Podcaster
Episoden
09.04.2026
1 Minute
I sit down with Tomás Tameeris to reflect on our shared years in Hamburg, the challenges that shaped us and the leadership lessons that stayed with us long after.
A central theme of our conversation is what modern leadership really looks like. Tomás speaks openly about self-doubt in every career move, the importance of transparency under pressure and one of his strongest beliefs: be who you are and don’t try to mimic someone else’s leadership style. For him, genuine leadership begins the moment your team becomes your first concern and when people feel that you truly care about their growth.
We also talk about bridge-building across teams, learning from difficult leaders and why the most rewarding leadership moments are often not measured in numbers, but in seeing people you once supported grow into leaders themselves.
An honest and highly practical conversation about vulnerability, trust and why leadership works best when it stays human.
A central theme of our conversation is what modern leadership really looks like. Tomás speaks openly about self-doubt in every career move, the importance of transparency under pressure and one of his strongest beliefs: be who you are and don’t try to mimic someone else’s leadership style. For him, genuine leadership begins the moment your team becomes your first concern and when people feel that you truly care about their growth.
We also talk about bridge-building across teams, learning from difficult leaders and why the most rewarding leadership moments are often not measured in numbers, but in seeing people you once supported grow into leaders themselves.
An honest and highly practical conversation about vulnerability, trust and why leadership works best when it stays human.
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25.03.2026
1 Minute
In this episode, I meet Chris Lang, Director of Rooms at the Zurich Marriott Hotel, who has spent more than three decades growing with the same brand.
We talk about what keeps someone passionate about hospitality over such a long time: strong teams, loyal guests and the constant need to reinvent both the hotel and yourself. Chris shares her perspective on creating meaningful guest experiences and why true “wow moments” often require flexibility, empathy and the willingness to look beyond standard processes.
A key part of our conversation focuses on leadership. Chris reflects on the importance of listening before making decisions, involving teams and recognizing that long-term success is never achieved alone. She also shares honest advice for young professionals entering hotel operations - take opportunities, stay curious and don’t take challenges personally.
An inspiring conversation about longevity, adaptability and why hospitality remains a people-driven industry at its core.
We talk about what keeps someone passionate about hospitality over such a long time: strong teams, loyal guests and the constant need to reinvent both the hotel and yourself. Chris shares her perspective on creating meaningful guest experiences and why true “wow moments” often require flexibility, empathy and the willingness to look beyond standard processes.
A key part of our conversation focuses on leadership. Chris reflects on the importance of listening before making decisions, involving teams and recognizing that long-term success is never achieved alone. She also shares honest advice for young professionals entering hotel operations - take opportunities, stay curious and don’t take challenges personally.
An inspiring conversation about longevity, adaptability and why hospitality remains a people-driven industry at its core.
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13.03.2026
1 Minute
Für diese Folge war ich im Köln Marriott Hotel und habe mit Sarah van Kempen gesprochen. Sarah verantwortet dort die Disziplin Rooms. Inspiriert und beeinflusst von ihrer Großmutter hat sie sich frühzeitig für eine berufliche Laufbahn in der Hotellerie entschieden.
Ich wollte von Sarah wissen, warum ihr Weg so klar in Richtung Rooms gegangen ist und was sie bis heute an dieser Disziplin reizt. Wir sprechen über Gästeerlebnisse, die hängen bleiben - von großen internationalen Events bis hin zu den kleinen Momenten mit Stammgästen, in denen man feststellt, welchen Einfluss man auf das Wohlbefinden von Menschen haben kann.
Mich hat auch interessiert, welche Menschen sie auf ihrem Weg geprägt haben und wie sie heute auf Leadership schaut. Sarah erzählt, warum gute Führung für sie bedeutet, Menschen Raum zu geben, Potenziale zu sehen und nicht immer selbst die Antworten haben zu müssen. Gleichzeitig spricht sie offen über die Realität dahinter. Über Zeitdruck, Erwartungen und die Herausforderung, in jungen Jahren Verantwortung zu tragen.
Außerdem reden wir über die neue Generation in der Hotellerie, über Selbstvertrauen und darüber, warum es manchmal Mut braucht, sich seinen Platz wirklich zu nehmen.
Ein sehr ehrliches Gespräch über Entwicklung, Verantwortung und die Frage, was Hotellerie und Gastronomie im Kern eigentlich ausmacht.
Ich wollte von Sarah wissen, warum ihr Weg so klar in Richtung Rooms gegangen ist und was sie bis heute an dieser Disziplin reizt. Wir sprechen über Gästeerlebnisse, die hängen bleiben - von großen internationalen Events bis hin zu den kleinen Momenten mit Stammgästen, in denen man feststellt, welchen Einfluss man auf das Wohlbefinden von Menschen haben kann.
Mich hat auch interessiert, welche Menschen sie auf ihrem Weg geprägt haben und wie sie heute auf Leadership schaut. Sarah erzählt, warum gute Führung für sie bedeutet, Menschen Raum zu geben, Potenziale zu sehen und nicht immer selbst die Antworten haben zu müssen. Gleichzeitig spricht sie offen über die Realität dahinter. Über Zeitdruck, Erwartungen und die Herausforderung, in jungen Jahren Verantwortung zu tragen.
Außerdem reden wir über die neue Generation in der Hotellerie, über Selbstvertrauen und darüber, warum es manchmal Mut braucht, sich seinen Platz wirklich zu nehmen.
Ein sehr ehrliches Gespräch über Entwicklung, Verantwortung und die Frage, was Hotellerie und Gastronomie im Kern eigentlich ausmacht.
Mehr
19.02.2026
43 Minuten
In dieser Folge treffe ich Alexander Kohrmann im The Ritz-Carlton Berlin. Alexander ist Assistant Director of Finance für zwei Häuser – das Berlin Marriott Hotel und The Ritz-Carlton Berlin. Wir sprechen über seinen Einstieg in die Hotellerie, warum ihn besondere Service-Momente auf Reisen geprägt haben und wie er während Covid seinen Weg ins Finance gefunden hat.
Außerdem sprechen wir über Führungskräften, die ihn besonders geprägt haben, das Voyage Programm, Networking und warum Entwicklungsprogramme vor allem davon leben, was man selbst daraus macht. Ein Highlight sind seine Taskforce-Einsätze in Genf und Belgrad – als Realitätscheck, Perspektivwechsel und Learning, Dinge zu hinterfragen, die „schon immer so gemacht wurden“.
Und natürlich wird es auch persönlich: Wir sprechen über Ausgleich abseits des Jobs, über die Menschen, die ihm in Berlin Energie geben und darüber, welchen Food- und Bar-Spot man in der Hauptstadt unbedingt auf der Liste haben sollte.
Außerdem sprechen wir über Führungskräften, die ihn besonders geprägt haben, das Voyage Programm, Networking und warum Entwicklungsprogramme vor allem davon leben, was man selbst daraus macht. Ein Highlight sind seine Taskforce-Einsätze in Genf und Belgrad – als Realitätscheck, Perspektivwechsel und Learning, Dinge zu hinterfragen, die „schon immer so gemacht wurden“.
Und natürlich wird es auch persönlich: Wir sprechen über Ausgleich abseits des Jobs, über die Menschen, die ihm in Berlin Energie geben und darüber, welchen Food- und Bar-Spot man in der Hauptstadt unbedingt auf der Liste haben sollte.
Mehr
12.02.2026
1 Minute
Recording this episode with Stijn Oyen, Managing Director at Design Hotels, felt less like a formal leadership conversation and more like sitting across from someone who never lost his original passion for hospitality.
What moved me most was how clearly his journey is rooted in craft and humility. He started as a young aspiring chef, guided by a mentor who saw leadership potential in him before he saw it himself and that single moment of outside belief changed his direction completely. It reminded me again how often careers turn not on plans, but on people who see more in you than you currently see in yourself.
One theme that stayed with me throughout the conversation was his consistent focus on people, curiosity and generosity with time. When we spoke about leadership today, he didn’t talk about control or authority. He spoke about reading the room, staying humble, asking questions and - very practically - being generous with your time and attention. That line stuck with me because it sounds simple, but in reality it’s rare.
I was also struck by how openly he described being pushed out of his comfort zone when stepping into his current role. It wasn’t presented as a heroic leap, but as a real risk both for him and for Neil Jones, the leader who trusted him with the opportunity. That connects strongly with another core belief we discussed: careers grow when someone takes a risk on you and when you’re willing to step into something before you feel fully ready.
On a more personal level, I loved the story he shared about meeting Denzel Washington during the San Sebastián Film Festival. What stayed with him wasn’t the celebrity moment - it was the humanity of it. A long, unscripted conversation that ran over schedule.
You can also feel how deeply hospitality still lives in him. Even now, away from hotel operations, he talks about cooking, markets, ingredients and food with visible emotion. The kitchen seems to be his reset button.
I left the conversation with a few clear reflections: leadership is not about having all the answers, growth rarely follows a straight line and generosity with time, trust and opportunity may be one of the most underrated leadership qualities we have.
What moved me most was how clearly his journey is rooted in craft and humility. He started as a young aspiring chef, guided by a mentor who saw leadership potential in him before he saw it himself and that single moment of outside belief changed his direction completely. It reminded me again how often careers turn not on plans, but on people who see more in you than you currently see in yourself.
One theme that stayed with me throughout the conversation was his consistent focus on people, curiosity and generosity with time. When we spoke about leadership today, he didn’t talk about control or authority. He spoke about reading the room, staying humble, asking questions and - very practically - being generous with your time and attention. That line stuck with me because it sounds simple, but in reality it’s rare.
I was also struck by how openly he described being pushed out of his comfort zone when stepping into his current role. It wasn’t presented as a heroic leap, but as a real risk both for him and for Neil Jones, the leader who trusted him with the opportunity. That connects strongly with another core belief we discussed: careers grow when someone takes a risk on you and when you’re willing to step into something before you feel fully ready.
On a more personal level, I loved the story he shared about meeting Denzel Washington during the San Sebastián Film Festival. What stayed with him wasn’t the celebrity moment - it was the humanity of it. A long, unscripted conversation that ran over schedule.
You can also feel how deeply hospitality still lives in him. Even now, away from hotel operations, he talks about cooking, markets, ingredients and food with visible emotion. The kitchen seems to be his reset button.
I left the conversation with a few clear reflections: leadership is not about having all the answers, growth rarely follows a straight line and generosity with time, trust and opportunity may be one of the most underrated leadership qualities we have.
Mehr
Über diesen Podcast
Dieser Podcast gibt Euch exklusive Einblicke in die Welt eines der
größten Hotelunternehmen der Welt. Lernt die inspirierenden
Menschen kennen, die das Hotelunternehmen zu dem besonderen Ort
machen, der er für viele ist. Wir hören ihre Geschichten.
Geschichten voller Träume, Herausforderungen, Erfolgsmomente und
Niederlagen. Entdeckt mit uns die eindrucksvollen Orte, an denen
unsere Hotels stehen, und erfahrt, was diese Destinationen so
besonders macht - von pulsierenden Metropolen bis hin zu ruhigen
Rückzugsorten in der Natur. Innovation ist was uns antreibt. Es
sind die Vordenkerinnen und Vordenker, die unsere Branche immer
wieder neu definieren. In diesem Podcast erzählen wir euch von den
Menschen, die den Mut haben, neue Wege zu gehen, die
Herausforderungen als Chancen sehen und die Zukunft einer Branche
aktiv gestalten.
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