Guest speakers included Michael Hartmann, Senior Vice President – Siemens MDB Hospitality; René de Picciotto, President – SG Private Banking SA; Gerlinde Stenghele, CFO – Group Manotel; and Ray Iunius, Director – INTEHL.

The background to the session was the fact that new major paradigm shifts are impacting the hospitality industry, but corporate power is still somewhat divided between investors, operators and management. The hospitality industry is driven by hotel chains, and investors’ awareness of the real estate potential of their investment is stimulating new developments in their business model – even in a very conservative environment. However some barriers to communication exist, and future business relationships may be hindered if this situation does not change. Stakeholders are seeking a new hospitality business model – either together or separately.

Questions addressed in the roundtable included:
• How can small operations have access to the big ‘blue chip’ suppliers?
• Is this incompatible with their business model,
• How can suppliers contribute to the success of their clients’ business?
• How far upstream should investors/operators be partners?
• Are hotel owners under pressure for lead-time buy technology suppliers?
• Investors/operators/suppliers: is this only a virtual triangle?

The entire session was video-taped and will shortly be available for download from this website.

Further roundtables are planned in order to expand the knowledge base and consciousness not only of those at the EHL, but also of the industry at large.