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Schweizerhof Bern GM Michael Thomann has been appointed as Hotelier of the Year at Swiss business magazine Bilanz

The general manager of Qatari-owned The Hotel Schweizerhof Bern, Michael Thomann, has been named Hotelier of the Year by Swiss business magazine Bilanz. The 150-year-old hotel, which is owned by Katara Hospitality Ltd., reopened in June 2011, following a two-year refurbishment. Katara Hospitality Switzerland AG managing director Bruno H. Schöpfer said: "It was not an easy task for general manager Michael Thomann, who together with his young team spared no effort during the last months to breathe new life into a legendary establishment that is rich in tradition.” The property has 99 rooms and suites, as well as an 800m² conference and business centre, ballroom and 500m² spa. In the past, the hotel has welcomed guests such as Grace Kelly and Elizabeth Taylor.

Katara Hospitality
Zurich, Switzerland
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Jacques Morand has been appointed as General Manager at Park Hyatt Zurich

Morand was born in Fribourg, Switzerland, is married and has a ten-year-old son. He takes over from his predecessor Kurt Straub, who is leaving Zurich after eight successful years to take on a new challenge for Hyatt in Mexico City. Swiss-born Morand graduated from the renowned hotel management school in Lausanne and began his career with Hyatt Hotels Corporation in 1990 as General Manager in Casablanca. From 1992 to 1995 he was Hotel Director at Hyatt Regency Istanbul, followed by further responsibilities as Regional Director in Morocco and Rabat.

Hyatt
Zurich, Switzerland
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Kempinski CEO Reto Wittwer has been named Chairman of the Advisory Board at World Tourism Forum Lucerne

A prominent new member joins the World Tourism Forum Lucerne: Reto Wittwer, President and CEO of Kempinski Hotels, and seasoned expert, takes over as Chairman of the Advisory Board. A Swiss citizen, Wittwer has more than 30 years’ international experience in hospitality and joins the Board, which consists of 13 experts of the travel, tourism and hotel sector, with immediate effect. The next Forum will be held from April 17 to 19, 2013. As a think-tank, the Forum offers decision-makers from business, government, academia and finance a platform for discussing the strategic challenges facing the tourism industry in the years ahead. It is the only international platform in which leading decision makers and promising young talents have the opportunity to interact as part of a talent management programme.

Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts | Institute of Tourism
Lucerne, Switzerland
Appointment

Fabio Masi of Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva has been named Best Sommelier of Switzerland 2012 at Association Suisse des Sommliers Professionnels (ASSP)

Fabio Masi, head sommelier and restaurant manager at Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva has won the title of Best Sommelier in Switzerland 2012, as the 18th annual competition organized by the Association Suisse des Sommliers Professionnels (ASSP). Born in 1982 in Milan, this young Italian sommelier has already a great international experience : Milan and Florence, Paris and Lyon, London, New York and since November 2007, Geneva, where he is director of the Italian gastronomic restaurant Il Lago at Four Seasons Hotel des Bergues Geneva. He has worked for many Michelin starred restaurants, including Le Cinq at Four Seasons Georges V Paris, Daniel Boulud in New York and the Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence, which has the largest collections of wines in Italy at 150,000 bottles. In 2009, Fabio was named Best Sommelier in Italy and was qualified as semi- finalist in the Best Sommelier of the World competition in 2007 and 2010.

Four Seasons
Zurich, Switzerland
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Alain Rigazzi has been appointed as General Manager at Hotel Warwick Geneva

Alain Rigazzi has worked in the Group Warwick International Hotels in the past, including the Warwick Seattle Hotel between 1998 and 2003: he has brilliantly repositioned the hotel and accomplished major improvements in hotel’s operations, such as food & beverage. Since, Alain Rigazzi worked for several hotel groups and mainly Mövenpick where he served as General Manager in hotels & resorts in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. On several occasions, he was responsible for openings hotels on 4 & 5 stars segment, notably in Indonesia, Dubai and Turkey. With his many solid experiences, Alain Rigazzi is now responsible for establishing the Hotel Warwick Geneva as a leading 4 star deluxe hotel in one of the best location in the city. Completely renovated, the hotel is strategically located rue de Lausanne, facing the Cornavin station and within walking distance of Lake Geneva and has many assets to attract Swiss and international clients.

WIH
Geneva, Switzerland
Appointment

Arabella El Barkouki has been named Director of Sales and Marketing at Le Richemond

Dorchester Collection is delighted to announce the appointment of Arabella El Barkouki as director of sales and marketing of Le Richemond . With over ten years of experience in the hospitality and hotel industry and as a fluent French speaker, El Barkouki was previously Dorchester Collection's regional sales director for the U.K. Set on the banks of Lake Geneva, Le Richemond joined Dorchester Collection on August 1, 2011. The prestigious 109-room hotel is the company's first third-party management agreement.

Dorchester
Geneva, Switzerland