The International Advisory Board of the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) met at the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne on 1st and 2nd March 2013. — Photo by EHL

Lausanne – The International Advisory Board of the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) met at the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne on 1 and 2 March 2013.

The Board has been enlarged under the leadership of André Witschi, the new President of the Board of Governors of the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, who wanted to "bring together all those driving hospitality and education forward, but more generally those business segments developing a dynamic and demanding approach to hospitality".

The International Advisory Board's role is to strengthen the school's links with industry at an international level and support EHL in gaining a deep understanding of market challenges so as to ensure that the quality of its teaching matches employer expectations and that an ever greater variety of opportunities is offered to students.

"We are very enthusiastic about this initiative, with the richness of the thinking and the contacts that have been made" commented Emanuel Berger, President of the International Advisory Board.

The occasion saw discussions by the members of the International Advisory Board with the EHL Board of Governors and Executive Committee about the future of the hospitality industry and EHL's key role in training the leaders of tomorrow.

Blaise Roulet, Head of the Universities of Applied Sciences Division (HES) within the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SEFRI), described the current and future landscape of higher education in Switzerland during the meeting.

The Dean of EHL, Professor Dr Fabien Fresnel, accompanied by a member of the Faculty Stéphanie Pougnet, Assistant Professor of Management, and a Bachelor student, Anna Ljosne, told the assembly about the new approach taken by the programmes and the teaching culture that is specific to EHL.

The General Director of the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, Professor Michel Rochat, opened a debate about the skills that industry will need in future years.

The focus turned to innovation during a round table moderated by Professor Dr Ray Iunius and to entrepreneurship with a speech by Mr Jonathan Voumard, a former EHL student and founder and CEO of myExtras, a company currently being supported by the EHL business incubator.

The EHL International Advisory Board meets once a year.

Members of the International Advisory Board

  • Mr. Emanuel Berger, President of the International Advisory Board*
  • Mr. Raymond Bickson, Managing Director, Taj Hotels Resorts & Palaces*
  • Mr. Jean-Claude Biver, Chairman, Hublot
  • Mr. Bernhard Bohnenberger, President, Six Senses Resorts & Spas*
  • Mr. Peter C. Borer, COO, The HongKong and Shanghai Hotels Ltd*
  • Dr. David Bosshart, CEO, GDI
  • Mr. Patrick Candrian, Member of Executive Management Board, Candrian Catering AG
  • Mr. Christopher Cowdray, CEO, Dorchester Collection
  • Mr. Paul Dubrule, Co-founder, Accor group
  • Mrs. Susie Ellis, President SpaFinder Wellness , and Chairman/CEO of Global Spa and Wellness Summit
  • Mr. Jurgen Fischer, CEO, Dubai Properties Group/Tatweer (Dubai Holding)*
  • Mr. Denis Hennequin, Chairman and CEO, Accor
  • Mr. Robert Hornman, Managing Director & CEO, Worldhotels
  • Mr. Tetsuro Inumaru, Managing Officer and Deputy General Manager, Imperial Hotel, Ltd.*
  • Mr. Gerald Lawless, President & Group Chief Executive Officer, Jumeirah Group
  • Mr. Pierre Landolt, Chairman of the Sandoz Family Foundation and Director of Novartis AG
  • Mr. Christopher Norton, President, Hotel Operations, Europe / Middle East / Africa Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts*
  • Mr. Jean Gabriel Pérès, President & CEO, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts Management AG
  • Mr. Kurt Eduard Ritter, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Rezidor Hotel Group*
  • Mr. Bruno Schoepfer, Managing Director, Katara Hospitality Switzerland AG*
  • Mr. Jonathan Stent-Torriani, CEO & Co Owner, Newrest*
  • Prof. Dominique Turpin, President, IMD
  • Mr. Hans Wiedeman,. Managing Director & Delegate of the Board, Badrutt's Palace Hotel *
  • Mr. Reto Wittwer, President and Chief Executive Officer, Kempinski Hotels SA*
* Alumni of the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne

About the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne
The first hotel school in the world, the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) offers university-level studies to talented and ambitious students who are aiming for top careers in the international hospitality industry. Three programmes are offered:

  • Diploma in Hotel and Restaurant Management
  • Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management
  • Executive MBA in Hospitality Administration
The EHL is accredited as an Institution of Higher Education by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC, USA). At the national level, it is recognised by the Swiss Confederation as providing university-level education in the HES (Haute Ecole Spécialisée) category. Since it was founded in 1893, EHL has educated more than 25,000 hospitality industry executives. Today, some 2,000 students from over 90 different countries enjoy the unique and enriching environment of the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne. Further information:

Anouck Weiss
Director of communication
+41 21 785 13 54
EHL