Who We Are
Lars Wagner
Founder & CEO
Lars was born in Germany into a hotelier family and lived his early childhood in Ghana, Ireland, Greece and Germany where he graduated from the Hotel School in Hamburg. He is a hotel specialist and multi lingual global leader with more than 35 years’ professional experience in the hotel industry, of which the last 15 years were as General Manager in different countries, cultures, cities, and regions.
He is hugely passionate about the industry and his dynamic personality has made him a successful leader. Lars has worked for the finest hotel luxury chains such as Hyatt International, Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental in three continents that taught him leadership, service excellence and creativity. His results driven business approach and credo is: People, Product, Profit with a large pinch of Passion. It is his passion that has driven him to lead successfully and excel with his teams.
Only in 2022 he established his young advisory hotel company "Lars Wagner & Partners" to provide consulting assistance and services. In essence he is giving back his knowledge he acquired over the years.
For more than 10 years he calls Switzerland his home where he loves to play his golf, enjoys his burgundy wines and starts his regular travels.
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UNtoday
In this article I talked with UNtoday about the impact of the Covid-pandemic on the hotel industry.
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Interview with Vendôm
It was a pleasure sharing my experience working at the Beau-Rivage Hotel with Vendôm!
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Lars Wagner at Beau-Rivage
As the general manager I have been able to help them manifest their position in the market even more.
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The Seven Sins of Lars Wagner
Read this article to find out what Lars Wagner’s Seven Sins are!
Professional History
Professional profile
A passionate, outgoing- and global senior hospitality executive with more than 15 years general management experience. Result-orientated with strategic thinking and an entrepreneurial mindset.
A hands-on leader keeping customers, employees- and owners in mind. Opened two hotels from pre-opening and one re-opening/renovation.
Driven by innovation and creativity in the food & beverage operation as well as in sales & digital marketing. Proven track record to reposition and turnaround hotels. Solid and modern leadership skills round up success to-date.
- Leading by example with passion.
- Change Management - Out of the box approach, concept developer.
- Strong decision-making skills.
- Entrepreneurial and visionary.
- Extensive knowledge of the upscale luxury hotel arena.
- Superior Interpersonal Communication Skills.
Areas of Expertise and Key Skills
Operations
- Innovations/ Creativity
- Business Development
- Revenue driven
- Golf Management
Staff Development
- Fun at work
- Hiring the best
- Winning Teams
- Strong motivator
Customer Service
- Exceeding expectations
- Quality driven
- Customer retention
- “Wow”-moments
P&L Management
- Strategic planning
- Budget management
- Result oriented
- Cost control
Education and personal training
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2024 - Present
Regular Guest Speaker at École Hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL)
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March 2016
ESSEC Business School, Paris Financial Management for Hotels.
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July - October 2007
IMD Business School in Lausanne, Switzerland Professional Executive Development Program
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June 2007
CORNELL UNIVERSITY Ithaca, NY, USA General Managers Program
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1991
CORNELL UNIVERSITY Ithaca, NY, USA Professional Development Program, intensive seven week program emphasizing on Rooms and F&B management.
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1985 - 1987
Hotel School Hamburg, Germany Diploma in Hotel Administration (Hotelkaufmann)
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1985
Kiel, Germany German Abitur
Professional Experience
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2019 - 2021
General Manager Beau Rivage Genève, Leading Hotels of the World - Switzerland
Focus: Turnaround with revenue generation, innovation and cost streamlining.
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2013 - 2018
General Manager Mandarin Oriental, Geneva, Switzerland
Focus: Turn around with revenue generation and operational streamlining while gaining market share.
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2007 - 2012
General Manager Mandarin Oriental, Munich, Germany
Focus: Turnaround with revenue generation, innovation and cost streamlining.
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2006 - 2007
General Manager InterContinental Paris Le Grand Hotel, France
Other notable experiences
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2003 - 2006
Opening Resort Manager, Four Seasons Resort Provence, France
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2000 - 2003
Opening Hotel Manager, Four Seasons Hotel Prague, Czech Republic
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1998 - 2000
Director of Food & Beverage, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Chicago, IL, USA
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1996 - 1998
Director of Food & Beverage, Grand Hyatt Erawan, Bangkok, Thailand
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1993 - 1996
Assistant Director of Food & Beverage, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, Hong Kong
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1992 - 1993
Beverage Manager, New York Hilton & Towers, New York, NY, USA
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1992 - 1992
Assistant Room Service Manager, Hotel InterContinental, New York, N.Y., USA
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1991
Restaurant PM Manager, The Mark Hopkins Hotel, San Francisco, CA, USA
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1988- 1991
Food & Beverage Management Trainee, Frankfurt Sheraton Hotel, Germany
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1985 - 1987
Apprenticeship, CP Hotels Hamburg Plaza, Germany
Other
- Ecole Hotelière de Genève, Mentor for the class of 2015
- Teaching Professor at Haute Ecole de Gestion Genève
(Master of Luxury), 2015 - Member of Chaîne des Rotisseurs (Maître Hotelier), Commandeur
- Member of the Ordre de Côteaux de Champagne (Chévallier)
- Member of the Commanderie de Bordeaux, Commandeur
- Nominee for Swiss Hotelier of the Year 2016