what future challenges will look like for many hospitality businesses.

Luiz is passionate about the hospitality field and thoroughly enjoys interacting with people from different cultures.  He is currently the Hotel Manager at the Riverside Hotel Southbank in Brisbane, Australia and oversees many departments in this 4-star Strata Titled Hotel.  Luiz was brought on board right after the floods that devastated Brisbane - his mission was to “recreate” the Hotel.  He was given full authority to apply change, so he and his team were able to “recreate” the entire way the Hotel approaches marketing, sales, reservations and business relationships along with implementing new standard operating procedures, uniforms, furniture, online marketing approach, customer service practices and more. 

In this podcast, Andrès Reyes Gjerme talks about his career choices and what he considers to be the main challenges in hospitality leadership today.  He describes the importance of finding balance and adapting to an ever-changing, diverse working environment.  He describes the hospitality and tourism industry in Norway and answers our questions about why Norway has become such a popular tourist destination.  Finally, he shares his views on how hospitality businesses can recruit and retain talent in an industry that is undergoing significant changes.

 Andrès Reyes Gjerme is currently the Hotel Manager and Revenue Manager at the Britannia Hotel in Trondheim, Norway, a five-star hotel member of the prestigious The Leading Hotels of The World (LHW),
 
Andrès has a strong passion for the hospitality and luxury industry, most notably people!  With excellent communication and service skills and experience in international environments, he has an eye for details and knows how to focus on optimising operations and overall products.

Andrès has diverse experience in leadership as well as Room Division, Revenue Management, in-house sales, marketing, operational accounting and M&E Management.

In this podcast, Sophia Mounib talks about recruiting and retaining hospitality talent in Morocco.  Sophia gives our listeners insight into running a hospitality talent business, in Casablanca and the challenges she has faced, especially after the COVID pandemic.  

 In addition, Sophia talks about the hospitality and tourism industry in Morocco and how it differs from other North African destinations.  Finally, Sophia shares her experiences with associations that she is actively involved in including AICR Morocco and Disciples Escoffier.

 Sophia is the Managing Partner at Talent Advisor in Casablanca, Morocco.  Talent Advisor is a platform that enables hoteliers to unlock their talents, build a network and hire the absolute best in Morocco.

 Sophia started her hospitality career in 2012 after graduating from Glion Institute of Higher Education, Switzerland. Her first experience at the President Wilson Hotel, Geneva, for an F&B Management traineeship was soon followed by a role with Hyatt in human resources. But with a need to understand and master the operational side of the hotel industry, she took on guest-facing roles with Four Seasons, Sofitel and Ritz Carlton before realizing that her true passion for people was in human resources.

Snorri Valsson gives our listeners the lowdown on hospitality and tourism in Iceland and explains the challenges that increased tourism has created.  With his very original Icelandic sense of humor, Snorri talks about his own career in hospitality and tourism in his native country and why he eventually left the industry to join a tech business.  He also explains why so many people are interested in visiting his country and how social media has played a huge part in generating curiosity about the land of Fire and Ice.

 Snorri studied hospitality at a well-known Hotel Management School in Switzerland and then went on to work in England, Thailand and the USA.  Snorri returned to Iceland in 2008, just before the financial collapse of Iceland’s three major banks.  He worked for several years at a prestigious hotel in downtown Reykjavik and became the General Manager.  After several more years working in the hospitality and tourism industry in Iceland, Snorri is now working as the Customer Success Manager for a PMS in Iceland´s largest Software Company, Origo. The product is called Booking Factory and they have around 1,000 properties that they service around the world.

In this podcast we talk to Yahya Shakhshir about Hospitality education and training in Vancouver, Canada.  Yahya is currently the Managing Director at Cornerstone International Community College of Canada, one of the top private Colleges located in Vancouver.  He is a passionate, driven and dedicated hotelier with 18 years in the Hospitality and Education industry. He has international experience in 9 different countries, with expertise in the field of Rooms Division. 

 Yahya shares his experience in hospitality education and his insights into how hospitality education in Canada is different from other countries, and how private hospitality colleges differ from public institutions.  With a pragmatic approach to hospitality training, Yahya explains why practical training is so important for young people entering the hospitality field today.  He also touches upon micro-credentials, a way for working adults in the hospitality field to pursue life-long learning.  Finally, Yahya talks about why immigration is so important, not only for Canada’s hospitality and tourism sectors, but for their technical and IT sectors as well.

 Yahya is a member of the British Columbia Hotel Association BCHA, Customer Advisory Board member and Faculty member of AHLEI (American Hotel Lodging Educational Institute) and he has successfully taught 20+ Hospitality and Business courses to hundreds of students throughout his career. In addition, he has helped create and develop new programs and courses and ensured instructors are all well-trained and evaluated to maintain quality standards.
 
Yahya has recently launched a Hospitality training and consulting firm focusing on improving operational and conceptual skills within the Hotel Industry. 

In this podcast, Dr. Wendell L. Galapate, Dean and Program Chair of the School of International Hospitality and Tourism Management at St. Dominic College of Asia, in The Philippines, talks about hospitality education in The Philippines and discusses why hospitality graduates from The Philippines are appreciated around the world.  She explains why practical experience and internships are a key to hospitality education and how this kind of training can allow students to be professional and competent in their first jobs.  She also gives our listeners insight into Filipino hospitality and why Fortune 500 companies have Filipinos in their top choices for skilled professionals.

From a receptionist to a Front Office Manager, Dr. Wendell’s journey in the hospitality industry has been nothing short of remarkable. With an enduring passion for business, hospitality, tourism, and innovation, she has always been driven to push the boundaries of what's possible.

Her thirst for knowledge and expertise led her to earn a Ph.D., a testament to her unwavering commitment to excellence.  Her journey has been one of determination, hard work, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. 

In her role as Dean and Program Chair of the School of International Hospitality and Tourism Management at St. Dominic College of Asia, Philippines, she has been instrumental in leading, developing, and producing highly competent graduates equipped with service, dedication, competence, creativity, and innovation. She has also played a critical role in developing students' research and development skills, preparing them to be socially responsible through outreach programs and community engagement.

In this podcast, Clémence Gillier and Neil Beecroft from the sustainability consultancy agency, The SHIFT, talk about how businesses can develop and improve their sustainability practices. Clémence and Neil describe what sparked their interest in this important field and how their careers have evolved into creating and running The SHIFT.  They also speak about pragmatic and real-life sustainable practices that any business can adopt and how to engage key stakeholders starting with upper management. Neil and Clémence also touch on the challenges and road blocks that can make tackling the subject of sustainability difficult.  They encourage organizations and businesses to define their commitment to sustainability, to develop strategies and to engage stakeholders, all the phases that The SHIFT is poised to accomplish as consultants.

Clémence Gillier is a sustainability and business development expert with 10 years’ experience across diverse sectors and a strong academic background in business. In 2020, Clémence had a wakeup call recognizing the critical urgency of this decade for future generations. Since then, she has devoted her expertise to growing The SHIFT, a sustainability consulting agency, from its early stage, and driving projects that advance progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. Clémence focuses on the development and implementation of strategic initiatives that empower businesses, organizations, and cities to adopt responsible practices while generating shared value. As a B Corp Leader, she also guides firms toward B Corp Certification and Swiss Triple Impact recognition. Among her achievements, Clémence co-authored the online course "Sport & Sustainability" for FC Barcelona's initiative “Barca Innovation Hub” in 2022 and served as the Deputy Head of Sustainability for the Tour de France stage in Lausanne this same year.

Neil Beecroft is an expert in sustainability and business innovation. He’s a Partner of The SHIFT Agency, working for international organisations and mega-events such as the Olympics. He was formerly responsible for sustainable development at UEFA EURO 2016 in France. In 2020, he was the Head of Sustainability for the Lausanne Winter Youth Olympics, and in 2022 the Sustainability Director for the Tour de France stage in Lausanne. As B Corp Leader, he encourages the way in which innovation and sustainability can positively influence the organisational model of sports and the industry. Neil is also Sustainability Director for the Omega European Masters and CoFounder of the Start Up PuraWorka and of the NGO Sport and Sustainability International (SandSI). He has achieved a certificate in disruptive innovation at IMD Business School and is blending this field with sustainability.

Julia Krebs is a Senior Lecturer at Les Roches Marbella Global Hospitality and Hospitality Consultant, based in Marbella, Spain.  In this podcast we ask Julia about her international career and how it has shaped her approach to working in diverse environments.  Julia is passionate about helping to shape the next generation of hospitality professionals and leaders – she speaks about the importance of adapting pedagogy to the quickly changing hospitality sectors

We also ask Julia how she sees the relationship between the current industry needs and expectations and what hospitality management schools are offering and she explains how academics need to ensure that education truly reflects the modern hospitality landscape.

Julia shares her ideas on some of the most pressing challenges the hospitality sector is facing and how professionals can navigate these with confidence.  We also speak about revenue management, market disruptions and shifts in travel patterns and expectations.

Finally, Julia gives us some insight and advice to young people who are starting out in their hospitality careers or academic studies and reminds our listeners that it is still a very attractive and dynamic field to work in.

Julia Krebs is a Senior Lecturer and Bachelor Program Coordinator of 2 semesters at Les Roches Marbella Global Hospitality and Co-Founder of R.E.A.L. Consulting, based in Marbella, Spain, with over 15 years of international experience in the hospitality industry. Her career spans Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia, where she has held key positions at prestigious hotels and resorts, such as Belmond Hotels, developing expertise in hospitality management and leadership. Julia is dedicated to educating the next generation of hoteliers for the past 6 years, leveraging her hands-on operational experience. Through her consulting work, she offers strategic advice to enhance revenue streams and operational efficiency while prioritizing guest experience.

With a remarkable career in the hospitality industry spanning over 35 years, Christian Marich has been an active player in the Swiss Hotel scene.  He is a specialist in design, planning, implementation and management of tourism and hotel businesses.

Originally from Uruguay, Christian has been responsible for several hotel openings and renovations and was involved in the Glacier 3000 project and the Palafitte Hotel project for the 2001 Swiss Expo.  He was also the president of the SIRHA Salon in Geneva and the Gastronomia Salon in Lausanne for several years.

 Christian worked several years in the UAE helping them to develop tourism and real estate ventures. In 2006 he became the General Director of the Geneva Starling Hotel and Conference Center (the largest hotel in Switzerland) and in 2008 he was appointed the Administrator President of Starling Hotels and Resorts. During this adventure, he worked with the Ecole Hotelière de Genève, and allowed the students to get practical experience while using the hotel as a learning laboratory.

In this podcast, Christian talks about the challenges that the hospitality field is facing and offers some ideas and solutions.  He also talks about how COVID disrupted the industry and catalyzed issues that were just below the surface.  He touches on the reasons why many hospitality workers have left the industry and what can be done to retain talent.

In this podcast, Peter Cross talks about the challenges of working in the Sport Management field and specifically, Mega-sporting events like The Olympics, Youth Olympics and FIFA World Cups.  He also discusses his personal and professional impressions and experiences in Qatar, Russia, France and Switzerland.  Finally, he talks about the Sport Management field and gives advice to young people who are interested in this field.

 Peter is British and was born London in 1963 and grew up in Northern Ireland.  Since 2016 Peter has worked on a range of consultancy contracts including the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, the 2020 Youth Winter Olympics in Switzerland and recently for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

 From the mid-80s until the mid-90s Peter worked in tourism and hospitality management primarily in France, Switzerland and Canada. In 1992 and 1994 he worked at the Albertville and Lillehammer Winter Olympics for CBS Television as a logistics manager and consultant. 

 From the mid-90s Peter focused specifically on hospitality management in the French Alps, moving to Switzerland in 1998. In 2001 Peter started teaching hospitality and business management, prior to setting up and managing a new sport and event management program in 2002. In 2009 Peter moved into the leadership and management of student services at the Glion Institute of Higher Education, where he eventually became the Director of Campuses, covering both student services and campus operations from 2013 until 2016. 

 In his spare time, he is a keen skier, walker and mountain biker, having cycled the west coast of North America in the summer of 1992. He has also played top class rugby in England and briefly represented the Swiss national rugby team in the twilight of his playing career in the late 90s. 

Susanne Welle was born in Norway and is the Director of the Geneva Hotel School (EHG). She has had a successful lifetime career in hospitality and hospitality education.  In this podcast, Susanne discusses how EHG is different from other Swiss hospitality schools and the emphasis that the school places on practical experience. She also shares her career path choices and her insights into the hospitality education field here in Switzerland.  

Susanne understands the importance of practical hospitality education and prior to her current position, she was part of the Management Team at Les Roches Hospitality School in Crans Montana as the Dean of Practical Arts where she was responsible for developing and promoting the academic content of practical arts program and supporting the team of instructors delivering the program as well as running the F & B outlets.  After a promotion to be the Academic Dean of the Undergraduate Programs, Susanne was responsible for the Practical arts program as well as the academic program.

She has held various positions in Education Management at Glion Institute of Higher Education and other hotel management schools. In her role as Executive Dean of Undergraduate Programs she acted as senior academic leader for undergraduate programs (3 campuses, 6 Deans/Assistant Deans, 50 + faculty), coordinated periodic reviews and curriculum revision for all undergraduate academic programs as well as overseeing the assessment strategies of student learning and continuous improvement of curriculum for all programs, connecting academic strategy to the GIHE long-range plan.  

 She was also the Academic Director at Vatel Hospitality School in Switzerland, where she played an essential role in the starting phase of the school, creating procedures, developing programs, preparing the documentation for the Swiss ES accreditation as well as being responsible for the day to day management of the school.