Speaker profile

Marcus Bernhardt

Chief Executive Officer
Steigenberger Hotels AG/ Deutsche Hospitality

Marcus Bernhardt joined Steigenberger Hotels AG, one of Europe’s leading hotel companies, in November 2020 as Chief Executive Officer. He has already worked for Steigenberger Hotels AG from 2004 to 2010 as Executive Vice President of Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts and Group Chief Commercial Officer.

Marcus Bernhardt is a distinguished expert of the hospitality industry: During his professional career, he has held various specialist and management positions in well-known companieswithin the industry. Additionally, he has been on the Advisory Board of both the World Tourism Forum Lucerne and the Lausanne Hospitality Consulting SA/EHL Group for many years.

Prior to his return to Steigenberger Hotels AG, Marcus Bernhardt held the position of Chief Commercial Officer and subsequently Managing Director at Europcar Mobility Group, being responsible for the international processes of transformation and expansion. Through franchises and alliances, Bernhardt significantly contributed to the international expansion of Europcar. With a diploma in economics and an MBA from Berkeley University, he previously worked as Executive Vice President and Member of the Board at Gulf Air.

Swiss-born Marcus Bernhardt graduated from the Lucerne Hotel Management School as well as the Graduate School of Business Administration Zurich. He began his international career in 1997 with the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, now Radisson Hotel Group, eventually being appointed COO.

Steigenberger Hotels AG encompasses around 160 hotels either in operation or in planning in 20 countries across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The company’s umbrella brand “Deutsche Hospitality” covers the eight brands of Steigenberger Icons, Steigenberger Porsche Design Hotels, Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts, House of Beats, Jaz in the City, MAXX by Deutsche Hospitality, IntercityHotel and Zleep Hotels.