Has worked with the GCH Hotel Group: since 2011
Born: 1964
Education and training: Yaron holds a BA from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and a diploma in Hotel Management from the Technion Israel. He is currently a member of the European Hotel Managers Association (EHMA).
Yaron Ashkenazi
CEO Of GCH Hotel Group
Has worked with the GCH Hotel Group: since 2011
Born: 1964
Education and training: Yaron holds a BA from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and a diploma in Hotel Management from the Technion Israel. He is currently a member of the European Hotel Managers Association (EHMA).
Yaron Ashkenazi has extensive international experience in the hospitality industry. He currently holds the position of Chief Executive Officer at GCH Hotel Group, one of the fastest growing hotel management companies in Germany. Yaron began his tenure with GCH Hotel group in 2011, where he has held the titles of Area Vice President and Chief Operating Officer prior to being appointed CEO.
Before joining GCH Hotel Group, Yaron held the position of General Manager in one of the leading hotel complexes in Europe. There he was responsible for taking over, planning, positioning, and managing a hotel complex which included a 5-star hotel, an apartment hotel, a casino, a fitness centre, and a commercial promenade.
Yaron has also held several managerial positions in the hotel business in Israel and Europe - as a training manager, an HR Manager, a Food & Beverage Manager and General Manager.
He sees enormous potential for the GCH Hotel Group. "The strategy for further growth is to develop strong connections between partners, employees and investors."
Has worked with the GCH Hotel Group: since 2010
Born: 1971
Education and training: MBA (FOM Essen), BBA (HogeHotelschool Maastricht)
Bart P.M. Beerkens is responsible for all commercial services of the GCH Hotel Group. At various stages of his hotel business career, Bart Beerkens has worked at a number of global hotel chains, such
Bart P.M. Beerkens
Vice President Commercial
Has worked with the GCH Hotel Group: since 2010
Born: 1971
Education and training: MBA (FOM Essen), BBA (HogeHotelschool Maastricht)
Bart P.M. Beerkens is responsible for all commercial services of the GCH Hotel Group. At various stages of his hotel business career, Bart Beerkens has worked at a number of global hotel chains, such as Hyatt, Rezidor, IHG, Starwood and Hilton.
Bart has been VP Commercial of the GCH Hotel Group since 2013. He leads and coordinates communications between the proprietors, the General Managers, the franchisors and other stakeholders. His vision for the GCH Hotel Group: "With further growth and closer franchisor links, we are also expecting an expansion of the HQ Service team and brand recognition in the individual commercial services departments."
Bodo Sikora
Area Vice President Region South and Region North
Has worked with the GCH Hotel Group: since 2004
Born: 1959
Education and training: Hotel management
Bodo Sikora is Area Vice President for the South and North Regions, and is responsible for the strategic sales and the operative orientation of the hotels.
Bodo Sikora
Area Vice President Region South and Region North
Has worked with the GCH Hotel Group: since 2004
Born: 1959
Education and training: Hotel management
Bodo Sikora is Area Vice President for the South and North Regions, and is responsible for the operative orientation of the hotels.
The qualified hotel manager learned the hotel business from scratch: as a receptionist in Berlin Zoo Hotel, then as a deputy front of house manager in the Berlin Excelsior Hotel and ultimately as Hotel Director in the Berlin Mark Hotel. Bodo Sikora took over as Cluster Director of the Berlin Mark Hotel and the Mark Apart Hotel, following structural restoration of the Mark Apart Hotel in Berlin and its subsequent reopening. Shortly after, he became Managing Director and Director of Operations of all Mark Hotels, and ultimately Area Vice President of GCH Hotel Group.
Bodo Sikora views the GCH Hotel Group as a company with potential to grow: "There is legitimate reason to believe that the growth of the GCH Hotel Group consortium will continue at its present rate and that the portfolio of the hotels included will increase accordingly. For this reason it is extremely important to continue to develop and expand the cluster structures across all regions. At the same time, products must be improved and their position on the market must be strengthened."
Has worked with the GCH Hotel Group: since 2008
Born: 1972
Education and training: Restaurant specialist, Business economist for hotel and restaurant industry
Tino Bauer is responsible for the hotels in the Region Central and took over the position as Area Director of Operations Central in 2017.
>> Read More Tino Bauer
District Director Region Central & Area Director of Operations Central
Tino Bauer is responsible for the hotels in the Region Central and took over the position as Area Director of Operations Central in 2017. Tino Bauer's professional career started at the Crowne Plaza Hamburg as an executive assistant manager in charge of F&B. After several successful years as a General Manager for Ramada, Best Western, Grand City Hotels and the Wyndham Group he was honored by GCH as "General Manager of the Year" in 2016. The leadership of the GCH Hotel Group benefits from its expertise since 2008. In his position Tino Bauer is responsible for the hotels in the Central region and additionally took over the position as Area Director of Operations Central in 2017.
Has worked with the GCH Hotel Group: since 2015
Born: 1966
Education and training: Qualified Chef de Cuisine, Master Business economist
Jörg Schiffmann is AVP Operations of the West Germany Region(ranging from the Rhine-Ruhr region and Dortmund to Koblenz and the metropolises Dusseldorf/Cologne) as well as Belgium.
>> Read More Jörg Schiffmann
Area Vice President Region West
Has worked with the GCH Hotel Group: since 2015
Born: 1966
Education and training: Qualified Chef de Cuisine, Master Business economist
Jörg Schiffmann is AVP Operations of the West Germany Region(ranging from the Rhine-Ruhr region and Dortmund to Koblenz and the metropolises Dusseldorf/Cologne) as well as Belgium. Prior to joining the GCH Hotel Group, Jörg Schiffmann held several Executive Management positions: Before he worked for the Steigenberger Hotel Group as Vice President Operations, he was with the Carlson Rezidor Group for more than 12 years, last holding the position of Area Vice President Operations Central Europe. Up until recently JörgSchiffmann worked for the Steigenberger Hotel Group, where he held the position of Vice President of Operations. He was contracted to the Carlson Rezidor Group until mid 2012, his final position being Vice President of Operations for Central Europe. Prior to this he gained experience as a Regional Director and as a General Manager in various hotels of the group in the United States, Russia and Europe. The qualified Chef de Cuisine, Master Business economist and Cornell University graduate (Ithaca/USA) has been a manager in the hotel industry for 27 years.
At the GCH Hotel Group, JörgSchiffmann is responsible for the implementation of all operative measures for hotel standards and success monitoring, as well as for securing and improving profits. He views the Region West as a successfully operating region of the GCH Hotel Group; a region with which the stakeholders are greatly satisfied. "The West Region has excellent potential to become the most profitable region in the next five years, when one considers the continuous growth of the GCH Hotel Group and its partners."
Has worked with the GCH Hotel Group: since 2011
Born: 1972
Education and training: Business Administrator for the Hotel & Catering Industry
After holding management posts at various hotel groups, including Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, Dorint Hotels & Resorts, the NH Hotel Group and ACCOR Hotellerie Deutschland GmbH, Sascha Hampe took over the management of the Mercure Hotel Saarbrücken Süd on behalf of the GCH Hotel Group in October 2011.
>> Read More Sascha Hampe
Area Vice President Region Berlin
Has worked with the GCH Hotel Group: since 2011
Born: 1972
Education and training: Business Administrator for the Hotel & Catering Industry
After holding management posts at various hotel groups, including Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, Dorint Hotels & Resorts, the NH Hotel Group and ACCOR Hotellerie Deutschland GmbH, Sascha Hampe took over the management of the Mercure Hotel Saarbrücken Süd on behalf of the GCH Hotel Group in October 2011.
Sascha Hampe is responsible for 15 hotels in the Berlin region, one of Germany’s most important and dynamic markets.
Sascha sees Berlin remaining one of Germany’s most important hotel markets in the future; the challenge will be the increasing number of competitors and the search for adequate numbers of qualified staff. The aim of Sascha Hampe’s team is to continually expand market share and to ensure that the hotels operated by the GCH Hotel Group remain firmly established on the Berlin hotel market.
“The Berlin hotel market is very dynamic, with new competitors emerging all the time. The main challenge for the future will consist in holding our own against the competition and safeguarding and further increasing our market share by means of ongoing quality control, creativity, innovation and well trained, motivated staff.”
Has worked with the GCH Hotel Group: since 2006
Born: 1969
Education and training: Business Administrator for the Hotel Industry
Jan Burghardt is responsible for the activities and strategic management of all hotels in the region East. His experience is based on several positions as hotel manager during the last years - in individual hotels, as well as branded hotels.
>> Read More Jan Burghardt
Director of Operations Region Ost
Has worked with the GCH Hotel Group: since 2006
Born: 1969
Education and training: Business Administrator for the Hotel Industry
Jan Burghardt is responsible for the activities and strategic management of all hotels in the region East. His experience is based on several positions as hotel manager during the last years - in individual hotels, as well as branded hotels.
He knows exactly what makes hotels successful: After completing his hotel business administration studies at the hotel management school Heidelberg in 1994, the certified hotel manager worked in various 3- to 4-star individual and branded hotels throughout Germany. Amongst others, he worked several years for the former Ramada Hotel Dresden (today Wyndham Garden Dresden) run by GCH Hotel Group as hotel manager. Right before he took over the role as Director of Operations for the region east, he was responsible for the hotels Radisson Blu Park Hotel & Conference Centre Dresden Radebeul and Wyndham Garden Dresden as general manager.
Jan Burghardt predicts a dynamic development for the Region East and wants to take advantage of it: “Our aim is to secure and expand our hotels’ market shares with creativity, personal commitment and targeted product adjustments. Also, we need to strengthen the synergies between the individual houses. The major challenge for that will be to find suitable employees for our teams, who are willing to contribute to that goal and, who identify with our hotels.
