Our Faculty
Our staff have won prestigious awards, taught in multiple institutions and worked in global industries. You will be taught by Senior Lecturers who have extensive experience of both hospitality and academia, owning Michelin-starred restaurants, teaching in universities and training schools across the globe and occupying management positions in some of the world’s most successful organizations. This mix of academic and real-world experience ensures that at Glion you will truly learn from the best.
Finance
Business and Management
Marketing Event Management and Luxury
Entrepreneurship and innovation
Practical arts
General Education
Hospitality Management
Project Management
Alex Slors
Hotel Development and Asset Management
Alex has accumulated more than 35 years of hospitality business experience, having worked for prestigious operators including Le Meridien and Dorchester Collection before founding his own hotel development and asset management company in 2006. He held leadership positions within both operational and corporate environments, and in recent years he has been transmitting this know-how to the next generation of talents as a guest lecturer for a number of institutions, including Glion. He took on Program Director responsibilities for our Master’s in Real Estate, Finance and Hotel Development in 2023.
Campus: London
E. alex.slors@glion.edu
Nicholas Northam
Global Real Estate Markets
Nicholas Northam has more than 40 years’ experience within the hospitality business. During his wide and varied career he has been General Manager of a number of Marriott Hotels and was Operations Director for Marriott in the UK. He additionally spent over a decade in asset management, most recently as the Executive Vice President for Interstate Hotels and Resorts, Europe’s largest 3rd party management company and the international arm of Aimbridge Hospitality. Nicholas also sits on the Advisory Board of Glion.
Campus: London
Michalakis Michael
Finance and Revenue Management
After graduation, Michalakis started his career in the hotel and events industry, before pursuing further studies and eventually moving into hospitality education. He has been teaching at Swiss hospitality schools since 1999, with regular breaks and sabbaticals to refresh his industry knowledge and to work in the areas of finance and consulting. He holds a BSc (Hospitality) and MSc (Educational Leadership) and numerous certifications in the fields of finance and education.
Campus: Switzerland
E. michalakis.michael@glion.edu
Josephine Underwood-Kaarenmaa
Financial Accounting
Josephine started her career in the City of London, working alongside various finance directors. She then opted to spend a number of years working in the hospitality and tourism industry, based in popular ski or windsurf locations around the world. From there, she entered into the education sector, and since 2002 she has been teaching financial accounting, both face-to-face and online, at mainly undergraduate and occasionally at graduate levels. Josephine holds an HND in Business and Finance and an MA in Leisure and Tourism.
Campus: Switzerland
E. josephine.underwood@glion.edu
Nicole Philips
Expert Faculty – Master’s in Real Estate, Finance and Hotel Development
Nicole has amassed more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality and real estate industries across Europe, Middle East and Africa. Nicole worked for Marriott International for 16 years, during which – in the role of Vice President Development Planning – she supported the expansion of the company through hundreds of projects. Before that, Nicole worked for HVS International in London and Singapore, having previously been engaged with a number of hotel operations departments in Europe and the United States. Nicole holds an MBA from IMHI (Cornell University – Essec School of Management).
Campus: London
E. nicole.philips@ext.sommet-education.com
Edouard Louapre
Head of International Hotel Development Finance Specialization
With a wealth of hospitality industry experience gained at brands such as the Dorchester Collection, Radisson Blu, and Beau Rivage Palace and a long track history of academic teaching for Universities based in the USA, the UK, and in Switzerland, Edouard has all the right attributes to inspire students specializing in International Hotel Development and Finance. A graduate of EHL and holder of a Master of Arts in Higher Education Teaching from the University of Derby (UK), Edouard joined Glion initially as a Visiting Lecturer, sharing his knowledge and experience with students across a variety of BBA and MSc program courses. Alongside his academic career, Edouard also holds the position of Chief Executive Officer at a real estate company based in Sion, Switzerland.
Campus: Switzerland
E: edouard.louapre@glion.edu
Pia Huh
Management Finance & Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Corporate Finance, and Bachelor Thesis
Pia joined Glion in 1999, and has taught courses in hospitality real estate finance, property asset management, corporate finance, portfolio management, and management finance and accounting. She holds an MSc in Banking and Finance, an MPS in Hospitality Real Estate Finance, and is currently pursuing a DBA in an area of pension funds.
Campus: Switzerland
Debra Adams
Program Director, Master’s in Real Estate, Finance and Hotel Development
Debra has held positions at a number of hotel schools in the UK and Switzerland. She develops financial management programmes for the academic and training sector for senior managers, and has worked with a number of international hotel groups. Debra holds an MA in E-Learning and is qualified with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.
Campus: London
Umair Khan
Strategy, Visiting Lecturer
Umair Khan is a leadership and strategy educator and researcher with PhD in Management who also works with large organizations on their cultural transformation and talent and leadership development journeys. Holder of a BSc and Master’s in Engineering as well as a Master’s in Research, Umair has extensive experience teaching at higher educational institutions in Europe, including at EHL and the University of Lausanne. A keen hiker in his spare time, Umair specializes in the study of how executive personality affects strategic decisions in businesses.
Campus: Switzerland
Christopher Rudolph
Food & Beverage Management and Value Delivery, Visiting Lecturer
An experienced hotelier with a proven track record in hotel and cruise ship openings, Christopher Rudolph brings a wealth of industry experience to his role as Visiting Lecturer in Food & Beverage Management and Value Delivery. With a passion for hospitality, fulfilling guests’ dreams and developing teams, Christopher has held corporate and general management roles at top hospitality brands in Turkey, Germany, South Africa and Switzerland. Holder of a Hotel and Restaurants Diploma from EHL and an MBA from the International Institute of Management Development (IMD), Christopher has recently joined Luxembourg-based luxury boutique hotel operator Aina Hospitality as Chief Operating Officer.
Campus: Switzerland
Stefano Battaglia
Leadership Skills for Change Management, Visiting Lecturer
A progressive HR professional, business school professor and Gallup-certified strengths coach, Professor Stefano Battaglia has more than 15 years’ experience teaching at undergraduate and graduate levels. Holder of a Bachelor in Communication Sciences, an MSc in Human Resource Management and a PhD on the ‘Dynamics of Trust in the Employment Relationship’, Stefano also has industry experience working as an HR business partner and learning and development consultant. An advocate of creating working environments that allow people to thrive, he specializes in organisational structure and design, self-management and decentralization, trust and human resources management.
Campus: Switzerland
Christiane Koncilja
Economics for Hospitality and the Tourism Industry, Senior Lecturer
Christiane Koncilja is an accomplished lecturer with considerable experience working in the higher education sector. Before joining Glion, she spent several years at the Bern University of Applied Sciences as a lecturer, where she was also engaged in research projects. Christiane gained valuable international experience living in Switzerland, Brazil, England and latterly the USA, where she worked as a financial research analyst for a Swiss company. An Economics graduate, Christiane also holds a Master’s in Advanced European Studies from the University of Basel and a Master’s degree from the University of London.
Campus: Switzerland
Jocelyn Schofield
Leadership and Intercultural Management & Business Ethics
Jocelyn (Jo) has worked internationally in the hotel industry and has also taught hospitality business management in both the United Kingdom and Switzerland. Jo has a Master’s in Tourism Management and a Master’s in Research. At Glion, she teaches at undergraduate and Master’s level.
Campus: Switzerland
E. jocelyn.schofield@glion.edu
Dr. Anna Bloch-Mechkour
Applied Mathematics and Statistics in Hospitality Business & Business and Academic Research Methods
Anna has been lecturing at Glion since 2012, teaching various Statistics and Data Analysis courses at the undergraduate level. She also acts as a tutor for Bachelor’s theses. Anna holds a PhD in Physical Chemistry from the University of Fribourg (Switzerland).
Campus: Switzerland
E. anna.bloch-mechkour@glion.edu
Victoria Charles
Human Resource Management
Victoria spent several years employed in the restaurant and café bar sector where she worked as a General Manager before specialising in Human Resources. This time spent working in the industry gave her an insight into the importance of attracting, retaining and developing the right people in order to help organisations to succeed. Having obtained her MA in Human Resource Management Victoria then moved into teaching and lecturing in Higher Education and delivering Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) courses for HR professionals. She is a qualified teacher (PGCE) and a Chartered Member of the CIPD.
Campus: London
E. victoria.charles@glion.edu
Neil Coade
Economics, International Law, Business Ethics and Thesis Supervision
Alongside his work as a specialist lecturer with Glion, Neil is director of his own management and training consultancy and has worked for major international organizations. He additionally serves as Academic Director for the Mountbatten Institute in New York and London. Neil’s teaching philosophy is founded on a highly student-focused approach that effectively links the theoretical with the practical. He is the author of several books on organizational design to drive business performance, as well as contributing to numerous business and management journals. He holds an MBA from Henley Business School.
Campus: London
E. neil.coade@gilon.edu
Christelle Herbin
Management of Rooms
Christelle joined Glion in 2010, and currently teaches on our BBA and MSc programs in topics related to rooms division and hospitality. She boasts over 20 years of international experience in Asia, Central America, Europe and the Caribbean, where she worked for a wide variety of institutions related to tourism, hospitality, education and governance.
Campus: Switzerland
E. christelle.herbin@glion.edu
Michael Heyward
Revenue Management, Hotel Development and Technology
Michael has over 25 years’ experience in hospitality, particularly in revenue management, hotel operations and corporate roles. He has worked for independent hotels, IHG and AccorHotels, as well as five-star hotels across Europe, Asia and the Pacific. Michael has a proven track record for revenue and team development.
Campus: London
E. michael.heyward@glion.edu
Ed Schofield
Business Development and Strategy
Ed joined Glion in 2008 and currently works as a lecturer in Business Strategy on the Bachelor’s and Master’s programs. Prior to moving into academia, Ed worked as a General Manager, managing Renaissance hotels in the UK. He originally studied Hotel, Catering and Institutional Management at Leeds Beckett University and holds an MSc in International Hospitality Management.
Campus: Switzerland
E. edmond.schofield@glion.edu
Dr Karolina Doughty
Experiential Economics, Visiting Faculty
Dr. Karolina Doughty is an academic with experience across teaching, research and doctoral project supervision in a variety of topics related to understanding experiences. With a background in tourism and the social sciences and currently based at Wageningen University in The Netherlands, she has been teaching experiential research and design at postgraduate level for more than a decade, with a focus on emotions, senses, transformation and well-being. Born in Sweden and educated in the UK, Karolina is also the author of many scholarly articles and books in this field and has advised and collaborated on experience design with a range of organisations in The Netherlands, Sweden and the UK.
Dr. Jinju Heo
Visiting Faculty – Building the New Sustainable Luxury
Dr. Jinju Heo is a luxury and sustainability professional, with experience across teaching, advising and research. She has served as an innovation advisor to Chanel for several years, while additionally conducting a number of innovation and sustainability projects – including projects on ESG and luxury firms – for other major clients. A seasoned lecturer, Jinju works for some of the top French business schools in areas of luxury innovation, sustainability and circular economy business models. She is a Senior Research Fellow at the Circular Economy Research Center, at Ecole des Ponts Paris Tech, one of France’s most esteemed Grande Ecole, where she equally obtained her Doctorate, specializing in Innovation, Technology and Sustainability. Jinju is also an active researcher, conducting practice-based work, academic peer review journals and grants research for global clients.
Campus: Switzerland
E. jinju.heo@ext.glion.edu
Dr. Barbara Czyzewska
Barbara has strong academic background in hospitality and tourism studies, with particular expertise in luxury marketing as well as history of hospitality. She serves as Head of Luxury Brand Strategy Specialization. Prior to joining Glion, Barbara led the MA Luxury Hospitality Management program at University of West London. Born in Poland and educated in the UK, she holds a PhD in Hospitality Management and a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching in Vocational Subjects, together with an MA and BSc in Tourism Destination Management, both from University of Birmingham. Barbara recently published a book entitled ‘The Story of Hilton Hotels: Little Americas’.
Campus: Switzerland
E. barbara.Czyzewska@glion.edu
Dr. Eleonora Rosati
Visiting Faculty
Dr Eleonora Rosati teaches the course ‘Legal Environment of the Luxury Industries’. She is Full Professor of Intellectual Property (IP) Law and Director of the Institute for Intellectual Property and Market Law (IFIM) at Stockholm University. She is also Of Counsel at Bird & Bird and holds visiting/guest professorships at Católica in Lisbon and CEIPI in Strasbourg. A long-standing contributor to The IPKat and an Editor of the Journal of Intellectual Property Law & Practice (Oxford University Press), Eleonora is the author of several scholarly articles and books on IP issues. She has received multiple accolades and prizes for her work in this field (e.g., Managing Intellectual Property’s ’50 Most Influential People in IP’ 2018, World Intellectual Property Review’s ‘Influential Women in IP’ 2020; Adepi Award 2022).
Campus: Switzerland
E. eleonora.rosati@ext.glion.edu
Dr. Eleonora Cattaneo
Program Director Master’s in Luxury Management and Guest Experience
Eleonora Cattaneo obtained her PhD in Marketing from the University of Pavia in Italy, MBA from SDA Bocconi and BA from the University of Bristol, UK. Prior to joining Glion, she was director of executive programmes at Swiss Education Group and before that head of programme for the MA Luxury Brand Management at Regent’s University in London. A published author, Eleonora has extensive industry experience as a consultant and senior advisor for global brands and leading luxury hospitality groups. She is a senior fellow of the Chartered Management Institute of the UK and a member of the Swiss Center for Luxury Research.
Campus: Switzerland
E. eleonora.cattaneo@glion.edu
Daniele Perchiazzi
Visiting Faculty – Behavioral Aspects of Customer Engagement
The founder of Total Leadership, Daniele Perchiazzi is an experienced corporate trainer and executive coach who has designed and delivered training programs in 20 countries across four continents. A recognized expert in the field of psychometric tools for the corporate environment, he also counts leadership development, change management, effective communication, and selling with emotional intelligence among his areas of expertise. With a background in luxury, having worked for Dolce & Gabbana, Zegna and Louis Vuitton, he is ideally placed to teach ‘Behavioral Aspects of Customer Engagement’ to Glion students. He is additionally an Adjunct Professor at the International University of Monaco.
Campus: Switzerland
E. daniele.perchiazzi@ext.glion.edu
Stanislas Helou
Visiting Faculty – Achieving service excellence in the luxury sector / Luxury Brand Management / Ultra-Luxury Travel Experiences
The detail-oriented founder of Thinking Luxury, Stanislas Helou is recognized as a prominent figure in the luxury sector, calling upon his multi-cultural upbringing, fluency in five languages, and unparalleled industry experience to revamp some of the planet’s leading powerhouses. He held leadership positions in luxury hotels across New York, Crete, London, and Barcelona, before switching his sights to the luxury villa rental business with prestigious companies such as Onefinestay, Luxury Retreats and Airbnb, where he played a pivotal role in the creation of Airbnb Luxe. At Glion, he delivers classes to both Bachelor and Master’s students.
Campus: Switzerland
E. stanislas.helou@ext.glion.edu
Frank Schuetzendorf
Visiting Faculty – High Gastronomy and Fine Dining
Frank built his 25-year international hospitality career within the high-end luxury hotel market. His professional experience across North America, Europe and Asia encompasses renowned brands such as Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, and Dorchester Collection. These allowed him to develop a sense for detail, perfection, excellence and engaging customer satisfaction. Having now transitioned to the world of hospitality education, Frank has been engaged in teaching appointments with Sommet Education, ESSEC Business School Paris, HEC Business school Paris, and EDHEC Business School Lille. He is also engaged in multiple start-up ventures and strategic business consulting services.
Campus: Switzerland
E. Frank.Schuetzendorf@ext.glion.edu
Nandita Perret
Visiting Faculty – Intercultural Leadership, Inclusion and Diversity
Nandita Perret is a certified professional coach specializing in intercultural inclusivity. She has trained multicultural teams from Alstom, Schneider Electric, Orange, ST Microelectronics and Engie Digital, helping them to make those shifts towards intercultural inclusivity, thus enabling them to communicate and collaborate more effectively. She has also written for numerous international publications, including the Huffington Post, and is a visiting professor at the Grenoble Ecole de Management and the Grenoble University. Nandita teaches Global Team Communications, Intercultural Polarity Management and Intercultural Leadership.
Campus: Switzerland
E. nandita.perret@ext.glion.edu
Dr. Estelle Dinh
Visiting Faculty – Luxury, Markets, Enterprises and Culture
Dr. Estelle Dinh has already gained experience in luxury, hospitality, wealth management, private banking, and related sectors. Her specializations include new business development, client relationship management, and global public relations, with a particular interest and expertise in luxury branding and marketing strategy, luxury service design, luxury attitude, and luxury etiquette. In addition to her academic career, Dr. Dinh is pursuing her dream to develop a wellness/wellbeing transformation in the positive luxury sector. She has also taught Masterclasses on Luxury Branding and Marketing, as well as Luxury Services and Luxury Attitude, in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Campus: Switzerland
E. estelle.dinh@ext.glion.edu
Andri Rabetanety
Visiting Faculty – Blockchain and luxury digital products and experiences
Andri Rabetanety has more than 15 years’ experience across finance and operation roles. During his wide and varied career he has been Finance Manager at Procter & Gamble and Amazon. He also spent more than five years in fund management, specialized in alternative investment. He has additionally contributed to the development of multiple tokenization and crypto mining projects. He is currently Chief Operations Officer of 1inch, a leading decentralized finance company, while also enjoying a busy parallel career as an expert guest lecturer/speaker, sharing his passion during MSc courses, executive trainings and conferences.
Campus: Switzerland
E. andriniaina.rabetanety@ext.sommet-education.com
Tiziana Tini
Visiting Faculty – Digital Marketing and Communication in the Luxury Industry
Tiziana Tini has more than 15 years of professional experience in the luxury business. She is a professor, a consultant for international luxury companies as well as an experienced lecturer. She began her career in France, working for the iconic prêt-a-porter brand Cacharel. She then turned her attention to new digital media and worked for Max Mara as the company’s first web brand manager. Further experience with iconic brands followed, while she also began a career as a luxury consultant and professor. More recently, Tiziana has focused her attention on the relationship between the internet and people living with disabilities.
Campus: Switzerland
E. tiziana.tini@ext.glion.edu
Matthieu TRAN-VAN
Visiting Faculty – Digital Transformation and Data Analytics
Matthieu has more than 15 years’ experience in digital marketing. He spent a decade at Google, where he was in charge of managing the company’s top global luxury and beauty accounts. He began his career as an entrepreneur, growing an e-commerce agency that amassed some 100 clients. He also worked as a director and board member of a fast growing startup in the MarTech (marketing technology) industry. Through his blog, he is one of France’s Top 30 Key Opinion Leaders in Marketing. He has also been a lecturer to various MSc and MBA programs throughout the past five years.
Campus: Switzerland
E. matthieu.tranvan@ext.glion.edu
Mariana Palmeiro
Visiting Faculty – Business Trends in Luxury
Mariana Palmeiro spent 10 years in Asia working on numerous hospitality development projects, mainly as a Project Manager for new spa and wellness center openings. She also acted as a hospitality consultant, where she opened and managed hotel operations. Currently, Mariana offers consultancy focused on the development of medical and wellness experiences in luxury hospitality operations. She has also been a visiting lecturer at both Glion and Les Roches for the past five years, where she enjoys supporting students and executives on their path to becoming stronger hospitality leaders.
Campus: Switzerland
E. mariana.palmeiro@ext.glion.edu
Naida Culshaw
Visiting Faculty – Intercultural Leadership, Inclusion and Diversity
Naida Culshaw is a weaver and community alchemist, university lecturer and Doctorate of Business Administration student at Grenoble Ecole de Management, as well as a consultant and coach. She brings to these sessions her 22 years in marketing and communications across diverse sectors; plus project management experience in both corporate and non-profit environments; as well as expertise in program development for both adults and youth. Topics she explores in the classroom include “Team + Intercultural Negotiation”, Social Responsibility in International Business”, “Building Blocks to Smart Societies”, and “Managing Global Teams”.
Campus: Switzerland
E. naida.culshaw@ext.glion.edu
Mark Britton Jones
Marketing and Luxury Brand Strategy
Mark’s career in hospitality, airlines and travel & tourism spans 30 years, all of which underpins his commercial know-how for the hotel sector. Mark brings hospitality experience from the front line up to executive level – a deep understanding of the industry which was further advanced after he achieved an MBA in Hospitality & Service Industries Management from Glion. As a consultant lecturer to Glion London, Mark delivers courses covering Marketing, Leadership and Intercultural Management, C&E Management, New Product Development and Innovation, and Operations Services. He also delivers the luxury specialisation for our Bachelor students.
Campus: London
E. mark.jones@glion.edu
Laury I. Chauvin
Hospitality and Events Operations
After graduating with a Bachelor’s in Corporate Communication, Laury started her career in hospitality within the Four Seasons Hotels & Resort Company. There she worked on three openings, and at four established hotels, as front office manager and revenue manager. In 2011, she joined the team in GIHE, to share the experience she has gained throughout her years in the industry. Using the Master of Science in Instructional Design and Technology she obtained in June 2014, Laury constantly works to adapt to the changing student needs and educational approach.
Campus: Switzerland
E. laury.chauvin@glion.edu
Anu Laukkala
Sales and Digital Marketing & Project Management
Anu has taught marketing at undergraduate and postgraduate level in hospitality schools throughout Switzerland for more than a decade. In addition to teacher, she leads the Glion Applied Business Projects. A graduate from Aalto University (Helsinki School of Economics and Business Administration), she holds both an MBA in Digital Technology Management and an MSc in Marketing. She has a teacher’s pedagogical qualification from Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences, Finland. Before entering the world of academia, she worked at Total Quality Management and consulted for public sector procurement and supply chain management.
Campus: Switzerland
Darren Sleeman
Darren has been teaching various marketing subjects at Glion for over 11 years. He is currently teaching Hospitality Marketing Essentials. He holds an MBA in Hospitality Marketing from Les Roches Global Hospitality Education, as well as an SME Tourism Certificate from the University of South Africa.
Campus: Switzerland
Giovanni Manfredini
Head of International Event Management Specialization
Giovanni heads our International Event Management specialization, and teaches Marketing and Sales courses. He has had over 30 years of experience in a range of industries, taking on managerial roles at organizations in Europe, Russia and the USA. Giovanni holds an MBA in Marketing, Digital Communication and Sales Management.
Campus: Switzerland
E. giovanni.manfredini@glion.edu
Mariam Megally
Program Director for the Master’s in Hospitality, Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Mariam brings a breadth of international business experience to our Master’s degree focused on entrepreneurship skills. She began her career as a consultant with McKinsey & Co. before entering the corporate Food & Bev sector at two household-name brands – Starbucks and Nestlé – a career path which culminated in her taking the role of Starbucks Global Strategic Innovation Director for Nestlé. Since 2012, she has served as Strategy Professor for the Executive MBA at Solvay Brussels School Vietnam. She is also a judge and mentor for the global startup accelerator MassChallenge where she provides mentoring for startups in Food and Sustainability. Finally, she volunteers her time with Ashoka, the leading global network of social entrepreneurs, where she helps identify and scale up the work of social entrepreneurs. Mariam holds a Master’s degree from the Université Libre de Bruxelles and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Campus: Switzerland
E. mariam.megally@glion.edu
Patrick Abi Nader
Rooms Division Lecturer
Patrick Abi Nader is seasoned professional with considerable hospitality industry experience and professional proficiency in three languages: Arabic, French and English. Listing event management, property management systems and pre-opening among his specialisms, Patrick holds a Diploma from the renowned César Ritz Colleges hospitality school in Switzerland. Following graduation, Patrick built up extensive international experience working in Front Office functions at high-end hotels in Switzerland, the US, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates.
Campus: Switzerland
Yoann Lazareth
Head Bartender Instructor
Yoann Lazareth is a long-serving bartender, manager, and educator who brings a wealth of experience to his role as Head Bartender Instructor. He has a strong educational background in food and beverage, including a Diploma in Restaurant, Culinary and Catering Management from Lesguidieres Hospitality and Catering School in Grenoble and a Level 2 Award in spirits from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. Yoann has applied his practical skills to bar management roles in high-end hotels such as the Dorchester and Bulgari Hotel & Residences in London and the Beau-Rivage Palace in Lausanne before turning his hand to bartender instruction at the Diageo Bar Academy.
Campus: Switzerland
Alexandra Macovei
Rooms Division Instructor
An academic with considerable international industry experience, Alexandra Macovei graduated with a Bachelor’s in Banking & Finance and subsequently a Master’s in Banking Administration before turning her attention to hospitality. She gained a second Master’s in International Business in Hospitality Management with an HR specialization, which paved the way for her journey into the industry. Alexandra held Front Office positions in the US, her home country Moldova and latterly Switzerland, where she was involved in the launch of the exclusive boutique hotel Ultima Gstaad. She is also the holder of a Swiss Federal Licence for Public Establishments (Hotels & Restaurants).
Campus: Switzerland
Joseph Karam
Associate Dean of Bachelor in Luxury Business and Practical Arts
Joseph joined Glion in December 2023 and brings an exceptional track record in hospitality operational leadership as well as practical arts education. After beginning his career as a chef, Joseph moved into F&B operations and management, eventually becoming CEO of the Lebanese-headquartered restaurant and catering business Larissa SAL. He then moved into academia, joining the Institut Paul Bocuse, where he became Program Director for the International F&B and Hospitality Management academic program, leading the fourth-year specializations while also assuring the integration and the learning experience of the students in the F&B outlets including the Michelin starred Restaurant Saison. He is currently a PhD candidate in Management Science with Université Jean Moulin Lyon III.
Campus: Switzerland
E. joseph.karam@glion.edu
Naike Demarchi
Front Office Senior Instructor
Naike joined Glion in 2007 and she holds a professional background in rooms division and hospitality. She is currently working as a Front Office Senior Instructor, teaching and transmitting her passion for hospitality and welcoming to students. Before that, Naike completed her studies in Tourism and worked in a 4-star hotel as a receptionist.
Campus: Switzerland
E. naike.demarchi@glion.edu
Alexis Henrion
Kitchen Instructor
After completing his Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts at Institut Paul Bocuse, Alexis started his career in different Michelin-starred restaurants, where he specialized in French cuisine. He also gained wonderful experience in New York, working in a famous fine-dining restaurant. Then, he returned to Institut Paul Bocuse as a kitchen instructor. Alexis joined Glion in 2019, where he continued his mission as a kitchen instructor.
Campus: Switzerland
E.alexis.henrion@glion.edu
Cyril Leclerc
Barman & Service Instructor
Cyril joined Glion in 2016 after his long, professional career in the Event and Food & Beverage industry. He graduated from École Hôtelière Savoie-Léman, and has over 10 years of experience working across Switzerland. He was the Director of Catering in Geneva and Director of Banquet in the Royal Savoy Lausanne opening, Casino Barrière and Royal Plaza Montreux. Cyril also gained his passion for wine when he was the assistant sommelier in Gavroche de Londres 3 Michelin Macarons. Today, Cyril is the Barman & Service Instructor in Glion, bringing his profound industry experience to students.
Campus: Switzerland
E. cyril.leclerc@glion.edu
Olivier Godart
Head of Students Lodging and Front Office Instructor
Olivier joined Glion in January 2015, after holding the position of Front Office Manager and Assistant General Manager at Vatel in Switzerland. Prior to that, he held management positions in food & beverage and rooms division at the Hilton Brussels.
Campus: Switzerland
E. olivier.godart@glion.edu
Irène Es-Borrat
Head of Rooms Division – Senior Instructor
Irene brings a background in rooms division and hospitality from both the USA and Switzerland. Prior to joining Glion, Irene worked at international companies such as Fairmont and Hilton. Irene holds a BBA in Hospitality from Les Roches Global Hospitality Education (then Les Roches International School of Hotel Management).
Campus: Switzerland
E. irene.es-borrat@glion.edu
Eric Foret
Practical Arts
Eric began his career in the pastry shops in France. He then moved to the UK, taking on a number of Head Pastry and Sous Chef positions. While in the UK, Eric was part of the opening of Ascot’s Dorchester Collection hotel. He then returned to France, working as Head Pastry Chef at Relais Desserts.
Campus: Switzerland
E. eric.foret@glion.edu
Glenn Carroll
People Management in a Global Environment
Glenn began his career in hospitality sales and marketing, progressing to become Vice President Commercial Europe for InterContinental Hotels Group. He then founded his own independent consultancy which advises hoteliers on maximizing commercial performance. A member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and the Institute of Directors, Glenn is also an Associate Member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants and an approved consulting source for the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development. At Glion London, he teaches ‘People Management in a Global Environment’ and ‘Mergers and Acquisitions’ to Master’s students and ‘Human Resources Talent Management’ and ‘Business Development Strategies’ to Bachelor students.
Campus: London
E. glenn.carroll@glion.edu
Dr. John Kawalek
Visiting Faculty – Digital Transformation & Data Analytics / Applied Business Research
John Kawalek is a Digital Transformation consultant using Systems Thinking. He is also a full-stack developer, fully proficient in Python, Django, Jupyter, PhP, Javascript, data structures and database architecture. As a senior academic, he delivers Master’s level learning in Digital Transformation, Data Analytics, Blockchain, Project Management, Business Research Methods and Systems Theory, having worked at universities across the world. Most recently, John has been working as a Senior Industry Adviser at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. He is additionally Managing Director of CrowditBuildit, which provides finance systems for house construction.
Campus: Switzerland
E. johnpaul.kawalek@ext.glion.edu
Sandra Chocarro
Spanish Language
Sandra joined Glion in 2022 and she is currently teaching Spanish on the Bulle campus. With over 10 years of experience in education, Sandra has developed creative teaching methods that promote meaningful learning and student engagement. In addition to teaching, Sandra has her own company in the food industry, based in Geneva.
Campus: Switzerland
E. sandra.chocarroocariz@glion.edu
Fanny Boumékla
French Language
Despite being a new teacher in Glion, Fanny has been instructing students for over 20 years. She worked in England, China and the International School of Geneva for the past decade, from where she formed a teaching philosophy that guides how to help students succeed in the classroom and beyond. Fanny always endeavours to use her positive attitude and energy to encourage students to work hard and succeed.
Campus: Switzerland
E. fanny.boumekla@glion.edu
Maurane Fauster
French Language
After graduating with a Master’s degree in teaching French as a Foreign Language, Maurane began her career in Geneva, where she taught French at different levels in a school that worked with international companies and brands. She has also taught French at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, in Geneva.
Campus: Switzerland
E. maurane.fauster@glion.edu
Mathilde Chevallier
French Language
Mathilde has been teaching French on the Bulle campus since 2018. Born in Nice, she studies in Paris and Canada and holds a Master’s degree in French Didactics and Interculturality from Paris University. She first taught French in schools and at university in Serbia. She then moved to Switzerland to teach French to businesspeople, before joining Glion.
Campus: Switzerland
E. mathilde.chevallier@glion.edu
Pascal Christian
IT Business Tools
Pascal started his career as a consultant specialized in SAP software, before moving into training and education. Since 2011, he has been teaching Hospitality, Tourism and IT Business Tools, both face-to-face and online, at undergraduate and graduate levels. Pascal holds a BSc (Business Studies) and an MBA (Business Administration).
Campus: Switzerland
E. pascal.christian@glion.edu
Dr Zabin Visram
Intercultural leadership – Associate Professor
Zabin brings extensive teaching experience to Glion, having previously taught in six universities and three countries. Academic achievements include a first-class honours degree, a master’s degree and a Doctorate in Intercultural Relations. Zabin has taught both undergraduate and masters courses in International Hospitality Management. Zabin is well known internationally for her research having presented in Dubai, Ireland, England, Portugal, Florida, and Canada. Zabin also has extensive consultancy experience in leading a range of projects for global corporations.
Campus: London
E. zabin.visram@glion.edu
Cynthia Molteni Rillo
Spanish Language
Cynthia received her diploma degree in Law in 1997 and joined two post-graduate programmes in 2000. She has worked in both the private and public sectors in Argentina and holds a DipHE as a Teacher of Social Sciences. She has an extended career as a teacher in Buenos Aires, including for Universidad de Buenos Aires, and as a private tutor in The Hague and in London. She has been an active member in Colegio Publico de Abogados de la Capital Federal since 1997.
Campus: London
E. cynthia.molteni-rillo@glion.edu
Michelle Wells
Hospitality and Events Operations and IT
Michelle is an internationally experienced hospitality professional and educator, who has taught at graduate and undergraduate level in hospitality schools in Switzerland and the UK for close to two decades. She also has a background in event management and holds a master’s degree in Convention and Events Management from Southern Cross University, Australia. Her professional career in hospitality has taken her from resorts in Greece, Jordan, the UK, and the Maldives, with stops in Switzerland along the way.
Campus: London
E. michelle.wells@glion.edu
Sidi Mohamed Beldjilali
IT and Geopolitics
Sidi has been teaching at Glion since 2014, originally Geopolitics and more recently focusing on IT and Business. He has also been responsible for the BBA online courses, as well as acting as a tutor for both bachelor’s and master’s theses. He holds an MSc in International Relations: Security and Defense and has recently gained a Cybersecurity degree from the University of Montpellier. Prior to joining Glion, Sidi worked for a number of international organizations, including the Council of Europe and the International Justice Institute.
Campus: Switzerland
E. sidimohamed.beldjilali@glion.edu
Dr Bruno Levasseur
French
Bruno has been teaching at Glion London since 2013. He is an experienced lecturer and has previously taught at institutions such as the University of Chicago, the University of Birmingham, the University of Manchester and the University of Roehampton in London amongst others. Bruno has a PhD in French Studies from the University of Birmingham and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He has taught French at all levels as well as Research Methods classes. He is also an experienced Dissertation and Business Research Project Supervisor.
Campus: London
E. bruno.levasseur@glion.edu
Dr Marija Lazarev
Program Director for MSc in Hospitality Business Leadership and Global Executive Master’s in Hospitality Leadership
Marija Lazarev is a hugely experienced academic, who has taught tourism-related subjects and mentored PhD, Master’s and Bachelor’s dissertations at top higher educational institutions, business schools and universities in Switzerland and France since 2006. Formerly part of the Glion faculty for more than a decade, in early 2024 she returned to the school to become Program Director for two leadership-focused programs, including our flagship graduate degree: the Master’s in Hospitality Business Leadership. Outside of her teaching and dissertation mentoring roles, Marija also boasts extensive research interests, having earned a summa cum laude for her doctoral thesis. She has been published in academic and professional journals and collaborated on book chapters, as well as presenting at many international conferences.
Campus: Switzerland
E. marija.lazarev@glion.edu
Frederic Toitot
Visiting Faculty – Revenue Management & Pricing Strategy
Frederic Toitot has 20+ years of experience in revenue optimization, pricing and hotel operations, with extensive international exposure and a muti-brand portfolio. He is a former Vice-President at Accor, in charge of Learning & Development for Revenue Management, Sales, Distribution and Digital Marketing. Frederic is also an active member of the Revenue Optimization advisory board at HSMAI Europe, one of the leading associations for sales, marketing and revenue management. For the past 15 years, he has been a Senior Lecturer at business and hotel schools across the world, sharing his passion for hospitality management with thousands of students.
Campus: Switzerland
E. frederic.toitot@ext.lesroches.edu
Jean-Marc Levrat
Senior Lecturer
Jean-Marc is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of combined expertise in academia and the hospitality industry. He is a Senior Lecturer at Glion Institute of Higher Education. Hailing from Switzerland, Jean-Marc’s career is a tapestry of global experience, having embraced professional and cultural diversities across three continents.
This international career journey includes a tenure in Canada, where Jean-Marc sharpened his leadership skills as the Director of Operations for a network of 27 restaurant outlets, overseeing the activities of more than 1,000 employees.
Parallel to his operational roles, Jean-Marc has always been passionate about education and knowledge sharing. His pedagogical contributions have been recognized at various public and private academic institutions in Canada and in his native Switzerland. In his role at Glion Institute of Higher Education, he aims to bridge the gap between theory and practical applications, providing future leaders with the skills and insights to excel in the fast-evolving hospitality business.
With his proven commitment to fostering leadership and a spirit of innovation, Jean-Marc continues to influence and inspire the next generation of professionals through his leadership at Glion, a touchstone for excellence in education.
Campus: Switzerland
E. jean-marc.levrat@glion.edu
Eric Mabilon
Advanced Hotel Operations
Eric spent the first eight years of his professional career working in the Rooms Division of many premium hotels, mainly in the UK and Switzerland. His last position before joining Glion was Front Office Manager. Holder of an MSc in Hospitality Organisational Training and Management from Endicott College (USA), Eric taught Rooms Division and Rooms Division Management courses in our Bachelor’s program at Glion, before moving over to our Master’s programs.
Campus: Switzerland
E. eric.mabilon@glion.edu
Gert Noordzy
Visiting Faculty – Program and Project Management, and Organizational Project Management
Gert Noordzy is an international hotelier, acknowledged hotel opening process maven and Organizational Project Management expert for the hospitality industry. He has over 25 years’ professional experience in Greater China and South East Asia, and has been involved in opening more than 30 new hotels and three integrated resorts, having worked for three of the 10 largest global hotel companies. His personal objective is to help the hotel industry transform itself and embrace project management as a strategic competence. Gert is Managing Director of Northside Consulting, specializing in the tactical and strategic aspects of hotel opening processes.
Campus: Switzerland
E. gert.noordzy@ext.glion.edu