Our Mentors
A good mentor pushes you out of your comfort zone. He/she will assist you with boosting your self-esteem and confidence. Your mentor will provide knowledge and advice to allow you to overcome challenges that block your way. He/she will help you grow personally and professionally in ways that can be exceedingly difficult without such guidance.
Below are the current mentors of AICR Switzerland: please read through their presentations and decide with whom you can build up a trustful and long-lasting relationship. Look for matching backgrounds, experience as well as focus, spirit and passion.
Mentors
My focus is to support professionals in:
- time management and handling stressful situations
- career planning and professional development
- service excellence and building high-performing teams
Background and experience:
Front Office Manager, multiple 5* hotels (Certified Hotel Industry Expert)
Scholar of the German Federal Government for young top-performers (double-Bachelor professional Hotel Management)
“Happy Guest Award 2018” from The Leading Hotels of the World for highest guest satisfaction and coherence to service Standards
Language:
- German native
- English fluent
- French basic
Location: Zürich, Switzerland
AICR Member: since 2018, since 2020 President Swiss-German section AICR Switzerland
Links:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakob-koepernick-3364a5123/
To my mind it is all about people in every aspect of our lives. Every person you meet in your private or professional life has the potential to enhance your life and gives you the opportunity to progress as a human being.
That is why I pursued a career in hospitality and focused mainly on the front office operations of luxury and ultra-luxury properties. After graduating from my apprenticeship as a Hotel Industry Expert (Hotelfachmann) as one of the best in my school I was selected for a high-performer scholarship by the federal government of Germany. I have since then completed my further education with a double Bachelor professional in Hotel Management and Hotel and Catering Services as well as a certified trainer within the German apprenticeship system (AEVO) and as a certified Revenue Manager. I have gained experience working within privately owned luxury properties as well as international luxury hotel corporations of different sizes in four different countries.
Within my job as a Front Office Manager I have always emphasized on developing talents and teams, career building and elevating service levels. These efforts have been awarded with the “Happy Guest Award 2018” by The Leading Hotels of the World as an acknowledgment of my entire team for the most outstanding and personalized guest service and coherence to the LQA Standards.
Within the AICR I have found a group of dedicated professionals that share the same values as me. In 2019 I was given the opportunity to be a member of the Jury for the 25th Bucherer Trophy to determine Switzerland´s best receptionist and most recently I have also been appointed to be responsible for the Swiss-German section of the AICR Switzerland. As people development, education and a constructive feedback culture have always been very important to me I am more than happy to be part of the Mentoring Team at the AICR Switzerland. I am the right mentor for you if you are looking for a lasting relationship built on constructive feedback focused on professional advice and career development.
You can find out more about me and my approach on hospitality following this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01BZkMhPqXI
Mentoring sessions can be held in English or German.
My focus:
- Supporting others finding the right path for them
- Providing guidance to others during challenging times
- Focusing together on the available resources to reach the goal.
Background and experience:
Personal- and Business Coach (Hamburger Fernakademie in Cooperation with Dr. Migge Seminar)
Cluster Revenue Manager, TI/ CH (IHG Revenue Academy in Cooperation with Cornell University, US)
Front office Manager multiple 4&5* Hotels (Touristikmanager IST)
Language:
- German native
- English fluent
- Italian fluent
- French basic
Location:
Lugano, Ticino, Switzerland
AICR Member: since 2002, since 2019 President Ticino section AICR Switzerland
Links:
Website: www.martina.biz
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martina-knitter-9a9722ba
“Life is a journey- but don’t forget to stop to enjoy the view!”
My life and journey in Hospitality started with an apprenticeship in a German Hotel chain with experience in all departments. I quickly found my strengths and interest in the Front Office Department. After a few positions in Germany and Switzerland I was appointed already at the age of 24, Front office Manager. Without any guidance or support I had to find a way to lead a team of 10 people – some of them far older and more experienced than me. At this time I had hoped for a mentor…
In 2005 I joined the AICR Germany and finally found a network for supporting and sharing ideas, problems, and solutions. It was at this time I developed my interest for training and developing others. At that time, my employer was the InterContinental Group: they generously offered different trainings that I could take part to with enthusiasm and motivation. They also provided me with an opportunity for an international experience in Cyprus as well as the participation in the development programme of Cornell University to become a Revenue Manager.
In 2011 I left Cyprus and a new chapter of my life started with settling down in Ticino, Switzerland. In 2012 I was the co-organiser of the Bucherer Trophy (Swiss competition for the best receptionist of the year) which gave me an opportunity to reinforce the AICR Switzerland (Ticino section).
After 2 years as a Cluster Revenue Manager for 4 Hotels in Ticino, my life took a different path again: I was blessed with the birth of my 2 daughters and going back to the hotel industry would not have been the wisest decision… hence, I decided to make best use of my skills, experience and innate interest for mentoring and completed my studies in Personal and Business Coaching with honours.
My objectives for my next challenge are:
- Supporting others to help them finding the right path
- Providing guidance to others during challenging times
- Focusing together on the available resources to reach the goal.
- My life journey has just taken the next crossing, maybe we can go a few steps together…
Mentoring sessions can be held in English or German.
My focus is to support professionals in learning, change and development processes:
- encouragement, self-confidence, self-organization
- communication, e.g. difficult employee reviews
- work-life-balance
Background and experience:
Coach and Company Mentor (Federal Diploma of Higher Education, Swiss Coaching Association)
General Manager, 4* hotel (Certified Hotel Business Manager)
Front Office & Rooms Division Manager (European Diploma of Hotel Management)
Language:
- German native
- English fluent
- French fluent
Mentoring in English and French (depending on the topic)
Location:
Frauenfeld, Thurgau, Switzerland
AICR Member: since 2009
Links:
Website: https://mm-coach.me/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mwlite/in/MartinaMiciecki-CoachingMentoring
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/mmcoachme/
I like people and I like languages. My decision to start an apprenticeship as a Hospitality Industry Expert in an international hotel chain was made early on. After finishing my apprenticeship as a hotel all-rounder successfully, I went to Paris to improve my French language skills. I loved my job as a reservation agent at Disneyland Paris and my working place situated at the famous Champs-Elysées. My manager believed in me and supported me professionally and personally, even if my French was not that good at the beginning.
Coming back to Germany, I graduated summa cum laude as a Hotel Business Manager at the Hotel Management School. Looking for a new challenge abroad, I found an interesting job as Assistant General Manager in Switzerland. I was only 25 years old, but I got the chance and the trust of the management couple to learn, improve and grow with my responsibilities.
I left 4 years later and expanded my knowledge in different positions and several hotels.
At the age of 33 I was offered the position of General Manager in a 4-star hotel. I doubted whether I was ready for this high responsibility but again, I had the trust of the Board of Directors and their support.
In every place I have worked, most team members were older than me or much more experienced. But I worked hard, always listening to their problems, let them take part in decisions, protected them in case of trouble and celebrated our achieved goals together.
I succeeded in being part of the team and leader at the same time. My focus was on solutions, personal development and motivation. I always motivated and encouraged young professionals to take responsibility, pushed them in a nice way to their next step and accompanied them in their first leadership positions.
I still keep contact with some of them and can proudly track how their careers continued.
My time as general manager was very successful: together with the team we achieved the best results the hotel had ever made. In 2015 we won the “Prix Bienvenue” as one of the friendliest city hotels in Switzerland.
In those years our apprentices graduated as the best of the Canton in their professional groups, including one who participated in the Swiss Skills Housekeeping Championship in 2016. I was then her coach, trainer, mentor, driver and photographer. She took 4th place and was extremely happy, making us very proud of her.
There were great moment with my teams… and yet, some less good moments too, with lots of doubts. Fortunately, I could often count on mentors. They were in no way “official” mentors but simply people, I could talk to, get advice from to release the pressure. They were very inspirational and I will never forget them.
To improve my leadership and coaching skills and to be able to support others in a deeper and more professional way I started my studies in Coaching and Mentoring in 2017. I have now graduated with success as a Coach with a Diploma from the Swiss Coaching Association and Company Mentor with Federal Diploma of Higher Education.
Since 2018 I have been working as a self-employed Coach and Mentor for different companies in the hospitality and other industries.
I would be happy if I could support you with my experiences, methods and techniques while assisting you to find solutions or helping you with the next step into the future.
Rooms Division Manager Park Hotel Quellenhof Aachen
My focus is to support professionals in:
Handling stressful situations and thinking out of the box
Career planning and professional development
Service and quality excellence
Challenges and requirements for working abroad
Background and experience:
8 years of experience as a Concierge, member of the Golden Keys Hotel Concierge Association from 2008 to 2015.
Working experiences with: Four Seasons, Rosewood, Kempinski and the Oetker Collection.
Languages:
- German: native
- English: fluent
- French: fluent
AICR Member: since 2018.
Location: Aachen, Germany
Contact: joscha.kranzgmail.com
LinkedIn: https://ch.linkedin.com/in/joscha-kranz-50586125
I was lucky enough to work with several great mentors during my career. Hospitality is all about people and therefore it is natural that one would seek advice from another individual when needed. Exchanging ideas, values and receiving honest and neutral feedback is what helps you grow and make the right decisions for your future.
In 2007 I completed my fast track apprenticeship to become a certified Hotel Industry Expert (Hotelfachman) in Berlin, Germany. I then started working as a Concierge in different hotels in Germany, Saudi Arabia and France. The very personal contact with guests, discovering new cities and then helping others to get to know them was and still is, a passion of mine.
After 8 years in several ultra-luxury hotels I felt that I was capable of more and was looking for new challenges. One of my Mentors, my Head Concierge in Paris, agreed and supported me with advice and honest feedback which helped me a lot in making such a difficult decision. I left the Concierge department and the Golden Keys Hotel Concierge Association in order to pursue a career in Rooms management.
After assignments as Guest Experience Manager and Assistant Front Office Manager in Paris, I moved to Lausanne, Switzerland in 2018 as a Front Office Manager and joined the AICR Switzerland.
During the past 15 years I have had the chance to work in four different countries and some of the world’s finest hotels. As your Mentor I can help you with insights on how to find a job in hotels abroad. I would be glad to share my experiences about the differences in cultures and the challenges you may face in different countries, and give you a larger overview of what the hotel business is about. Together we can find out what is in it for you if you decide to pursue a long-lasting career in our beautiful industry.
Rezeptionist Pilatus Bahnen, Bronce Medal Euroskills Graz 2021
«Early on in my career I’ve learned that it is all about who you surround yourself with. By age of 17 I began to consciously build relationships with successful professionals and important people and this is where I massively benefited.
I still feel honoured to be the first swiss receptionist who represented Switzerland at the World Skills competition 2019. After that I am not only going to be in the jury for the national Swiss Skills Hotel Reception Championship 2020 but also preparing myself to compete at Euro Skills 2021 in Graz.
I gathered the best practice, experience and inspiration from Baur au Lac Zürich, Castello del Sole Ascona, Holiday Inn Zürich Messe, Fairmont le Montreux Palace, Atlantis by Giardino Zürich, Mövenpick Geneva, Victoria Jungfrau Interlaken, Crowne Plaza Geneva, Mosimann’s Private Dining Club London and personal highlight, as a Butler during the World Economic Forum at the Intercontinental Davos.
If you are also aiming to compete in a professional contest I‘m going to take you by the hand and help you face the challenges before and after.»
My focus is to support professionals in:
• Personal development & mindset training
• professional competitions
Background and experience:
• Member of Swiss Skills Team, Swiss Skills Ambassador
• Member of Jury of Swiss Skills Hotel Reception Championship
• World Skills Championship, finished as 9th best
• Euro Skills Championship, Bronce Medal
Language:
German: native
English: fluent
Location: Wil, St. Gallen, Switzerland
AICR JUNIOR member since: 2019
Links:
Linkdin: https://ch.linkedin.com/in/julian-ferrante
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juuhliaaan
Contact: