Michael Manz is Chairman of the Board of Directors. He is an entrepreneur and investor in hospitality and tourism. He holds a Masters of Music degree from Zürich Conservatory and an MBA from SDABocconi. As founding partner of the boutique hospitality firm 'Swiss Hospitality Partners' he strategically consults hotel owners all over the world. He also founded the 'Swiss Hospitality Collection' where he successfully consulted more than 40 hotels. He is also member on the board of 'Oro Verde Hotels' in Ecuador, a company that manages a portfolio of 7 hotels in South America. Michael also brought the Ritz Carlton brand to Switzerland, by opening their first hotel in Geneva, the Ritz Carlton hotel de la Paix. Michael Manz lives in Malta, is married and has 3 children.
Alexander Koenig is founder of First Class & More and an expert in hospitality and tourism with a focus on loyalty programs. Alexander holds a PhD and Master in Business Management from the University of Mainz in Germany. He started his professional career in 2000 as a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group. In 2004 he joined McKinsey & Co. where he was part of the European Marketing Practice. In 2008, he moved to Dubai and worked several years as the Head of Branding and Market Research for Emirates NBD. During his time in Dubai, Alexander started his own company First Class & More which became the leading German insider portal for smart luxury travel. In 2018, First Class & More became part of the ASW Group and Alexander Koenig is now Managing Director of the First Class & More International AG.
Chris Hartley is CEO of Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world's largest alliance of independent hotel brands. Chris is a true hospitality and customer loyalty expert. Among other companies, he worked for Kempinski and Forte Hotels in Milan, Paris, New York, Toronto and London. Chris is a graduate of London University, where he obtained his Bachelors' degree in French and German, before going on to complete his post-graduate studies in hotel business administration at Manchester Metropolitan University. He also holds an MBA from NEOMA Business School in France. Chris has lived and worked in Dubai since 2013.
