ENG, March 2023 Edition (old)

Your #AEHL eJournal

New adventures

Table of Contents

‘New Adventures’

Editor’s note

Singapore campus updates passugg campus updates

EHL incubator updates

article: SDG project sitting with a staff the impact of tech: AI and AR sitting with an alumnus, Georg Krause sitting with an alumnus, Simon Bernhard

EHL news: Young Hospitality summit EHL connect: Stamm groups privilege program upcoming events

career fair

NAVIGATION:

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Editor’s Note

Dear Alumni,

Welcome to the new version of your eJournal.  We hope this new layout brings you even more value than our previous format.

And, similar to the eJournal’s new feel, with new technologies emerging and consumer expectations rising, innovative approaches to the hospitality industry are more important than ever.

As the hospitality industry continues to evolve and adapt to changing customer demands and trends, entrepreneurship and start-ups are becoming increasingly important to the industry's growth and success.

In this issue, we explore the world of entrepreneurship and start-ups in the hospitality industry. Read featured stories of successful AEHL entrepreneurs and their ventures, as well as insights and advice from your peers and industry experts.

Join us to understand the importance of customer experience, the role of technology, and the impact of changing consumer behavior.

We hope that this issue inspires our readers to think creatively and innovatively as they navigate the everchanging landscape of the hospitality industry.  Your Alumni & HoneyBee Team

Campus Updates From EHL Campus Singapore

Lessons in Hospitality:

EHL Documentary on hannel NewsAsia

We‘re proud to present Lessons in Hospitality, a 23-minute documentary on the multinational news channel hannel NewsAsia. The documentary follows 3 EHL students on their learning journeys to fulfil their hospitality dreams in ingapore and witzerland

heriann Heng, a ingaporean who pursued a pecialist Diploma in Hospitality Operations Management with Republic Polytechnic in ingapore. he left her then-budding career in hospitality in hopes that a formal business management education with EHL will lead to a quicker career progression. ovann Kao, left her close-knit family in ambodia to pursue her degree in ingapore. he plans to gain the necessary hospitality skills, business expertise and professional experience at EHL, then return home to transform her family business.

Angus Teng, a ingaporean passionately pursuing his hospitality dreams and starting from the AP in Lausanne to get the most out of EHL’s dual-excellence learning program.

Watch the full documentary here.

The Future of Food: EHL x A ociation of Independent Wealth

Manager Singapore (AIWM)

In partner hip with AIWM Singapore, EHL ho ted their newly minted Executive Spark erie on campu , where AIWM' C- uite member learnt and exchanged per pective on how we can put our food y tem on an environmentally- ound path and explored what the “Future Of Food” hold ahead of u .

The panel wa moderated by Shinn Teo from EHL and gue t heard from the following thought leader :

ayner Loi, Co-founder & CEO of Lumitic

Kenny Eng, Founder & Principal Con ultant of Gardena ia

Aaron Yeo, Director of Operation at Good Meat A ia

The peaker al o hared key con ideration from upporting local farmer , alternative meat choice to eliminating food wa te, in haping the future of the food indu try for the better

Finally, gue t enjoyed a ta te of a "future food" from Karana Food - gyoza filled with juicy meat made from jackfruit

Orientation Week - February 2023

This February, we welcomed 40 BOSC 2 and 3 students on campus for our Spring Orientation Week. Over the Orientation Week program, the students met their staff & faculty team through a series of presentations and information sessions. They had a great time interacting with one another and discovering the EHL student life here through team building games, a student life roadshow and

EHL Career Series

We’re excited to bring back our EHL Career Series this semester!

As with last semester, our Industry Relations team is working hard to connect our students with our esteemed industry connections in Singapore. Via a series of panel discussions, networking sessions, company visits, and masterclasses, we hope to inspire the future generation of hospitality professionals to discover their dream careers.

We kicked off the series with the Hotel General Managers Panel & Networking Session, bringing in three

The first company visit of the semester took us to Capella Singapore on Sentosa Island! Students had a special sharing session by previous Singapore Student Ambassador and ‘22 graduate Chris Menon, who is completing his Management Training Program with Capella. They heard more about the Capella story, internship and career opportunities, and ended their tour of the hotel with a networking session at Bob’s Bar with the management team.

We look forward to the next few weeks of the EHL Career Series this semester.

Contact Us

Stay connected with EHL Campus Singapore!

Campus Updates From EHL Campus Passugg

As a new year starts, new students arrive, and familiar faces return to EHL Campus Passugg after their internships. We’re ready for new projects, new learning experiences and many new memories. Before we jump into 2023, we would like to quickly look back to our beautiful HF graduation ceremony in December 2022

26

Swiss Professional Degree Graduates for the Hospitality Industry

On December 8, 2022, we celebrated the graduation of 26 Swiss Professional Degree graduates, 17 from the German division and 9 from the English division. The graduation ceremony was led by school principals, Beatrice Schweighauser and David Puser.

Kathrin Bachmann from Bad Ragaz shone as the best student of the year in the German division with a grade of 5.5, while Yen-Tung Hsiung from Taichung City received the coveted award with a grade of 5.1 in the English division. The two best diploma theses were written by Chiang Dinh-Khai Nguyen from Berlin in the German division and Xi Zeng from Chengdu in the English division.

The students have shown a great deal of perseverance, resilience, and passion during their studies. We’re proud to set them well-equipped into the working world.

We wish them only the best for their future and welcome them to the EHL Alumni Network!

While for some their time in Passugg has come to an end; for others it was just starting. In January, we welcomed 43 new Swiss Professional Degree students in Passugg.

Welcome of 43 New Swiss Professional Degree students

Unlike in Lausanne, we start welcoming our students in the beginning of January, with 17 of these starting in the German division and 26 in the English one.

The new students experienced an eventful Welcome Week, during which they were introduced to various programs, tools and regulations. They had uniform fitting and received the introduction to cooking and service. Most importantly, they had time to get to know each other better and discover who they would spend the next three years with.

Shortly after the semester started, we held the Career Day on Campus to help students find suitable internships or permanent jobs.

19 hospitality companies present their job and internship offers in Passugg

On February 8, we hosted the biannual Career Day on EHL Campus Passugg with 19 renowned companies from the hospitality industry.

Once again, Career Day showed how competitive our students and alumni are in the working world.

New Direct entry Bachelors have started

On February 17, 11 new Direct Entry Bachelor students started their bachelor studies at EHL Passugg.

The Direct Entry Bachelor students all have a Swiss Professional Degree in Hospitality Management from EHL Passugg (or a similar degree from other Swiss higher professional schools). This degree allows them to jump right into BOSC3, skipping BOSC4 to complete the Bachelor program in just 1.5 years.

Our 2023 Outlook

The year 2023 has just begun, but there’s a lot to do. We will be holding another exciting Concept Week in May, organized by our students. We’ll also be hosting two graduation ceremonies this spring, one for the Swiss Professional Degree graduates and one for our Hotel Communication Specialists.

Lastly, rumors run that another Food Festival will be held in September. So stay tuned!

Contact Us

Stay connected with EHL Campus Passugg!

EHL Incubator Updates

Oreka.AI

Oreka AI is the most advanced platform to unlock F&B brand potential while helping restaurants and bars in their daily business.

Who are we?

Oreka AI was born as a pivot from TwentyPay, which used to be a start-up for innovative payment solutions to bars and restaurants.

Throughout this adventure, we learnt that we can bring more value to the HoReCa ecosystem, by bringing F&B actors into the equation and creating a new segment of resources for them.

We are now a Market Intelligence company providing cutting edge digital solutions to restaurants and bars, while helping F&B brands to better understand their end consumers.

What problem do we solve?

F&B brands don’t have visibility on how their products are distributed in restaurants and bars (sell-out). This causes them to spend billions in surveys and syndicated data from off-trade to make uninformed decisions.

Our solution: Build a 3-sided virtuous ecosystem

1. Promise to brands they’ll stop making assumptions and use direct insights instead.

2. Utilise the budget that would have otherwise been spent in surveys to fund digital services for bars and restaurants, while being advised on the best portfolio strategy.

3. Enable consumers to always have the product they want, when they want, where they want

We hope you’re convinced by our ambition and the value we are bringing.

But if you’re still wondering “Where do they stand now?” or “Should I contact them?”

in a nutshell...

...we are curre tly focus g our efforts to

Ru p lot p ases w t 2 major part er bra d

Start egot at o s w t pote t al customers (Restaura ts a d bar ow ers F&B bra ds HoReCa or F&B co sult g firms etc..

Close a pre-seed rou d to fu d our growth

So f you’re a

Restaura t or bar ow er w ll g to br g you co sumer sat sfact o a d operat o s to t e ext leve F&B or HoReCa profess o al look g for s g t

A vestor / Bus ess A gel look g for t e ext b g t g t e F&B – HoReCa space

Let us k ow!

Dav d N els a d T bault

Connect with Thibault Roussel on linkedin

Connect with Niels Costard on linkedin

Connect with David Ben Adiba on linkedin

SDG Project

Who is behind SDG Impact Stories?

We’re a team of 3 individuals with a strong will to take action on global challenges and accelerate the transition toward a fairer and more sustainable world. In February 2021, driven by the desire to put a spotlight on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the concept of Social Entrepreneurship, Shaan Madhavji started to work on designing a World Tour of Social Entrepreneurs as he was entering his final year at EHL. Clarissa Hediger, and Guillaume Monnier, and Chloé Favre (all EHL Alumni) joined the project in October 2022. SDG Impact Stories, an organization with a mission to boost social and environmental change through storytelling, was born.

Together, the team raised 57,000CHF (35,000 from EHL and 22,000 through crowdfunding) to get this idea off the ground.

What is the SDG World Tour of Social Entrepreneurs?

Very few people actually know about the concept of social entrepreneurship (being profitable AND impactdriven), and we aim to change that. At SDG Impact Stories, we wish to inspire people by telling the stories of social entrepreneurs developing innovative solutions to tackle global problems such as lack of access to quality education, food insecurity, poor sanitation, access to energy and climate change. We strive to trigger emotions, encourage reflection, and ultimately empower everyone to accelerate social and environmental change.

For this, from Feb to July 2022, our team traveled to 20 countries to meet and cover the impact of 50+ entrepreneurs contributing to at least one of the 17 SDGs, completing the first-ever SDG World Tour of Social Entrepreneurs.

The SDG Impact Stories trio in Rio, Brazil.

This project was largely supported by EHL and was the result of a collaboration with organizations such as Ashoka, the Social Gastronomy Movement, The Knowledge Society, AlphaMundi, Quadia, Accelerate Prosperity, Climate Positive, UN SDG Lab, UNDP, Sustainable Finance Geneva, and IKEA Social Entrepreneurship.

1.  Educate people on global challenges and SDGs at a large scale

2. Raise awareness around Social Entrepreneurship

3.  Inspire younger generations to pursue a career in the field of social and environmental impact.

We established 3 goals: For each entrepreneur, we produced:

• A 3 min storytelling video covering: 1) The problem the company is trying to solve 2) The solution 3) The impact of the company.

• A 15-20 min video interview with the founder or an executive

• All the content is shared in our socials @sdgimpactstories on IG, LI, FB, YT and Spotify

What are you trying to achieve?

First of all, we are dedicated to putting the spotlight on the concept of social entrepreneurship, and its potential to accelerate social and environmental change. At SDG Impact Stories, we believe that small to medium-sized purpose-driven businesses can have a major impact on their communities locally, and globally. Social entrepreneurs not only have a positive impact but are profitable as well, which is essential for long-term growth.

Also, we strive to raise awareness on the 17 SDGs, which can be considered as a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. The UN launched the SDGs in 2015 and describe them as an urgent call for action for governments, corporations, and individuals to reduce inequalities, promote social inclusion and protect the environment.

Lastly, we wish to inspire younger generations to pursue a career in the field of social and environmental impact. In recent years, young people have been more involved politically, making a conscious effort to consume more responsibly and avoid companies with questionable practices. But the field of impact is still emerging, being fragmented and tricky to navigate. For that,  we want to spread information about the numerous opportunities that exist in that area.

Can you give us a preview of some of the entrepreneurs you met along the way?

With the support of the networks mentioned above, we selected some of the most innovative and impactful companies we could find. The list notably includes:

Too Good to Go CH (Zuric , Switzerland) : # 1 anti food-waste app. Mobile application that connects customers to restaurants and stores that have unsold food surplus

Tyres Recycling Solutions (Préverenges , Switzerland) : TRS collects and transforms end-of-life tires into a precious rubber powder that can be used as a substitute of many material in multiple industries

Ynsect (Paris , France) : Ynsect transforms beetles into premium, high-value ingredients for pets, fish, plants, and even human beings, in vertical farms fully automated by robots. The end product is a natural, healthy and sustainable alternative protein to traditional livestock farming, using 98% less land and 50 % fewer resources. It can also be used as a natural fertilizer

Fairp one (Amsterdam , Net erlands) : Develops smartphones designed and produced with a lower negative environmental impact. Every component can be bought and replaced separately, making the phone last for a long time.

Clink (London, K): Clink opened the first ever public restaurant within the walls of a prison The goal is to give offenders the chance to pick up new skills by working in a professionally-run prison kitchen, transforming their lives and giving them a second chance

The Knowledge Society (Toronto, Canada): Leading accelerator program for curious and ambitious teens, recognised by the WEF in 2019 TKS trains young people (13 to 17yo) to solve the world’s biggest challenges using emerging technologies

SmartFish (Mexico City, Mexico): Dedicated to restoring México’s marine ecosystem by helping fishermen increase their income while adopting sustainable practices, breaking the cycle of overexploitation and poverty The only company in the country who exclusively sells sustainable fishery products

Ecocitex (Santiago, Chile): Ecocitex sells 100% recycled textile products through more than 250 women-led businesses across Chile Its recycling process extends textile lifetimes to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions

Sanergy (Nairobi, Kenya): Sanergy is dedicated to transforming the way booming cities manage their waste, turning organic and sanitation waste into high-quality agriculture and energy products

Saathi (New Dehli, India): Saathi is dedicated to changing the way menstrual hygiene is addressed, by sustainably manufacturing sanitary products and making them available all over India Saathi has developed the first 100% biodegradable and compostable sanitary pads, using bamboo and banana tree fibre waste, one of the most absorbent natural fibres

MediQ Smart Healthcare (Islamabad, akistan): Pakistan’s first virtual care platform MediQ is dedicated to making healthcare easier and more accessible in the country, directly connecting patients with skilled medical practitioners

Can you share some of your achievements?

We traveled to 20 countries from February to J uly 2022   to cover the impact of 50 + leading social entrepreneurs working towards at least 1 of the 17 SD G s

We conducted and documented 35 + field visits in farms, schools, social restaurants, manufacturing sites, ministries, and more

For each company, we produced a 3min storytelling video (problem, solution, impact) and a 20 min interview with the founder or an executive

We met and interviewed +15 guest speakers such as Magali Silva (former Minister of Trade of Peru), Tariq Fancy (former CI O for Sustainable Investing at B lack Rock), Valeria B udinich (Senior Lecturer at MIT), Hari Lamsal ( U ndersecretary of N epal s Ministry of Education) and others

A picture with the EHL team who made all of this possible

We were featured in several media such as SFG - Sustainable Finance Geneva, Heidi.news and appeared in a live interview on national television in Kyrgyzstan on TV1 Kg

We had the opportunity to present our work at several conferences, notably the Building Bridges Week in Geneva (Oct 3-6) and at the World Food Forum (Oct 17-21)

5 Social Entrepreneurs have been selected to benefit from a FREE business case on which senior students have worked on in CSR classes

1 Social Entrepreneur was able to benefit from a FREE SBP (business case) offered by EHL on which a team of 6 senior students have worked intensively for 2 months.

Where can people follow your work?

You can access our linktree here, and follow our journey on @SDGimpactstories on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, LinkedIn, and Spotify. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions, or if you wish to collaborate.

Do you wish to collaborate with us in any ways ?

Reach out to us

Meet Tyres Recycling Solutions, a startup founded in 2013, dedicated to bring used tyres back to the industry with high added value

Watch the full video here.

SDG World Tour episode

Watch the full video here.

Walk the Talk avec Naila Moloo, 16yo best selling author, leading innovator in solar energy and bioplastics (Ottawa, Canada).

Sitting with a Staff Interview with Noémie Danthine, Director Sustainable Hospitality Services

Please introduce yourself and tell us about what you do at EHL?

ND: I started as Project Manager for EHL’s General Secretariat. Then, I got the opportunity to create and head the Sustainability Department where I oversaw the development of the sustainability strategy for the entire EHL Group as well as its roll-out. Since January 2023, I've been appointed Director of EHL Sustainable Hospitality Services. This new segment includes our Real Estate department, Services and Well-Being department and Sustainability department;  Sustainability department that I’m continuing to head.

What does sustainability mean for the EHL group?

ND: Well, there is no single approach to sustainability nor one unique definition; sustainability is a complex and systemic topic that encompasses a lot of different aspects. At EHL, we have decided to stick with the first definition proposed for sustainability, the one in the Brundtland report in 1987, which is commonly recognized. Sustainability is then defined as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. As you can see with this definition, sustainability is a wide topic.

Connect with Noémie danthine on linkedin

I want to highlight that when we talk about the needs, we are not only focusing on the environment and resources, but we also consider social elements. We try to have a holistic approach and integrate in our reflection education, our people, the local communities and our stakeholders.

EHL has defined 4 pillars for contributing beyond education. How do you measure these and what impact have you seen so far?

ND: Indeed, we have decided to articulate our sustainability strategy around four main axes, our pillars. The first one, is of course education. As a school, it is central for us to ensure that our students learn about sustainability throughout their curriculum both inside the classroom and outside the classroom. O ur second pillar, is our “people”, meaning our students, staff and faculty and also our alumni ! Here our objective is to foster a healthy, safe and conducive environment for all our members and to support diversity and inclusion. O ur third focus is on the communities and see how we can give back to local and global communities and have  bigger impact. F inally, our last pillar and not the least is the environment with a clear objective to limit the impact of our activities on the environment, including the impact of our infrastructures.

How do we measure our progress? Well, first we have carried out impact analysis wherever relevant and possible. We have calculated the carbon footprint of a wide array of activities on our Lausanne Campus but also in Passugg and Singapore. These calculations enable us to have a clear view of where we stand and to identify where the most effective levers can be found. It helps us to set ambitious objectives and to track progress.

For other aspects, where a carbon footprint calculation may not be accurate, we have identified other types of indicators to take into consideration. For example, the gender balance ratio, the number of sustainability related courses or the various partnerships established with local organizations or NGOs working in hospitality education etc.

In a matter of accountability and transparency, we are reporting on our sustainability efforts via the release of our Social and Environmental Report. This report compiles our progress and displays these key performance indicators. It also showcases concrete projects to give some “flesh” to the figures. Since last year, we are following the GRI standards, a widely adopted framework for sustainability reporting to help us identify areas in which we can improve our performance.

Our 2022 Social and Environmental report has just been released and we encourage you to have a look at it (link to report).

How has the new campus construction impacted the sustainability efforts for EHL?

ND: It’s extremely difficult to build a new campus without leaving a carbon footprint. Emissions from the construction have been measured and a 5-year plan has been established to offset them. As of today, already 58% of the carbon emissions generated by the construction work have been offset and our objective is to fully offset the rest by 2024.

It is worth noticing is that our new campus is following the Minergie-P standards, highly recognized Swiss standards for energy efficiency and low energy consumption buildings. We have invested on renewal sources of energy by relying on 44 geothermal probes, setting an innovative wastewater heat recovery system and by installing new solar panels covering the equivalent of three Olympic-sized swimming pools. That said, we continue our road toward embedding sustainability on a larger scale, through our general operations and keep making efforts towards lowering our environmental impact.

What's the goal of introducing sustainability into the educational side?

ND: With regards to education, as mentioned previously it is at the core of our sustainability strategy. We are committed to integrate sustainability within our students’ educational journey at EHL by proposing dedicated courses, but also by instilling sustainability in the various courses and in and in the new future in our pedagogical approach.

We are also proposing initiatives and activities on campus to complement the in-classroom learning and continue educating our students about environmental and social responsibility. It is important for our students to understand that sustainability is a complex subject but also to make them realize that each small step they take can contribute to a larger goal. We really hope that they will take that perspective with them wherever their career will lead them.

What will be implemented in the next 5 years in terms of sustainability?

ND: This is an excellent question! At the moment, we are working on establishing the 2030 strategy for our segment and it is clear that sustainability will be at the very heart of it In parallel of this strategic work, we are also defining more short-term objectives and here are some examples I would like to share with you

We will continue to calculate our GHG emissions, always trying to refine it and identify concrete actions to help reduce our emissions We are also working on establishing a comprehensive climate plan for our Lausanne Campus setting ambitious impact reduction targets The climate plan will include in the coming years our other campuses

On the social side, we are working on drafting a relevant plan for diversity and inclusion at EHL This plan will establish a framework that will enable the whole EHL community, Alumni included, to feel valued, respected, engaged, and empowered We hope that it will also enforce the sense of belonging for our all members

In the coming month or so, we will  launch a circularity project focusing on some products and services on our Lausanne campus, with a focus on extended products lifecycle, avoid single use items and reduce energy consumption

Is there anything else you'd like to share with the community?

ND: I would like to underscore that innovation is an important topic for EHL We believe that it is crucial to support the development of sustainable solutions and innovation for the industry We would love our campuses to be used as living labs, where students, faculty and staff members as well as external stakeholders could test their ideas, refine them to then be able to propose concrete solutions Having campuses as testing ground enforce creativity, emulation and synergies It would also enable unique experimental and experiential learning opportunities for our students and enforce a deep sense of entrepreneurship

As for our Alumni, our campuses could become ideal platforms to develop new sustainable technologies and services

Has EHL worked with alumni companies or startups in this direction?

ND: Absolutely! We work closely with our Innovation Hub and are connected with our in-house alumni department As I have just mentioned, we are deeply interested in testing new ideas, new concepts, or innovations especially when they are developed by our Alumni or by EHL start-ups

A concrete example? Our partnership with Beelong, an EHL startup founded by two alumni Beelong is proposing a robust application that calculates the environmental impact of food products and meals By using this solution, we have been able to accurately measure the carbon footprint of our F&B purchased products, but identify effective ways to reduce their impact by selecting more environmentally friendly alternatives Beelong also helped us implement a system of eco-scores for all the meals served at our new opened vegan restaurant, the Shadwood

The Impact of Tech on the Hospitality Industry:

How AI and AR are Changing the Guest Experience

Technology has been deeply impacting every industry in the world, and hospitality is no exception. From hotels to restaurants, technological advancements such as AI, AR, and VR have changed the way we experience and interact with the hospitality industry.

For starters, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is slowly revolutionizing the industry by providing personalized services to guests. These can be seen in AI-powered chatbots, which are used to assist guests in booking rooms, checking in and out, ordering food and beverages, and even providing recommendations for nearby attractions. AI technology also helps hotel staff streamline their work and optimize resource allocation.

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are also transforming the industry as we know it by providing immersive experiences to guests. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words and these technologies allow guests to preview hotel rooms and amenities before ever making a booking. This way, they can explore hotel spaces in a virtual environment and even experience the culture and history of the surrounding area through virtual tours. Because of this, hotels that are making use of AR are seeing an increase in their bookings.

For starters, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is slowly revolutionizing the industry by providing personalized services to guests.

Also, forward-thinking hoteliers make use of these technologies to enhance the dining experience as a whole. For example, AR-enabled menus allow diners to visualize the dish they are ordering, see nutritional information, and even watch a video of how the dish is prepared. VR technologies provide a unique experience by allowing guests to dine in a virtual environment and some even give them the unique opportunity to interact with the Chef.

Also, forward-thinking hoteliers make use of these technologies to enhance the dining experience as a whole. For example, AR-enabled menus allow diners to visualize the dish they are ordering, see nutritional information, and even watch a video of how the dish is prepared. VR technologies provide a unique experience by allowing guests to dine in a virtual environment and some even give them the unique opportunity to interact with the Chef.

In addition to enhancing the guest experience, advancements in technology have also enabled hospitality industry professionals to operate more efficiently. AI-powered predictive maintenance helps hotel staff to identify and fix maintenance issues before these are ever escalated, reducing downtime and costs. And of course, data analytics tools can further help businesses make informed decisions based on guest preferences, feedback, and other metrics.

So regardless of how much you want to avoid it, the truth is that technology has become an integral part of the hospitality industry.

With the increasing rate of technological advancements around the world, we can expect further developments that will continue to transform the industry in the future.  Join the craze or fall behind. The choice is yours.

Regardless of how much you want to avoid it, the truth is that technology has become an integral part of the hospitality industry.

Sitting with an Alumnus Interview with Georg Krause, AEHL 1996

Please introduce yourself and tell us what you do.

GK: Certainly. My name is Georg Krause,  I was born in Leverkusen, Germany and at the age of 21, after my civil service as a paramedic, I went to France. What was meant to be a one-year sabbatical turned into two, and a season as porter at the NOGA Hilton in Cannes and that’s where I learned about EHL.  I applied and started my studies at EHL in 1993.

Now at 54 years old, I live with my partner in crime here in Lausanne (and no, she’s not an alumni *laughs*) .  With regards to work, I am a passionate, holistic coach with almost 20 years of experience coaching and training, committed to freeing people from any emotional challenges or blockages and provide helpful tools to get a better quality of life.

The methodology I apply is efficient, fast, and sustainable. They allow both personal and professional development, which helps to accelerate achievements of goals and increase performance. My expertise is stress management, resilience

burnout prevention, communication, and coaching as a tool for leadership. B eing a deeply rooted EHL alumnus and since the creation of the mentoring program at EHL, I have also accompanied students during their time at school in terms of mindset, focus, and performance.

Lastly, I m a hypnotherapist and a certified trainer for Classic and New Code NLP, trained by J ohn Grinder, co-creator of NLP, Carmen B ostic St Clair, co-creator of New Code NLP, and Michael Carroll. I m one of the very few NLP New Code trainers in Europe allowed to train and certify this methodology.

With almost 20 years of experience in coaching, why did you decide to become an NLP New Code practitioner and trainer?

GK: One of my main drivers in life is to serve people. There were actually two personal experiences that shifted my approach to work and my vision of life, one in 2004 and another in 2007. The first one was a breakup with a woman whom I was deeply in love with (the classic, I know *laughs*), but I later recognized that I had lost myself in this relationship and I am thankful for this experience. And the second was a serious health issue, teaching me to listen more to myself instead of ignoring my true needs for the interest of my career.

So, I decided to work on myself, my values, my vision of my life, and my authenticity. When a friend of mine, also an alumnus by the way, recommended me to learn NLP to face my challenges, it instantly piqued my interest. We already had NLP at EHL as a part of the subject “communication”! Hence, I started it in 2005 and didn’t stop until I had my second certification in 2007. From there, I never stopped this amazing learning and evolving journey.

Connect with georg krause on linkedin

With these in hand, I decided not only to practise this approach on myself, but also with clients, and after years of practice I decided to become a trainer. I truly believe that this methodology of NLP New Code deserves to be spread, where self-application is one of the core ideas. How do you want to work with others when you don’t work on yourself? And this method provides you with the tools to do so.

What are your best tips to manage stress and build resilience in the workplace so that employees prevent burnout?

GK: If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting the same result. Hence you will probably continue to be stressed, and our brain works and functions in the same way it did for thousands of years with a fight-freeze-flight response. So, stress is the response we create within ourselves to an external or an internal trigger. From experience, there is no one-size-fits-all.  What I recommend is: Do, see if it works for you, and if not, with your well-formed intention in mind, go a different way until you are where you want to be

Ah yes, a general self-care like getting enough sleep, eating healthy, staying physically active, etc. can do wonders. The challenge can sometimes be to keep up the habits. You have to identify your value conflicts, blockages, or fears that are often the reason for stress and start working on them. For example, mindful techniques, deep breathing meditation and yoga, etc.

What I always tell my clients is, when you’re in a state of stress, move! This doesn't mean that you need to run for 30 minutes, but move your body in some way, even if it’s walking around the block. Take deep breaths and change the state you’re in. By conscious breathing patterns you change your physiology, which changes your state. And by changing your state, you change your performance and outcome. Also, focus on positive relationships by improving your communication and doing active listening, thus strengthening your social environment. I'm working with my clients on their own mindset, as you cannot change others. And I never impose context, such as saying “do this and you will feel better”. What I do is invite people to choose and discover for themselves. Do the things you want to do, the way you think they are helpful for you and get yourself feedback from within yourself.

So, I'm working with my clients until they have a different perception of their challenges and, thus, the emotional state also changes.

How can coaching become a tool for leadership development?

GK: It’s a fantastic tool to provide decision-making skills. It equips leaders with personalised support and guidance. I coach them to help improve their skills and overcome their challenges and then achieve their goals easier. In addition, I provide them with tools that they can apply with their employees to improve their communication skills and flexibility. There is a generational paradigm shift taking place, and a manager should be able to face the challenges it brings along.

If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting the same result. Hence you will probably continue to be stressed

Therefore, I think that coaching can be a useful tool for leadership development. It allows to be more efficient in terms of time or stress management and to make decisions that are more aligned with the goals and values that the leader or person has. It's also about how to manage emotions and build resilience, maintaining focus and to improving the capacity of facing challenges. In the end, it’s all about growth and development. We all have something to improve in our own perception. And my job is to help getting there.

How has going to EHL helped build your coaching business?

GK: The EHL spirit! One of the amazing things about EHL is that it is a school for life. It creates a spirit of family, friendship, respect and hence trust. The alumni network is one of the things that was really helpful, especially when I came back to good old Lausanne in 2013. Thanks to old friends, the alumni chapters, and their events, I had the opportunity to talk about what I'm doing and increase the visibility of my services, as they were not known, and people then

came to me and started asking me for support. And until recently I still was on the pitch playing Rugby with the ARE 1997 alumni team, where friends became brothers that I know now since I started EHL. I am deeply grateful and proud being part of EHL family.

How do you measure the success of a coaching engagement? Do you have any specific metrics or indicators that you use to assess progress and ensure that your clients are achieving goals?

GK: Very interesting question. What I ask my clients in the beginning is ‘What's the issue? Where are you now and where do you want to be? It starts with an analysis of the current situation, a dynamic evolution process and at the end a comparison between starting point and “arrival” line. Once the canvas of work is defined with the client, I adapt my working tools to the goals to be reached, at each step through the feedback of the client and through the observed behavioural changes, we can ensure that the defined goals are reached.

Some success can be measured. For example, I supported some students at EHL to have better selfmanagement and increase performance. Here, some mark improvements were objective. But the feedback I’ve received from these students was that they felt less stressed and more focused after applying the tools I provided. It's mostly very subjective scaling, where it is up to the client to determine his personal success.

Do you believe every working professional should consider coaching as a development tool?

GK: I certainly think so. Coaching provides ways and tools for accelerated personal growth. We are all individuals with our individual strengths, weaknesses, values, and beliefs, positive as well as negative.  And certain methods can help to improve individual performance and get what we sometimes think we are not able to achieve. Everything can be learned, and this is where I think that coaching can be useful.

I’ll roughly translate a German saying: ‘’Roofs are best covered in good weather”. This means that, when you're in a good state of mind, things are easier set and implemented. Whenever there's someone thinking of getting a coach, just don't wait until you are feeling down or lost. It is always easier to work on yourself when you have the power for it, and having someone to support you to get things done faster and more efficiently can be real fun.

The alumni spirit! One of the amazing things about EHL is that it is a school for life. It creates a spirit of family, friendship, respect and hence trust.

Sitting with an Alumnus Interview with Simon Bernhard, AEHL 2016

Please introduce yourself.

SB: Absolutely, my business partner, Meagan Cederbaum, and I are EHL alumni, with both having worked in hospitality before doing EHL and, more specifically, in operations. This is to say, we have the hospitality DNA deep in our blood.

We decided to go to EHL because we had high internal expectations to learn at the highest level in an international environment. Our main motivation has always come from a deeply-rooted passion to serve and to feel the energy creating memorable experiences for people.

Can you talk about MIMO Hospitality and the need for this concept?

SB: MIMO Hospitality is an abbreviation that stands for ‘micro moments’. We can’ take credit though as we believe this term  was first coined by Google a while ago.

In a Google context, micro moments are the sum of all of those touchpoints which, together, create a cohesive brand and customer experience.

Connect with simon bernhard on linkedin

After university we had the chance to work in tech for multiple years, designing cohesive customer journey's on a daily basis. These same principles apply to restaurants. Imagine you’re a customer looking for a restaurant to celebrate a special occasion. You move through different stages. Every stage might seem small at first - but, put together, it creates a unique brand experience.

When we design our concepts, we always start with the bigger picture. We call it a brand-map, where we outline the different steps of a sequence of a customer-journey which ultimately give us a service-blueprint we use to optimize the parts that need most attention. It allows you not to lose yourself in details and to focus on what really matters. E.g. how you present yourself in the digital space has a significant impact on the perception of your brand to your targeted segments.

As you may know, the buyer journey is made up of different stages. Consider the awareness stage, for example. How present are you  in the digital world, or even how easy is it to find and to book your restaurant?

But a brand perception is not only shaped in the digital world but also in physical spaces.  For example, how the tables are presented, how guests are greeted, etc. All of these can (and should) be seen as important touchpoints.

Consider: how is the food brought to the table?  How were you greeted in a given restaurant?

How do you ensure every customer feels welcome upon arriving at your restaurant (even those who don’t have a reservation).

User journeys cannot only be designed for your business, but also for your employees. In a peoplefirst industry, it becomes incredibly important to understand how to shape culture which facilitates the distribution of the service. You cannot be in the business 24/7 - it’s culture that allows you to step back and empower your employees instead.

So the question is: how can you design culture and an employee experience that allows for that interaction and that moment of delight.

The solution is simple. When we look into different touch points, we consider the process, tools, and people.  Holistic brand experiences are incredibly hard to achieve, but set you apart if you’re able to design them well, both in the digital and in the physical space. Bringing this mindset to hospitality is the reason we found MIMO Hospitality.

How do these micro-moments highlight the essence of hospitality, both in the physical and digital world?

SB : Great question. Both need to happen together, they cannot operate in silos.

First, there is a brand and a brand experience that you foresee. Then, you have  to map all of those steps.

Let’s say you have a super nice website that is communicating with extremely thoughtful pictures and copywriting. If that is not matched in the physical world, then you have a disconnect and that might create question marks in your customer's mind. People don’t like to be surprised in a negative way.

So the borders start to blur, but you cannot disconnect one from the other; both worlds  need to harmonize together. And how they harmonize is with technology. To us, technology is an enabler to create more human-centered interactions because it allows you to gather and read data in an easier way.

For example, we work with a CRM software that automatically acts as a reservation system. This means, we know exactly how many times a person came to our restaurant and  their preferences (via POS Data matching), so we can get very personal. We know exactly what type of items they ordered before, what type of wine  they had, if they have allergies, etc.

This knowledge is great because you can then start to personalize the experience. But keep in mind that it’s always the human being that needs to interpret it. This is why culture is important. If your staff does not know how to interpret this data, its worthless. Knowledge needs to  be shared and implemented, within the critical touchpoints.

The reservation system is another great example of how human-centered design can improve the overall brand-perception. If you’re unable to create a cohesive website architecture, it might be very difficult for potential guests to book a table. The more clicks you have, the higher the chance that new clients will churn.

To us, technology is an enabler to create more human-centered interactions because it allows you to gather and read data in an easier way.

Now, let's think about physical space. What we do, for example, is that we always give something extra that people don't expect. Those are the little things that can propel you forward and together as a team (we help define what this ‘extra’ will entail).

We have adopted this term called accounting hospitality. It's very similar to something that Ritz Carlton has done in the past, but we're currently doing it on a restaurant level.

In short, this means  that each employee has a certain budget that they can invest as they see fit. What we do as a company is to create the environment to facilitate the decision making on how

to best invest that budget. We have pre-shift meetings where we skim through CRM data checking if people are celebrating a special occasion, how many times they dined with us before and whether we need to apply special attention to their stay. Imagine you are greeted like this: “Welcome Mr-Gautier. We have table number 7 already prepared for you. Would you like to start with a Negroni like last time?”.

In conclusion, the combination of physical and digital creates a brand experience. This is to say, your brand is not a logo, it's not a design. Rather, it's what your customers and your employees are saying about your organization.

We want to change the way hospitality is experienced for both employees and customers. During our time as product managers at Hospitality Digital, we conducted more than 700 interviews with restaurants all over Europe.

Combined with our previous experience in operations, we know how easy it is to get distracted by daily operational hurdles and to lose sight of the bird's eye view. At the end of the day, there's a macro trend and a worldwide staff shortage, accentuated by the pandemic. People  don't want to work in hospitality anymore. Be it because of the long hours, the pay, not being able to work remotely, etc.

It's our responsibility to change that perception. This is the impact that we want to have with MIMO. We want to be perceived as an organization where service and hospitality are celebrated and where we can truly appreciate the feeling of serving people, gaining energy and value from that exchange. That's the impact we want to have.

How do you see that unwinding in the future and what are the trends to expect in the near future?

SB: Look at everything that is happening in technology. Of course, you should aim to look at this problem from a lens of culture and how the organizational culture is shaped within businesses, even at the small level. AI is taking the world by storm now. It's funny that it has only just recently gained attraction by a wider audience. Working in tech we were exposed to the power of it well before it became mainstream. To me, this is something that hasn't been properly touched upon in hospitality yet, but it will definitely be the case.

I believe that, in the next year, combining automation softwares like Zapier, and documentation software

like Notion, will  help share and store  information centrally. This helps distribute and make critical information  readily  available to the entire organization, which is critical.

Of course, ChatGPT is also gaining popularity and very relevant. Turn the situation around and consider using this technology not being scared of it. It can certainly be used to your advantage. I see incredible potential in replacing overpriced agencies and empowering individuals to overcome writers block.

Ensuring that the data is exchanged in meaningful ways is key. Working with CRM software allows you to collect data on your guests to increase the level of  personalization. The more you're able to personalize a guest experience, the more likely you’ll be going to have a positive impact on an individual.

At the end of the day, we’re all humans. We all have an ego and we respond passionately when we're touched on an emotional level. And hospitality is all about how well you're communicating with your guests. Your guests must feel like you know them. Technology is a fantastic enabler for that. And then, on the organizational cultural side, consider how you can create an environment and habits  around your organization. This is especially important if your audience is built up of millennials and especially GenZ. These segments want to make a positive impact on the world. They want to create.

To be successful, you need to really understand why you are in business, what is your purpose, and what are your set of values that you want to transmit to your employees? If you're not doing that, you're missing out on two generations that are seeking impact.

And I  say this with all my heart, it's our responsibility to make hospitality attractive again and to think about alternative ways and models. Currently,  I see the gap between what is happening in technology and the battle for talent.

Can you share the most memorable moment that you had during your period at EHL?

SB: It's so cliché to say it, but the grad trip was incredible. It was such an impactful experience.

And that's what EHL taught us, right? To stick together and stay in touch, making sure that we're always going to be attached in the long run to the school. It was such a beautiful way to end an experience where you had group work, you had fights, you cried, you laughed together.

And also to work on an SBP where  I got the opportunity to shift into tech and discover this new passion. I never thought that I’d go into tech when I was in EHL.

The fact that I got this opportunity was absolutely fantastic  and it's all thanks to the SBP. That was probably one of the most rewarding experiences, professionally.  It’s such a great concept  to  learn something and  pass it on to help others also grow. That's a unique and beautiful feeling.

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At the end of the day, we’re all humans. We all have an ego and we respond passionately when we're touched on an emotional level.

EHL News Young Hospitality Summit

From 13-15th March, a team of 40 students held the newly rebranded Young Hospitality Summit on the revamped EHL Campus Lausanne, welcoming 74 delegates from 38 schools, and 40 speakers, including our very own AEHL members.

This year’s theme is Circularity, chosen to reflect the circular vision for the hospitality industry based on positive impact, human connection, shared awareness, people centricity, technological elevation and continuous learning.

We’re extremely happy to have welcomed back EHL alumni to not only speak about their experiences, but also to reconnect with their professors and explore the new EHL campus!

If you missed out, you can watch the panel recordings on YouTube HERE.

#Curiosity #Connection #Empowerment

EHL Connect Features

EHL Connect - the platform to stay connected and involved with the EHL Alumni Network. Powered by our Alumni Team globally, its content includes resources, news, and everything you need to stay up-to-date with the AEHL world. Make the most of your network and discover all of EHL Connect's features and what they have to offer.

For this edition, we will be looking at the:

Stamm Groups’ Network

As a graduate of EHL, you not only have the benefit of a top-notch education but also a valuable network of like-minded professionals. EHL's global network comprises more than 25,000 alumni from over 150 nationalities, making it easier than ever to stay connected with your fellow graduates and tap into a pool of professional opportunities.

One of the best ways to stay connected with EHL's network is through the Stamm groups, which are local alumni groups set in different cities and regions around the world. With 70+ Stamm groups globally, you can easily find a community close to you, no matter where you are in the world. These groups provide an excellent opportunity to connect with the network, and build meaningful relationships.

select ‘stamms’ under ‘the network’ tab

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Upcoming Events

Highlights Career Fair

On Saturday 18th of March 2023, we hosted our Spring Edition of the EHL Group Career Fair. We hosted more than 400 recruiters from 160+ companies, alongside 900 students and alumni on campus.

Our photo gallery is now live — feel free to look at the event photos.

We are pleased to inform you that the Fall edition of EHL Group Career Fair will take place on Saturday, October 28th, 2023 — stay tuned for more details to come!

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Chloe G llard-P card AEHL 2019 a d Jul e P card AEHL 2017 for the b rth of the r dau hte

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