Knut G. Rupprecht becomes the Director of SSTH

Following the acquisition of the Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality (SSTH) in Passugg by the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) and hotelleriesuisse, the Board of Directors appointed Knut G. Rupprecht as Director from 1st March 2014.

"We are delighted, that with Knut Rupprecht we have a real market expert on board, one who also has a great deal of experience in higher education. He will start his new position at SSTH on site immediately. Mr Rupprecht will help graft this important step in our development, to help enable our students to reach an even higher academic level and a deeper knowledge in Hotel Management and Hospitality. And now, due to the fact that EHL took over SSTH, students who are studying at SSTH will have the opportunity to accomplish an EHL Bachelor degree that could lead to Master degrees. We are now in a position to provide a pan-Swiss educational offering as of Autumn 2014," says Professor Michel Rochat, President of the Board of Directors.

Mr. Rupprecht will develop detailed concepts for fully integrated, holistic syllabuses spanning classic apprenticeships, higher diploma courses up to Bachelor and Masters degrees in Hotel and Hospitality Management. He will use his extensive knowledge in the field and educational expertise while being assisted by his expert taskforce, headed by Chris Mason (Director). The former Academic Director of
SSTH, Dr. Ursula Gehbauer Tichler, and Dr. Juan Perellon, EHL's Chief Academic Project Officer will also support the new CEO.

Knut G. Rupprecht has many years of experience in HR Management as well as in the fields of professional training and further education. He has worked in large international hotel chains (Rotana Hotels, United Arab Emirates VAE, and Intercontinental Hotels, Switzerland), as well as in the retail industry (Migros, Geneva). "For many years now I have been fully committed to improve the level of training as well as developing modern management and leadership skills in the hospitality sector. At SSTH I want to express my passion for the hospitality industry with a high level of professionalism. Our aim is to turn talented young people into professionals with practical experience and into leaders with integrity. Bridging the gap between SSTH and EHL is a fantastic opportunity for all involved, particularly as both our regions are closely linked on a historical and cultural level," explains Knut G. Rupprecht.

Knut G. Rupprecht, an international hospitality and HR management expert. Since 1st March he is the
CEO of SSTH based in Passugg near Chur.

Bilingual expert in Hospitality and HR Management

Since 2006 Mr. Rupprecht has been a Senior Lecturer at the EHL. During his long career in the hospitality industry he has been involved in the opening of 14 hotels in the Middle East and in Switzerland.In 2000, together with the Swiss Embassy in Abu Dabi (UAE), he founded the Swiss Business Council and became its first President.

Between 2004 and 2006 he was the coordinator for the implementation of the international HR quality standard Investors in People (IIP). He completed his

Masters (MAS) in Human Systems Engineering (HSE) in 2011 and is a certified NLP practitioner. In his Masters thesis Blended Learning for Complexity – an Innovative Learning Model he developed a new and innovative Blended Learning Methodology.

Knut G. Rupprecht (50) was born in Solothurn. He was brought up bilingual and studied in western Switzerland and trained in a number of hotels in German-speaking Switzerland (including St. Gallen and Egerkingen). He is married and has two sons.

About EHL Group

EHL Group is the global reference in education, innovation and consulting for the hospitality and service sector.
With expertise dating back to 1893, EHL Group now offers a wide range of leading educational programs from apprenticeships to master's degrees, as well as professional and executive education, on three campuses in Switzerland and Singapore. EHL Group also offers consulting and certification services to companies and learning centers around the world. True to its values and committed to building a sustainable world, EHL Group's purpose is to provide education, services and working environments that are people-centered and open to the world. www.ehlgroup.com