Welcome to SMACK! Just like our name, everything we do here is a little different and yet you’ll probably have more fun here than elsewhere. SMACK Hospitality Media is your one-of-a-kind source for hospitality and tourism-related edutainment. It is our mission to provide fun and engaging content for industry professionals in modern media formats. With our podcast we aim to give everybody around the world the chance to meet key decision-makers and trailblazers of the hospitality industry. Cha ...
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CEO KARL LAGERFELD Ever dreamed of living in Karl Lagerfeld’s world of fashion and design? Well, it’s about to get real! In this SMACK episode Pier Paolo Righi, CEO of Karl Lagerfeld, shares exclusive insights on how the brand has evolved since the maestros passing, his visionary approach to luxury, and the creative legacy he left behind. Fritz a…
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Director European Business Development @Montgomery Group This is hotter than your morning coffee! Join us for our very first #Breaktime episode on SMACK! Mari is kicking things off with Mieke Berkers, Director of European Business Development at Montgomery Group, who’s giving us the inside scoop on the Independent Hotel Show Munich making its first…
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Daniel Afonso | Senior VP of People & Culture at Radisson | Empowering talent in hospitality
42:17
Senior VP of People & Culture @Radisson Hotel Group Are you the driver of your career or just a passenger along for the ride? In this episode, Pat sits down with Daniel Afonso, Senior VP of People & Culture at Radisson Hotel Group, and trust us, staying stagnant is not on the agenda. Daniel shares his story – From a start in finance to his accident…
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Jonathan Worsley - The Bench & FHS | Shaping Hospitality Development through Investment Events
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We’re kicking off Season 6 in the vibrant streets of London, where Jonathan Worsley, Chairman & CEO of The Bench, met with Fritz to explore the past, the present and the future of hospitality and its exciting global development. With the FHS World in Dubai just around the corner, Jonathan shared his insights on the Middle East’s remarkable transfor…
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Hi there, and welcome to Smack. In case we haven't met, we introduce the most knowledgeable experts in hospitality legends in a very personal way. Here, you'll find some great insights and updates from within the hospitality and tourism sector. And besides our podcast, we have some more exciting formats like Dirty Laundry, Ask Me Anything, and Huma…
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Simon Mayle – PROUD Experiences | LGBTQ+ travel experience: traveling under the rainbow flag
46:30
…由SMACK Hospitality
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Chris Nader – ENVI Lodges | Sustainable luxury, outdoor hospitality & his entrepreneurial journey
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Founder & CEO @ENVI Lodges …由SMACK Hospitality
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Fahad Abdulrahim Kazim - Millennium Hotels & Resort | Insights & stories about hospitality in the Middle East
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CEO @Millennium Hotels & Resorts MEA …由SMACK Hospitality
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SVP & Director of Sustainable Business @Pandox …由SMACK Hospitality
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President Hospitality, Travel and Wellness @Questex Let’s say 2023 was not quite the year of deal-making within the industry. Then what does the future have in stock for #hospitality and #realestate? Alexi Khajavi President Hospitality, Travel and Wellness at Questex set down with Flo at last week’s IHIF to discuss trends, the role of technology an…
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Founder & CEO @FreshOn Table Have you ever wondered what grows in the desert? We have. So we sent Phil to talk to someone who knows - Atul Chopra, Founder and CEO of FreshOn Table, who supplies restaurants and hotels in UAE with fresh greens and other edibles. Minimum emissions, maximum nutrition is his motto and led him to create a company that co…
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Chairman and Group Director F&B @Rocco Forte Hotels .由SMACK Hospitality
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CEO @ACCOR for Premium, Midscale & Economy in Europe and North Africa …由SMACK Hospitality
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Founder & CEO @Drake & Morgan …由SMACK Hospitality
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Founder & Chairman @Minor Hotels …由SMACK Hospitality
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Josiah Mackenzie – Hospitality Daily | Two hosts, countless tales, and a daily dose of hospitality
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Host @ Hospitality Daily .由SMACK Hospitality
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CEO @ YOTEL Yes, you can do things differently! Even in the hotel business. Listen to 2024’s first smack episode and learn from YOTEL CEO Hubert Viriot how the brand has established a new status quo in the travel business over the past decade. YOTEL has been rocking its own way from the beginning, by focusing on highly tech-savvy customers and the …
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Gabriela Schmidle – MTS Marketing | The mystery of Christmas Markets & mulled wine maneuvers
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Founder & CEO @MTS Vienna Winter wonderland vibes coming your way! 🏰 🌟 Gabriela Schmidle, Founder and CEO of mts vienna (Marketing Tourism Synergy #Vienna) and organizer of the Schloss Schönbrunn Christmas Market in Vienna, joined Pat for a jolly chat about the business side of these unique events. Patrizia and Gabriela discussed what makes the per…
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Dr. Ellen Madeker – Airbnb | Balancing acts: tourism regulations, politics & female leadership
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Head of Public Policy DACH & CEE @Airbnb What happens when Airbnb meets hotel management? Well, confessions were made by Dr. Ellen Madeker Head of Public Policy for Germany, Austria, Switzerland (DACH) & Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) at Airbnb and Phil during a live podcast recording at the Berlin Travel Festival. A lot has changed in the apartm…
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Mark McCulloch – Hospitality Rising & Supersonic Marketing | Kick-ass employer branding for hospitality
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Founder & CEO @Hospitality Rising & Supersonic Marketing Attention please: “Hospitality Rising” That’s the title of Mark McCulloch’s campaign, which is addressing the painful topic of staff shortage in the UK hospitality scene in an unseen way. And one thing is for sure: This is a game-changer in how employment in hospitality is seen, not just in t…
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Vice President, F&B Strategy & Development Europe, Middle East, and Africa @Hilton This episode will leave you hungry for more! 😋 Emma Banks Vice President, F&B Strategy & Development Europe, Middle East, and Africa at Hilton joined us for an episode of SMACK at the recent Future Hospitality Summit in Abu Dhabi hosted by the Bench to tell us her st…
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President @IHI & Chairman @St.Justine Do you ever run out of battery? This man surely doesn’t! We are proud to welcome Dr. Jeffrey O - Chairman of the Directors Board at St. Justine, President of the International Hospitality Institute, coach, mentor, writer, and simply put: One of the most influential people in #hospitality. Jeffrey let Flo in on …
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COO @ Anschutz Entertainment Group Europe Have you ever been to a large arena and thought to yourself, “Damn – this place is huge.”?! John Langford, the COO of Anschutz Entertainment Group for Europe, knows all about that feeling as he is responsible for the operations of some of the largest arenas in Europe, including The o2 in London, Mercedes …
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Tao Tao – GetYourGuide | Digitalizing Travel Experiences & Founding a Billion Dollar Company
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COO & CO-FOUNDER @ GETYOURGUIDE Welcome Tao Tao, co-founder and COO of GetYourGuide, the revolutionary of travel experiences and one of the best people to hang out with if you need top travel advice in any city on this planet. For the opening of SMACK's fifth #podcast season, Florian had the pleasure of hosting Tao Tao and discussing his founder st…
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4 Hosts 4 Seasons – A recap of how everything started and our favorite moments of SMACK-history
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Our recap episode! Hey there, Hospitality Fans! We missed you… and didn’t want to wait until Season 5 starts in September, so we sat our 4 hosts down together and sent them on a trip down memory lane. It’s been 4 years already – yeah, that’s right: 4 years since SMACK first started.Pat, Flo, Phil, and Fritz reminisced in a bit of nostalgia and a lo…
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Ronisha Goodwin – Hyatt Corporation | The heart of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Hospitality
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Director of Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Hyatt Corporation Back with another podcast episode you simply don’t want to miss. Join us on a heartfelt journey as Phil sits down with Ronisha Goodwin, the Director of Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Hyatt Corporation, at the Proud Experience conference in Los Angeles. Prepare to…
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Jeremy McCarthy - Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group | The core of wellness, positive psychology and tech in the spa-industry
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Group Director of Spa & Wellness at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group Here’s one very inspiring SMACK podcast episode. Pat had the chance to chat with Jeremy McCarthy, Group Director of Spa & Wellness at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group and they cruised through a bunch of topics, that will make you feel well - from innovation in Spas to positivepsychology…
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Donald Leadbetter – U.S. National Park Service | Managing National Parks, creating experiences and understanding nature
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Tourism Program Manager @U.S. National Park Service Donald Leadbetter, the Tourism Program Manager at the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) based in Washington D.C. joined us on the show and talked us through his passion for national parks, tourism and nature. Patrizia and Donald dove into the specific tasks that Donald carries out as a Tourism Prog…
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President & Managing Director for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa Take a deep dive into the world of hospitality with Dimitris Manikis, the President & Managing Director for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, as he shares his insights on the future of business and corporate travel, susta…
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CEO of TUI Cruises Have you ever been on a cruise ship? No?! If you need some convincing, this podcast episode featuring @Wybcke Meier, the CEO of @TUI Cruises, will tell you all you want to know about the cruise world.Wybcke spoke to @Philip about how TUI cruises came together and told us how traveling on a #cruise works with the incredible size o…
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Exhibition Director of the ITB Berlin After 3 years of absence, the ITB Berlin, the world’s largest exhibition event for the hospitality industry, will be back in full throttle this year. We know you are as excited as we are, so here is a little personal service for you from us. Deborah Rothe, the Exhibition Director of the ITB Berlin, joined us on…
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Alex Schneider - Nikki Beach | Local cultures, breaking traditions & becoming a global hospitality brand
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President of Nikki Beach’s Hotels & Resorts Missing the beach? So are we, so we brought somebody to the podcast that knows all about beaches, hotels and hospitality. Alexander Schneider, president of Nikki Beach’s Hotels & Resorts division came to visit us and told us the touching story of how the name “Nikki Beach” came about, the company’s transi…
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Christoph Hoffmann – 25hours Hotels | Creating outstanding atmospheres, concepts and designs
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Founder of 25hours Hotels Christoph Hoffmann, Founder of the 25hours Hotels, came to visit us on the show and talked to us about his path into hospitality and founding 25hours Hotels, their success, his way of thinking in concept & design to create a certain atmosphere with food & beverages, staying local and his future plans with Bikini Island & M…
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Torgeir Silseth – Nordic Choice Hotels | Cultural differences, the battle of the giants and employee turnover in hotels
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CEO of Nordic Choice Hotels Torgeir Silseth, the CEO of Nordic Choice Hotels, joined us on the podcast after the Nordic Hotel Conference in Copenhagen and talked to us about the Conference itself, including his participation in the talk “The Battle of the Giants”, how he got to Nordic Choice Hotels, their challenges and what’s coming in the near fu…
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Shannon Knapp - The Leading Hotels of the World | Remarkably uncommon hotels & the latest buzz around luxury hotels
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President and CEO of The Leading Hotels of the World The Leading Hotels of the World have cemented their legacy in hospitality for years. Their current President and CEO, Shannon Knapp, joined us on the show and Patrizia and her spoke about the importance of remaining open to new opportunities, that success is not always a linear path and the essen…
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Pascal Jenny – Arosa Tourism | Swiss tourism, employee satisfaction and reducing ecological footprints
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President of Arosa Tourism (Switzerland) Pascal Jenny, the president of Arosa Tourism in Switzerland came to visit us on the show and talked to us about saving bears, the Arosa 2030 vision and the uniqueness of skiing. The former professional handball player told Philip about the Arosa Bärenland Foundation, whose mission is to save bears, and how t…
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Chief People & Culture Officer at The Social Hub You heard it here first and to mark the occasion, Mieke Veldhuis, Chief People & Culture Officer at The Social Hub, is our guest on our next podcast episode. She revealed to us why The Student Hotel outgrew its name and is changing it to The Social Hub and why the new name is true to the core meaning…
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Dr. Josef Vollmayr – Limehome | Disruption hospitality, alternative accommodation and tech-enabled hospitality products
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Co-founder and Managing Director of Limehome In this episode we had the chance to speak to the Co-founder and Managing Director of Limehome, Dr. Josef Vollmayr. We were introduced to the rise of alternative accommodations and the success of sharing economies. Florian and Josef spoke about the companies USP of having no manual interaction in the gue…
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Sébastian Bazin – Accor | ALL, the Heartist concept and the secret to success in hospitality
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Chairman & CEO of Accor Group We are back with a brand new podcast season of #smackstories and stopped at nothing short of one of the biggest names in Hospitality globally to kick off the season in style. Sébastien Bazin, Chairman & CEO of Accor Group, joined us on the show and had a lot of fun giving us a recap on his past 10 years with Accor and …
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CEO @Hirmer Hospitality For our 18th episode this season we got the chance to speak to Edith Gerhardt, CEO of Hirmer Hospitality. We discussed her personal career path from The Ritz Carlton to Marriott International, which ultimately lead her to Travel Charme and Hirmer Hospitality. Edith told us about employee motivation and success factors for a …
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Co-Founder & Managing Director @Raus Innovation never stops! Welcome to a brand new podcast episode featuring Julian Trautwein, Co-founder and Managing Director at Raus. Before Julian started his career in hospitality he was spinning records, so it’s no surprise he met his first boss in a bar. From there he went on to work for an agency, 6 years at…
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President of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) for Marriott International More top-level insights you ask?! Your prayers have been answered [emojis] Check out our brand new podcast episode featuring Satya Anand, President of Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) for Marriott International. Satya talked to us through his career path into hospita…
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Global Learning and Development Manager @Dorchester Collection Kayleigh Wiltshire, Global Learning and Development Manager at the Dorchester Collection came by on the show and discussed the importance of learning and development in hospitality, as the whole industry is facing massive staff shortage. Coming from a background of health science and nu…
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Co-Founder @KITRO Sustainability is such an important matter! For this episode we spoke to Naomi Mackenzie, Co-founder of KITRO. Naomi told us how she and Anastasia had the idea to found KITRO, when they were still at the hospitality school, seeing how much food was wasted in every day’s hotel operations and how her position in the company has chan…
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Founder and General Partner Jan Valentin, Founder and General Partner at ennea capital partners, joined us for another SMACK story. Starting off as a travel journalist, he led us through the stages of his career, including travel24.com and KAYAK Europe, to the venture capital and M&A space. Giving us a current market check of the industry, he talke…
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CEO & Founder Amano Group Ariel Schiff, the mastermind behind the Amano Hotel Group joined us on SMACK for episode 12 of the podcast and told us all about his roots, his passion for F&B and how his family members supply the names for his hotels and their outlets. Ariel rarely does interviews and doesn’t even have a cell phone (!), so we are all the…
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CEO & Co-founder of Hosco A true entrepreneur joined us for this podcast episode. Olivier Bracard, CEO & Co-founder of Hosco. Olivier gave us an insight on his career path into hospitality from his early starts, over EHL, his first internship, his time at JLL Hotels & Hospitality and finally, how he became an entrepreneur and started Hosco. He talk…
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S3E10 (EN) - JLL Hotels & Hospitality, human capital and revolution of technology with Gilda Perez-Alvarado
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Global CEO @ JLL Hotels & Hospitality For the second episode of 2022 we were lucky to catch Gilda Perez-Alvarado for a chat. She talked to us about her time at Cornell University, her love for travel and cultures and how she found her passion for real estate finance in combination with hospitality. Leading a team of 350 professionals all over the w…
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S3E09 (DE) – Breidenbacher Hof, high-end luxury hotels and the aftermaths of Covid-19 with Cyrus Heydarian
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Operator & Managing Director - Breidenbacher Hof Kicking off the year in style, we met Cyrus Heydarian, Operator & Managing Director of the Breidenbacher Hof in Düsseldorf. Having been in the business facing two crisis, he elaborated how the employee is the most valuable resource and how important communication is with all the uncertainty the pande…
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CEO - Montreux Jazz Festival For the final episode in 2021, Mathieu Jaton, CEO of Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland stopped by, just before Christmas. Having graduated from the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL), Mathieu gives us an insight on what hospitality has taught him and how his background affects his day to day job. He told us about how…
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