Management

Mr. Frank Marrenbach, Chief Executive Officer

His longstanding career with the Oetker Group began in 1997 when he was appointed Resident Manager of Brenners Park Hotel & Spa in Baden-Baden which he has managed as Executive Director since 2000. Prior to this, Frank Marrenbach worked in some of Europe’s most prestigious luxury hotels, such as The Berkeley in London and Le Crillon in Paris.

Over the years, Frank Marrenbach has received various accolades, including the “Gault Millau Hotelier of the Year Award” in 2003.

During his employment, Frank Marrenbach obtained a Bachelors Degree (B.B.A.) from the Graduate School of Business Administration (GSBA) in Zurich and a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from the State University of New York in Albany, USA in October 2003. In 2005, he became a member of the Executive Committee of the Leading Hotels of the World and has been its Vice Chairman since the end of 2010.

Since 2008, as CEO, Frank Marrenbach has been in charge of the Oetker Hotel Management Company based in Baden-Baden and, in this role, is concerned with expanding the Oetker Collection.

For instance, the first management contract for Le Bristol Abu Dhabi was signed in February 2009 and the hotel will open at the end of 2013. A new recent addition is the Palais Namaskar in Marrakech which will open its doors to guests for the first time in spring 2012. In the next 10 years, the Oetker Collection is intending to expand to include a further ten Masterpiece hotels in Europe and the Middle East.

Dr. Timo Grünert, CFO

Dr. Grünert posseses both a diploma in Business Administration from the University of Bamberg and a PhD in Business Administration from the University of Giessen. The PhD saw him specialise in Mergers & Acquisitions and Turnaround Management. Subsequently, Dr. Grünert has held several essential roles within the Oetker Group.

Between the years 2005 and 2009, he worked for Dr. August Oetker KG, the holding company of the Oetker Group. In this capacity, he was a member of the Business Administration department – a board of Associate Partners charged with the management of business development, control of participating parties, internal consulting as well as Mergers & Acquisitions.

In July 2009, Dr. Grünert was appointed General Manager and Chief Financial Officer of the Oetker Collection. Based in Baden-Baden, he oversees the expansion, growth and business development of the Oetker Collection.

Mr. Alain Briere, Vice President Sales and Marketing

With over 35 years of experience in international hospitality, Mr. Briere joined the Oetker Collection in 2008 to manage Sales and Marketing during the group’s global expansion. Mr. Briere plays a key role in positioning the Oetker Collection as one of the world’s most exclusive luxury hotel destinations.

During his career, Mr. Briere has held senior positions with leading international hotel groups, including Hilton International, Inter Continental Hotels, Le Meridien Hotels and Resorts and Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts.

Mr. Samir Daqqaq, Senior Vice-President for Development in the Middle East and Africa

Mr. Daqqaq joined the Oetker Collection in 2010 and is a veteran in the hospitality industry, having worked with Marriott International for 30 years.

He joined Marriott in 1979 as an administrative assistant at the Riyadh Marriott Hotel in Saudi Arabia and worked in France, Poland, San Francisco and Middle East, before resigning in 2009 as Marriott International’s Vice President of Global Sales for Middle East & Africa.

Mr. Daqqaq’s directive is to expand the Oetker Collection’s portfolio across the Middle East and African region, developing strong relationships with investors and owners alike.

Mr. Philippe Perd, General Manager

Mr. Perd began his hospitality career as commis chef in ‘Le Forum’ restaurant in south France where he honed his passion for French gastronomy. A management diploma from I.U.T in Montpellier in hand, he then went on to train in restaurant and reception management with the Savoy group of hotels and restaurants in London.

After working in London’s prestigious Connaught Hotel, Mr. Perd transferred to the Savoy Hotel’s accommodation department in 1995 where he was promoted to the position of Room Division Manager.

In 1998 he transferred to the Hotel de Crillon in Paris as Assistant Manager and was rapidly elevated to Manager the following year.

Mr. Perd joined the Oetker Collection in 2007 as General Manager of both the Château Saint-Martin & Spa and the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc.

In 2009, Mr. Perd graduated from the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Mr. Didier Le Calvez, President & General Manager, Hotel Le Bristol, Paris

Mr. Le Calvez joined Hotel Le Bristol in 2010 and has the task of ensuring that this famed Parisian landmark remains one of the world’s finest luxury hotels.

Under Mr. Le Calvez’s leadership, Hotel Le Bristol is implementing a number of major new projects, including doubling the size of the French-style spa and adding a new panoramic suite to Le Bristol’s 85 existing suites.

A prominent figure in the international luxury hotel industry, Mr. Le Calvez has been active in the sector for 35 years, having worked in a range of leading hotels including the New York Plaza Hotel, the George V in Paris and the Regent Hotel in Singapore. He also spent 18 years working with the prestigious Four Seasons group, where he was Vice-Chairman in France and Portugal from 1999 to 2007.

Mr. Le Calvez has received a variety of industry accolades including winning the ‘Ordre des Palmes Académiques’, the ‘Ordre National du Mérite’ and most recently the ‘Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur’, the highest decoration in France, awarded to Mr Le Calvez on July 14th 2011 by the French Prime-Minister, François Fillon. He was also named ‘ World’s Best Hotel Manager’ in 2006 as part of the Hospitality Awards, an honour awarded by his peers.

Frédéric Picard, General Manager, Palais Namaskar Marrakech

On 1 November 2011 Frédéric Picard took up his new position at the PalaisNamaskar Marrakech. The Oetker Collection’s CEO Frank Marrenbach recruited the French hotelier as general manager of the luxury hotel that will open on April 6, 2012 under the Oetker Collection’s banner.

Frédéric Picard’s career until now comprises numerous prestigious properties such as, Le MéridienEtoile in Paris, Le Royal Méridien in Bangkok, Hotel InterContinental Paris and later The Westin Paris and the Jumeirah Beach Hotel in Dubai. Most recently, from 2009, Frédéric Picard managed the Mazagan Beach Resort on Morocco's AtlanticCoast.

The hotels run by Frédéric Picard have earned some of the most coveted international awards. Equally noteworthy however, are both their excellent entrepreneurial performance under his leadership and his successful support of reopening hotels and business transfers.

Having gained diplomas in hospitality management from well-respected institutes in France, Frédéric Picard completed his Masters Degree in International Hotel Management (MBA) at the Universitéd’Evry, France, in 2006 with the highest distinction “summa cum laude”.

Ms. Leah Marshall, Director of Openings and Operations

Ms Leah Marshall holds the position of Oetker Collection Opening & Operation Director for the Oetker Collection alongside her key position as Hotel Director at Le Bristol, Paris.

Ms Marshall started out at Westin Hotels, firstly in Quebec and then in California, where she became the first woman Hotel Director in 1978. Two decades later, Leah joined the Disneyland Paris Group, where she worked for six years, most notably as Managing Director of the Entertainment Centre.

In 1999 Marshall was instrumental to the reopening of the Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris with Didier Le Calvez, the current Chairman and CEO of Hôtel Le Bristol Paris.

In 2007, Ms Marshall joined Shangri-La Hotels as Hotel Manager, preparing the Shangri-La Hotel Paris for its opening. she consequently rose within the ranks of this Asian group, and was promoted to the position of Quality Director.

Mr. Ralf Appelt, Director of Information Technology

Mr. Appelt has a wealth of experience working in IT within the hotel and catering industry and joined the Oetker Collection in 2008.

Prior to joining the Oetker Collection, Mr Appelt worked as a senior Consultant at Compass GmbH where he acquired the expertise to tackle the challenges of the international hotel industry. Until then he worked at Dorint Hotels in Germany and Switzerland, then as IT Director at Hotel Nassauer Hof in Wiesbaden and Kempinski Hotel, Gravenbruch.

Ms. Joelle Edwards, Director of E-Commerce and Revenue Management

Based at Hotel Le Bristol in Paris, Ms. Edwards’ has responsibility for developing revenue and e-commerce strategies for the Oetker Collection, while ensuring it remains a leading brand of quality and excellence.

Ms. Edwards – originally from the United Kingdom - began working in the luxury hospitality industry in 2001 at the George V Hotel in Paris, a flagship of the Four Seasons Group. She stayed with the Group for six years, also participating in the development of the company’s yield management strategy.

Ms. Edwards also worked for three years as Sales Director at the Shangri-La Hotel in Paris before taking on the role of Director of E-Commerce and Revenue Management with the Oetker Collection.

Ms. Bärbel I. Göhner, Director of Corporate Communication

Ms Göhner began her career in hospitality in 1985 as Executive Trainee at the Hotel Inter-Continental Düsseldorf, where she went on to establish the Public Relations department.

In 1989, Ms. Göhner moved to Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa as Manager PR-Events before being promoted to Director of PR & Communications in 1997. In 2009 she was promoted to join the Oetker Collection where she co-ordinates the communication activities across the Collection.

In this position, she is responsible for the development and implementation of communication and PR strategies for the Collection.
Bärbel I. Göhner holds the academic title of Master of Arts (M.A.) from the University of Bonn.

Ms Göhner is a member of the German Public Relations Society (DPRG) and the Federal Association of Press Officers (BdP).

Mr. Bernd Orttenburger, Director of Quality and Training

Bernd Orttenburger started his hotel career as a page at the Steigenberger Hotel Bad Griesbach in 1989. His career then took him to food & beverage management in European luxury hotels and gourmet restaurants, including Restaurant La Vie in Osnabrück and the Kempinski Grand Hotel in Heiligendamm.

As a qualified sommelier and restaurant manager, his commitment to his career was rewarded in both locations with a Michelin star.

In November 2006, Mr. Orttenburger then joined Brenners Park Hotel & Spa as Assistant Food & Beverage Manager. Together with the Food & Beverage Manager, Jürgen Blödt, he was involved in the successful opening of a fine-dining service in “LA8”.

Bernd Orttenburger started his new role in the Oetker Collection in 2009 and since then he has been responsible for the development and implementation of the Collection’s quality development and training programme.