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\nPrior to joining Hyatt in 2008, he worked as Assistant Vice President Acquisitions & Development for Japan, Korea and Micronesia with Starwood Hotels & Resorts based in Tokyo (2002-2007). Takuya’s career in the field of real estate / hotel development dates back to early ‘90’s, and he held positions with companies including Saison Group (1989-1995, Moscow/Tokyo), Holiday Inn Worldwide (1996-1999, London / Vienna) and Andersen (2000-2002, Budapest).
\nTakuya has a master’s degree from Columbia University’s School of International & Public Affairs
"},{"__typename":"profiles_profile_Entry","id":"22799","slug":"dirk-bakker","title":"Dirk Bakker","avatar":[{"__typename":"avatars_Asset","id":"22798","url":"https://cms.thebench.com/assets/img/avatars/Dirk-Bakker.jpg","width":400,"height":440}],"positions":[{"__typename":"positions_BlockType","id":"22800","jobTitle":"Head of EMEA Hotels","organisation":"Colliers"}],"profile":"Dirk is Head of Hotels for Colliers International EMEA region, based in Amsterdam. The Colliers EMEA team is part of the Colliers International Global Hotels team with specialists across EMEA, Asia Pacific and the Americas. Dirk is also a partner for Colliers International in the Netherlands.
\nDirk has over 30 years’ experience in hotel consulting in the global market, with a focus on transaction advisory and brokerage. Dirk and his team of 80+ hospitality professionals work worldwide, with a particular focus on Europe, Middle East and Africa.
\nDirk is an experienced entrepreneur. He started his hospitality career with initially a focus on customer loyalty programs and hotel consultancy with his company ICS. He executed over 200 hotel loyalty card programs for all major hotel brands in 27 countries across Europe, the Middle East, India, China, Brazil and Russia. Dirk was a founding partner of Kayak Systems, which later became Kayak.com. Dirk combined his expertise as an entrepreneur and a hotel operations specialist and incorporated the current Hotels division of Colliers International in the Netherlands in 2010 and took the Colliers Hotel department to market leadership in the Dutch market with a steady 40% market share over the past 10 years in the Netherlands.
"},{"__typename":"profiles_profile_Entry","id":"23599","slug":"mike-collini","title":"Mike Collini","avatar":[{"__typename":"avatars_Asset","id":"106481","url":"https://cms.thebench.com/assets/img/avatars/MC_photoA.jpg","width":950,"height":929}],"positions":[{"__typename":"positions_BlockType","id":"23600","jobTitle":"Vice President, Development, Central, Eastern & Southern Europe","organisation":"Hilton"}],"profile":"Mike Collini is Vice President of Development with Hilton. He is based in Rome and is responsible for expanding Hilton’s portfolio of brands in Central, Eastern & Southern Europe. He leads a team of developers based in the strategic development markets of Italy, Poland, Russia and Turkey.
\nA Hilton career spanning almost 25 years and including roles in Capex Management and Real Estate, Collini has also worked in Istanbul and was responsible for overseeing Hilton’s development in Sub-Sahara Africa.
\nCollini is a Chartered Quantity Surveyor and has a master’s degree in Property, Business & Management.
"},{"__typename":"profiles_profile_Entry","id":"23195","slug":"frederic-le-fichoux","title":"Frederic Le Fichoux","avatar":[{"__typename":"avatars_Asset","id":"23199","url":"https://cms.thebench.com/assets/img/avatars/Frederic.jpg","width":2500,"height":3746}],"positions":[{"__typename":"positions_BlockType","id":"23196","jobTitle":", International Partner, Head of Hotel Transactions, Continental Europe","organisation":"Cushman and Wakefield"}],"profile":"With over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Fred has an extensive knowledge of the hotel real estate sector and is a recognized expert in the European market. Since 2007 he has focused in managing and growing the hospitality team for the CEE region at Cushman and Wakefield. More recently and since 2015, he is in charge of hotel transaction advisory and brokerage services, supporting buyers and sellers across the entire Continental European region.
\nFred has advised on the acquisition and disposal of over EUR 2.25 billion of hotel transactions in Europe, over the past years. Some of his recent successes include the acquisition of the Intercontinental Prague for R2J, the sale of the Morland project in Paris that includes a So Sofitel to Nuveen and the sale of one of the largest resort hotel complex in Europe: Porto Carras, located in Thessaloniki.
"},{"__typename":"profiles_profile_Entry","id":"104651","slug":"phil-golding","title":"Phil Golding","avatar":[{"__typename":"avatars_Asset","id":"104650","url":"https://cms.thebench.com/assets/img/avatars/Phil-Golding-Cedar-Capital-300-DPI-JPEG.jpg","width":423,"height":349}],"positions":[{"__typename":"positions_BlockType","id":"104652","jobTitle":"Partner","organisation":"Cedar Capital Partners"}],"profile":"Phil Golding is a partner at Cedar Capital Partners where he manages the acquisition and asset management for the company. Since inception the firm’s principals have acquired hotels with a value in excess of €3 billion and currently have AUM in excess of €1 billion. Previously, he worked in the London and Singapore offices of HVS International where he conducted hotel valuations and feasibility studies throughout Asia, Australia, Europe, and the Middle East. Prior to this, Phil was a consultant with Christie Consulting International, one of the UK’s largest hotel agents. Phil has valued hotel real estate in excess of US$5 billion and conducted advisory transactions in more than 40 countries, advising some of the world’s prominent hotel investors, lenders, operators and developers. Phil started his career at the Savoy Group of Hotels where he completed the prestigious five-year management training programme.
"},{"__typename":"profiles_profile_Entry","id":"23632","slug":"zhivko-ivanov","title":"Zhivko Ivanov","avatar":[{"__typename":"avatars_Asset","id":"23631","url":"https://cms.thebench.com/assets/img/avatars/Zhivko-Ivanov.jpg","width":1623,"height":2102}],"positions":[{"__typename":"positions_BlockType","id":"23633","jobTitle":"Asset Management Director","organisation":"Galaxy Investment Group"}],"profile":"Zhivko Ivanov holds the position Asset Management Director at Galaxy Investment Group Ltd. since 2012. He is responsible for all the hotels under the management/ownership by Galaxy Investment Group, including the five-stars city properties - Hilton Sofia and InterContinental Sofia – with 440 keys, as well as the seaside business of the company – consistent of 5*****, 4**** and 3*** hotels with more than 1 100 keys.
\nPrior to joining Galaxy Investment Group, Zhivko Ivanov was Commercial Director of the first private Bulgarian hotel chain - Sharlopov Hotels JSC, owning and operating hotels in Bulgaria and Germany. The start of his professional path in hospitality and tourism industry is back in 2004 as part of Hilton Sofia team. He also used to be a travel agent and part of the leading Bulgarian tour operator - Bohemia.
\nCurrently, Mr. Ivanov is Vice-President of Bulgarian Union of Balneology and SPA Tourism, Member of the Tourism Council of the Mayor of Sofia and expert representative of Bulgaria’s National Board of Tourism in the commissions of Ministry of Tourism, responsible for changes in the tourism legislation of the country.
\nGalaxy Investment Group was established in 1999. Since then, the company has invested in, developed and managed a portfolio of successful projects in various categories of real estate – hotels, residential and holiday complexes, office buildings, retail and industrial projects. Positioned in key locations, they meet the modern development models of business, have a number of competitive advantages and generate continued interest from customers and investors.
\nBased on its rich experience in acquisition, planning, construction, management, assets sale and rent, Galaxy Investment Group has built a solid reputation as a trusted investment partner, by delivering high performance standards and creating relationships that are highly appreciated over time.
"},{"__typename":"profiles_profile_Entry","id":"23637","slug":"david-jenkins","title":"David Jenkins","avatar":[{"__typename":"avatars_Asset","id":"23636","url":"https://cms.thebench.com/assets/img/avatars/david-jenkins.jpg","width":6048,"height":4024}],"positions":[{"__typename":"positions_BlockType","id":"23638","jobTitle":"Vice President Business Development","organisation":"Radisson Hotel Group"}],"profile":"In Moscow since 1995, David Jenkins joined the Radisson Hotel Group in 2015 as Vice President Business Development for the region covering Russia, Baltics, CIS, Ukraine, Georgia, Balkans and Israel. This followed on from a 10-year period as one of the most respected hotel consultants in the Russian market with JLL, Cushman & Wakefield, DTZ and Horwath. Prior to consulting, David spent 8 years with Interstate in Moscow working for the Marriott properties. David has a degree in Hospitality Management and now has over 25 years of experience in the industry from operations, consulting and development.
Prior to founding SERVUS International In 1997 with his wife in Istanbul, Theodor occupied a serious of executive positions in hotels in Europe, Eastern Europe and Asia Pacific (including General Manager, Rooms Division Manager and Maitre d’hotel).
\nSERVUS assists private and institutional investors, governmental bodies and hotel operators with new investments as well as existing hotels, resorts and leisure facilities in Europe, Turkey, Russia, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Arabian Peninsula.
\nFrom 2007 – 2018 Theodor acted as External Advisor Asset Manager and Senior Hotel Investment Manager for Union Investment Real Estate, one of the largest European Institutional Hotel Investors implementing Asset Management Strategies across the portfolio and overseeing and executing transactions in excess of € 2,0 Billion across Europe and the USA.
\nIn January 2019 Theodor has taken on the role of Managing Partner in Arbireo Hospitality Invest with the focus on acquiring and repositioning Hotel Assets for its pool of investors. Theodor is also Managing Partner in Value One Hospitality a development and management platform that presently develops hotels in Europe.
\nTheodor is Co-founder and acted as its first President of HAMA Europe. Presently he serves as Director on the Supervisory Board.
\nTheodor was born, raised, and educated in Vienna – Austria, now “home-officed” in Istanbul with two daughters.
\nIn his spare time, Theodor gives guest lectures at various universities, has been co-authoring hospitality books (such as most recently: The Routledge Companion to International Hospitality Management\" https://www.routledge.com/The-RoutledgeCompanion-to-International-HospitalityManagement/Gardini-OttenbacherSchuckert/p/book/9781138386372) and is involved in the industry in various think tanks and organizations: Mr. Kubak is co-founder of the Hotel Asset Manager Association Europe (HAMA Europe www.hama-europe.org) and from 2014 - 2017 served as 1st President. Currently Theodor is a member of the Supervisory Board▪
"},{"__typename":"profiles_profile_Entry","id":"127204","slug":"gorjan-lazarov","title":"Gorjan Lazarov","avatar":[{"__typename":"avatars_Asset","id":"127203","url":"https://cms.thebench.com/assets/img/avatars/Gorajn-Lazarov.jpg","width":1296,"height":1295}],"positions":[],"profile":"Gorjan is the Chief Executive Officer at OREA Hotels & Resorts, a Czech company from the 80s which has gone through a complete makeover in the last five years. OREA is the largest Czech hotel brand with 20 hotels, in the most attractive destinations all over the Czech Republic. The brand is ready to grow with its commitment to differentiate on delivering a great customer experience.
\nLazarov is a passionate leader that drives change by innovation and motivating the team to perform at its best. A true believer that exceptional customer experiences are core for exceptional long term financial results. He and his team are behind the turnaround of the largest Czech hotel brand. Changed company culture to people first and passion for service. Re-organized the company and implemented product and service improvement projects resulting in increased customer satisfaction, which translated to doubled profitability and growth of revenues from 25M to 40M EUR between 2016 and 2019.
\nGorjan has a cross industry experience, working for hospitality and telco trough his career. He started his career in Prague at the Prague Marriott Hotel in finance, and after one year he became Revenue Manager for the same hotel. In 2004 he started to work for Oskar as Pricing Manager, he was responsible for the pricing strategy of the third and fastest-growing mobile operator in the Czech Republic. Lazarov also worked for Vodafone Czech Republic as Director of Pricing and Products and this, according to him, has opened a unique cross industry perspective -building a strong company culture and motivated people, bringing satisfied customers. The result is – exceptional shareholders returns.
Peter is a hotel real estate specialist and fund manager with an excellent track record in acquisitions, financings, asset management and real estate fund management of regulated funds. He recently co-founded IREMIS a European Investment Boutique in the position of head of hotel and leisure. From 2013 until 2021 he worked at INTERNOS Global Investors (now Principal Real Estate Europe), where he managed transactions worth over 1 Billion Euro and was actively involved in the fund management of regulated hotel funds. In this role he was also responsible for a major separate account focused on hotel real estate with significant renovations, restructurings and other asset management initiatives. Before Peter worked for Hamilton Hotel Partners on hotel asset management projects. He is a CFA charter holder and graduated from Glion with a hospitality management degree.
"},{"__typename":"profiles_profile_Entry","id":"104631","slug":"janusz-mitulski-mrics","title":"Janusz Mitulski, MRICS","avatar":[{"__typename":"avatars_Asset","id":"104630","url":"https://cms.thebench.com/assets/img/avatars/JM-photo-2020-low-res-face.jpg","width":924,"height":1384}],"positions":[{"__typename":"positions_BlockType","id":"104632","jobTitle":"Senior Director CEE & Ukraine, International Hotel Development","organisation":"Marriott International"}],"profile":"Janusz joined Marriott International in March 2015 to develop the brands both through franchise and management in Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, the Baltic Countries, and Ukraine.
\nTill March 2015 he was a partner in hotel consulting team in Horwath HTL in Poland. Before he joined the consulting, he worked for seven years in Qubus Hotel chain. He was a general manager of two hotels, and then Director of Sales and Marketing in the headquarter of the chain in Poland.
\nHe has been active in hotel industry for over 20 years. He has extensive strategic and operational experience gained in the growing Polish and CEE hotel market.
\nJanusz Mitulski is a graduate of the Faculty of Law and Administration at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań and studied MBA at the University of Economics in Poznań. He is also a Member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS).
"},{"__typename":"profiles_profile_Entry","id":"104641","slug":"josef-pilka","title":"Josef Pilka","avatar":[{"__typename":"avatars_Asset","id":"104640","url":"https://cms.thebench.com/assets/img/avatars/Josef-Pilka-profil.jpg","width":5426,"height":8132}],"positions":[{"__typename":"positions_BlockType","id":"104642","jobTitle":"Acquisitions Manager","organisation":"J&T"}],"profile":"Josef is an experienced finance professional from JTPEG PRIVATE EQUITY GROUP LIMITED where he focuses mainly on Croatian market. Since 2020 he represents JTPEG in the management board of Auctor Group which is an active investor in Croatia especially in hospitality and healthcare sector with consolidated assets at around 500 million EUR and 18 hotels and campsites in its portfolio.
\nJosef started his career in RSM CZ, one of the top licensed expert valuation institutes in the Czech Republic. In 2008, he joined Strategy Department of Unipetrol, a major petrochemical player in CEE, where he participated in various M&A and restructuring projects. Since 2013, Josef has been working for J&T as a Project manager responsible for active monitoring of the group's investments across different industries. In 2017 he moved from Prague to Zagreb, where he held a position of Head of Investment Banking in J&T Banka in Croatia and led M&A and financing projects in the region. Since 2020 he is with JTPEG developing Croatian assets.
"},{"__typename":"profiles_profile_Entry","id":"104656","slug":"razvan-pirjol","title":"Razvan Pirjol","avatar":[{"__typename":"avatars_Asset","id":"104674","url":"https://cms.thebench.com/assets/img/avatars/image0_2023-03-28-101810_mjmr.jpeg","width":1125,"height":1693}],"positions":[{"__typename":"positions_BlockType","id":"104657","jobTitle":"Chief Business Development Officer","organisation":"Winsedswiss Education Group"}],"profile":"30+ y hands-on experienced professional in international hospitality management, with focus on operations, education and quality management, both at a corporate & entrepreneurial level, Razvan is a Glion Institute of Higher Education graduate. He also served in Glion for several years, as Regional Marketing Director, Secretary General of the Alumni Association for eight years and Director of the Glion campus until 2004.
\nHe established his own consultancy company and became involved with a number of hotel and tourism projects.
\n
\nHis varied subsequent career included a stint as Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Investment and Tourism in his native Romania between 2019 and 2021.
Today, he is acting Chief Business Development Officer at Winsedswiss Education Group, a Swiss based company active in hospitality training (licenced by Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne) and consulting, with operations in Switzerland, Romania, Serbia and Cyprus.
"},{"__typename":"profiles_profile_Entry","id":"104661","slug":"sophie-richard","title":"Sophie Richard","avatar":[{"__typename":"avatars_Asset","id":"104660","url":"https://cms.thebench.com/assets/img/avatars/140923BNPRE055_Richard_S.JPG","width":3280,"height":4928}],"positions":[{"__typename":"positions_BlockType","id":"104662","jobTitle":"Asset Manager","organisation":"M&L Hospitality"}],"profile":"Sophie Richard is the Asset Manager for M&L Hospitality in Europe and the UK. M&L Hospitality is a Singapore-based real estate investment group with an international portfolio of best in class hotels. The value of M&L Hospitality’s portfolio is close to SGD 3 billion.
\nSophie joined M&L in 2016 after working for hotel consultancy firms such as BNP Paribas Real Estate Hotel in Paris and HVS in Madrid which led to over 250 assignments mainly in EMEA. Prior to that Sophie also held over four years various operational hospitality roles in the United States and Europe.
\nOriginally from Nice, she holds a bachelor degree from Institut Paul Bocuse and an MBA from IMHI (Essec Business School and Cornell University). As part of her personal development, she joined the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and became a chartered surveyor in 2009. In 2018 She joined HAMA Europe (Hospitality Asset Managers Association) where she passed her CHAM (Certified Hotel Asset Manager) in January 2022 and where she currently holds the position of President.
"},{"__typename":"profiles_profile_Entry","id":"104626","slug":"dilek-sezer","title":"Dilek Sezer","avatar":[{"__typename":"avatars_Asset","id":"104625","url":"https://cms.thebench.com/assets/img/avatars/Dilek-photo.jpg","width":290,"height":387}],"positions":[{"__typename":"positions_BlockType","id":"104627","jobTitle":"Senior Development Director, South Eastern Europe","organisation":"Accor"}],"profile":"Dilek who fell in love with hospitality during her engineering studies started her hospitality career with Accor over 30 years ago in Turkey. After two short years, she has moved to UK where she held a large number of operational management positions including Multi-site General Manager, Area General Manager for ibis and ibis budget UK, both in London and in the wider UK regions. She has acquired wide-ranging experience in hotel management, pre-openings and actively been part of many transformations within the industry and the group.
\nShe joined the Accor Eastern Europe Development Team as Development Director to oversee development of Accor’s diversified brand portfolio in South Eastern Europe in 2018.
\nDilek, who is a graduate of IHMP (International Hotel Management Program) by Accor Academy – ESSEC – Cornell has been involved in various projects over the years from the Finance & F&B Finance Module Trainer of internal development programs to ISO Quality Assurance or Planet 21.
\nDilek currently leads the development of Accor’s premium, midscale and economy portfolio in South Eastern Europe (Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia).
"},{"__typename":"profiles_profile_Entry","id":"104636","slug":"jeffrey-scott","title":"Jeffrey Scott","avatar":[{"__typename":"avatars_Asset","id":"104635","url":"https://cms.thebench.com/assets/img/avatars/Jeffrey-Scott.png","width":500,"height":500}],"positions":[{"__typename":"positions_BlockType","id":"104637","jobTitle":"Partner | Head of Asset Management","organisation":"PKF hospitality group"}],"profile":"Jeffrey Scott joined PKF hospitality group in 2006 after an 18-year career in hotel operations and management. Based in Vienna and Dusseldorf, Jeff heads the firm’s asset management department along with working in the areas of strategic consulting and litigation support. Jeff and his team help hotel owners in managing their assets throughout the full life-cycle of the hotel investment. In his time with the PKF hospitality group, he has also been involved in numerous feasibility, valuation, due-diligence and performance review assignments in Europe and beyond.
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPrior to joining the PKF hospitality group, Jeff was the General Manager of several hotels in Germany. As such he oversaw, and in two cases opened, non-branded privately owned hotels and several properties operated by the international hotel groups Accor (Pannonia) and Marriott International.
\n\n\n\n\nJeff holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania and a Master of Professional Studies from Cornell University School of Hotel Administration in Ithaca, New York.
\n\n\nJeff is an active member of the Cornell Hotel Society alumni network where he served as founding President of the German Chapter and
\n\nRegional Vice President for the EMEA region – presently (2023) he serves as the Global President. He also belongs to the Hospitality Asset
\n\nManagers Association (HAMA Europe). As an industry expert, he has been quoted in and written several articles in professional periodicals and journals, including the Cornell Quarterly.
"},{"__typename":"profiles_profile_Entry","id":"23238","slug":"siniša-topalović","title":"Siniša Topalović","avatar":[{"__typename":"avatars_Asset","id":"23237","url":"https://cms.thebench.com/assets/img/avatars/Sinisa-Topalovic.png","width":237,"height":295}],"positions":[{"__typename":"positions_BlockType","id":"23239","jobTitle":"Global Head of Tourism Advisory & Partner","organisation":"Horwath HTL"}],"profile":"Siniša Topalović is Global Head of Tourism Advisory and partner at Horwath HTL. With over 200 projects successfully implemented globally, Siniša has experience of working with high-profile clients and projects shaping today´s and tomorrow’s tourism industry landscape in well- established but also emerging destinations worldwide.
\nHis fields of expertise include strategic and operational advisory in tourism and hospitality sector, including but not limited to tourism development strategic and operational advisory (national/country level), master planning, market expansion strategies, hotel and resort development (highest and best use concepts, feasibility studies, etc.), transactional market advisory, management contracts negotiations, project financing (IFI’s, commercial banks, development banks), tourism marketing and branding planning, product development.
\nSiniša is regularly publishing articles in global tourism media, industry reports and columns relating to tourism and hospitality in domestic and international publications (Skift, Hospitality Inside, HNN, Hotels Magazine etc.) and is invited as speaker or moderator to prominent international conferences (ITB Convention, International Hotel Investment Forum Berlin, Hot.E London, Mediterranean Hotels and Resorts Conference, etc.).
\nSiniša is member of International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC), world’s greatest source of hospitality expertise and counsel, represented by just over 200 of the industry’s most respected professionals from across six continents.
"},{"__typename":"profiles_profile_Entry","id":"23647","slug":"christian-michel","title":"Christian Michel","avatar":[{"__typename":"avatars_Asset","id":"23646","url":"https://cms.thebench.com/assets/img/avatars/Christian-Michel.png","width":403,"height":533}],"positions":[{"__typename":"positions_BlockType","id":"23648","jobTitle":"Vice President Development Europe","organisation":"Wyndham Hotels & Resorts"},{"__typename":"positions_BlockType","id":"23649","jobTitle":null,"organisation":null}],"profile":"As Regional Vice President Development for Europe at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Christian Michel is responsible for leading the company’s growth strategy and execution in the region.
\nJoining 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 40-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.
\nChristian is a native Swiss and has has lived and worked in the UAE, Egypt and Switzerland, he 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.
\nChristian started his career as a professional chef for The Gstaad Palace and food remains one of his biggest passions, along with travelling.
"}]}}