Our Faculty

Nigel Bland

Visiting Faculty -Real Estate Mergers and Acquisitions & Capital Markets

Nigel is an ex-Deloitte Partner and expert M&A advisor with a deep and wide knowledge of the financial markets and the commercial drivers in the travel, hospitality and leisure sector, born out of 35-years’ hands-on experience. In his time in the City of London, he advised on over 100 deals in the sector.  Prior to joining Deloitte, Nigel spent five years in hotel management working across the UK, including a stint at the prestigious Grand Hotel in Brighton. As well as lecturing at Glion, Nigel continues to advise clients on M&A and sits on the board of a luxury ski chalet operator.

Campus: London
E. nigel.bland@ext.glion.edu

Michalakis Michael

Finance and Revenue Management

After graduation, Michalakis started his career in the hotel and events industry, before pursuing further studies and eventually moving into hospitality education. He has been teaching at Swiss hospitality schools since 1999, with regular breaks and sabbaticals to refresh his industry knowledge and to work in the areas of finance and consulting. He holds a BSc (Hospitality) and MSc (Educational Leadership) and numerous certifications in the fields of finance and education.

Campus: Switzerland
E. michalakis.michael@glion.edu

Nicole Philips

Expert Faculty – Master’s in Real Estate, Finance and Hotel Development

Nicole has amassed more than 25 years of experience in the hospitality and real estate industries across Europe, Middle East and Africa. Nicole worked for Marriott International for 16 years, during which – in the role of Vice President Development Planning – she supported the expansion of the company through hundreds of projects. Before that, Nicole worked for HVS International in London and Singapore, having previously been engaged with a number of hotel operations departments in Europe and the United States. Nicole holds an MBA from IMHI (Cornell University – Essec School of Management).

Campus: London
E. nicole.philips@ext.sommet-education.com

Jonathan Humphries

Head of International Hotel Development Finance Specialization

Jonathan Humphries heads up the Specializations in International Hotel Development and Finance for both the Bachelors and the Masters Programs. The specializations combine academics, industry experts and partners to create a best-in-class learning experience for the students. In addition, Jonathan is Chairman and Owner of HoCoSo, head of a team focused on creating new hospitality concepts. He has 22+ years’ experience in industry, consulting and academia. He has an Executive MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, University of Northwestern, Chicago.

Campus: Switzerland & London
E. jonathan.humphries@glion.edu

Pia Huh

Management Finance & Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Corporate Finance, and Bachelor Thesis

Pia joined Glion in 1999, and has taught courses in hospitality real estate finance, property asset management, corporate finance, portfolio management, and management finance and accounting. She holds an MSc in Banking and Finance, an MPS in Hospitality Real Estate Finance, and is currently pursuing a DBA in an area of pension funds.
Campus: Switzerland

E. pia.huh@glion.edu

Debra Adams

Program Director, Master’s in Real Estate, Finance and Hotel Development

Debra has held positions at a number of hotel schools in the UK and Switzerland. She develops financial management programmes for the academic and training sector for senior managers, and has worked with a number of international hotel groups. Debra holds an MA in E-Learning and is qualified with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

Campus: London

E. debra.adams@glion.edu

Jocelyn Schofield

Leadership and Intercultural Management & Business Ethics

Jocelyn (Jo) has worked internationally in the hotel industry and has also taught hospitality business management in both the United Kingdom and Switzerland. Jo has a Master’s in Tourism Management and a Master’s in Research. At Glion, she teaches at undergraduate and Master’s level.

Campus: Switzerland
E. jocelyn.schofield@glion.edu

Victoria Charles

Human Resource Management

Victoria spent several years employed in the restaurant and café bar sector where she worked as a General Manager before specialising in Human Resources. This time spent working in the industry gave her an insight into the importance of attracting, retaining and developing the right people in order to help organisations to succeed. Having obtained her MA in Human Resource Management Victoria then moved into teaching and lecturing in Higher Education and delivering Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) courses for HR professionals. She is a qualified teacher (PGCE) and a Chartered Member of the CIPD.

Campus: London
E. victoria.charles@glion.edu

Christelle Herbin

Management of Rooms

Christelle joined Glion in 2010, and currently teaches on our BBA and MSc programs in topics related to rooms division and hospitality. She boasts over 20 years of international experience in Asia, Central America, Europe and the Caribbean, where she worked for a wide variety of institutions related to tourism, hospitality, education and governance.

Campus: Switzerland
E. christelle.herbin@glion.edu

Michael Heyward

Revenue Management, Hotel Development and Technology

Michael has over 25 years’ experience in hospitality, particularly in revenue management, hotel operations and corporate roles. He has worked for independent hotels, IHG and AccorHotels, as well as five-star hotels across Europe, Asia and the Pacific. Michael has a proven track record for revenue and team development.

Campus: London
E. michael.heyward@glion.edu

Ed Schofield

Business Development and Strategy

Ed joined Glion in 2008 and currently works as a lecturer in Business Strategy on the Bachelor’s and Master’s programs. Prior to moving into academia, Ed worked as a General Manager, managing Renaissance hotels in the UK. He originally studied Hotel, Catering and Institutional Management at Leeds Beckett University and holds an MSc in International Hospitality Management.

Campus: Switzerland
E. edmond.schofield@glion.edu

Dr. Barbara Czyzewska

Barbara has strong academic background in hospitality and tourism studies, with particular expertise in luxury marketing as well as history of hospitality. She serves as Academic Dean and Head of Luxury Brand Strategy Specialization. Prior to joining Glion, Barbara led the MA Luxury Hospitality Management program at University of West London. Born in Poland and educated in the UK, she holds a PhD in Hospitality Management and a Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching in Vocational Subjects, together with an MA and BSc in Tourism Destination Management, both from University of Birmingham. Barbara recently published a book entitled ‘The Story of Hilton Hotels: Little Americas’.

Campus: Switzerland
E. barbara.Czyzewska@glion.edu

Dr. Eleonora Cattaneo

Program Director Master’s in Luxury Management and Guest Experience

Eleonora Cattaneo obtained her PhD in Marketing from the University of Pavia in Italy, MBA from SDA Bocconi and BA from the University of Bristol, UK. Prior to joining Glion, she was director of executive programmes at Swiss Education Group and before that head of programme for the MA Luxury Brand Management at Regent’s University in London. A published author, Eleonora has extensive industry experience as a consultant and senior advisor for global brands and leading luxury hospitality groups. She is a senior fellow of the Chartered Management Institute of the UK and a member of the Swiss Center for Luxury Research.

Campus: Switzerland
E. eleonora.cattaneo@glion.edu

Stanislas Helou

Visiting Faculty – Achieving service excellence in the luxury sector / Luxury Brand Management / Ultra-Luxury Travel Experiences

The detail-oriented founder of Thinking Luxury, Stanislas Helou is recognized as a prominent figure in the luxury sector, calling upon his multi-cultural upbringing, fluency in five languages, and unparalleled industry experience to revamp some of the planet’s leading powerhouses. He held leadership positions in luxury hotels across New York, Crete, London, and Barcelona, before switching his sights to the luxury villa rental business with prestigious companies such as Onefinestay, Luxury Retreats and Airbnb, where he played a pivotal role in the creation of Airbnb Luxe. At Glion, he delivers classes to both Bachelor and Master’s students.

Campus: Switzerland
E. stanislas.helou@ext.glion.edu

Frank Schuetzendorf

Visiting Faculty – High Gastronomy and Fine Dining

Frank built his 25-year international hospitality career within the high-end luxury hotel market. His professional experience across North America, Europe and Asia encompasses renowned brands such as Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, and Dorchester Collection. These allowed him to develop a sense for detail, perfection, excellence and engaging customer satisfaction. Having now transitioned to the world of hospitality education, Frank has been engaged in teaching appointments with Sommet Education, ESSEC Business School Paris, HEC Business school Paris, and EDHEC Business School Lille. He is also engaged in multiple start-up ventures and strategic business consulting services.

Campus: Switzerland
E. Frank.Schuetzendorf@ext.glion.edu

Nandita Perret

Visiting Faculty – Intercultural Leadership, Inclusion and Diversity

Nandita Perret is a certified professional coach specializing in intercultural inclusivity. She has trained multicultural teams from Alstom, Schneider Electric, Orange, ST Microelectronics and Engie Digital, helping them to make those shifts towards intercultural inclusivity, thus enabling them to communicate and collaborate more effectively. She has also written for numerous international publications, including the Huffington Post, and is a visiting professor at the Grenoble Ecole de Management and the Grenoble University. Nandita teaches Global Team Communications, Intercultural Polarity Management and Intercultural Leadership.

Campus: Switzerland
E. nandita.perret@ext.glion.edu

Dr. Estelle Dinh

Visiting Faculty – Luxury, Markets, Enterprises and Culture

Dr. Estelle Dinh has already gained experience in luxury, hospitality, wealth management, private banking, and related sectors. Her specializations include new business development, client relationship management, and global public relations, with a particular interest and expertise in luxury branding and marketing strategy, luxury service design, luxury attitude, and luxury etiquette. In addition to her academic career, Dr. Dinh is pursuing her dream to develop a wellness/wellbeing transformation in the positive luxury sector. She has also taught Masterclasses on Luxury Branding and Marketing, as well as Luxury Services and Luxury Attitude, in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Campus: Switzerland
E. estelle.dinh@ext.glion.edu

Andri Rabetanety

Visiting Faculty – Blockchain and luxury digital products and experiences

Andri Rabetanety has more than 15 years’ experience across finance and operation roles. During his wide and varied career he has been Finance Manager at Procter & Gamble and Amazon. He also spent more than five years in fund management, specialized in alternative investment. He has additionally contributed to the development of multiple tokenization and crypto mining projects. He is currently Chief Operations Officer of 1inch, a leading decentralized finance company, while also enjoying a busy parallel career as an expert guest lecturer/speaker, sharing his passion during MSc courses, executive trainings and conferences.

Campus: Switzerland
E. andriniaina.rabetanety@ext.sommet-education.com

Tiziana Tini

Visiting Faculty – Digital Marketing and Communication in the Luxury Industry

Tiziana Tini has more than 15 years of professional experience in the luxury business. She is a professor, a consultant for international luxury companies as well as an experienced lecturer. She began her career in France, working for the iconic prêt-a-porter brand Cacharel. She then turned her attention to new digital media and worked for Max Mara as the company’s first web brand manager. Further experience with iconic brands followed, while she also began a career as a luxury consultant and professor. More recently, Tiziana has focused her attention on the relationship between the internet and people living with disabilities.

Campus: Switzerland
E. tiziana.tini@ext.glion.edu

Matthieu TRAN-VAN

Visiting Faculty – Digital Transformation and Data Analytics

Matthieu has more than 15 years’ experience in digital marketing. He spent a decade at Google, where he was in charge of managing the company’s top global luxury and beauty accounts. He began his career as an entrepreneur, growing an e-commerce agency that amassed some 100 clients. He also worked as a director and board member of a fast growing startup in the MarTech (marketing technology) industry. Through his blog, he is one of France’s Top 30 Key Opinion Leaders in Marketing. He has also been a lecturer to various MSc and MBA programs throughout the past five years.

Campus: Switzerland
E. matthieu.tranvan@ext.glion.edu

Mariana Palmeiro

Visiting Faculty – Business Trends in Luxury 

Mariana Palmeiro spent 10 years in Asia working on numerous hospitality development projects, mainly as a Project Manager for new spa and wellness center openings. She also acted as a hospitality consultant, where she opened and managed hotel operations. Currently, Mariana offers consultancy focused on the development of medical and wellness experiences in luxury hospitality operations. She has also been a visiting lecturer at both Glion and Les Roches for the past five years, where she enjoys supporting students and executives on their path to becoming stronger hospitality leaders.

Campus: Switzerland
E. mariana.palmeiro@ext.glion.edu

Mariam Megally

Program Director for the Master’s in Hospitality, Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Mariam brings a breadth of international business experience to our Master’s degree focused on entrepreneurship skills. She began her career as a consultant with McKinsey & Co. before entering the corporate Food & Bev sector at two household-name brands – Starbucks and Nestlé – a career path which culminated in her taking the role of Starbucks Global Strategic Innovation Director for Nestlé. Since 2012, she has served as Strategy Professor for the Executive MBA at Solvay Brussels School Vietnam. She is also a judge and mentor for the global startup accelerator MassChallenge where she provides mentoring for startups in Food and Sustainability. Finally, she volunteers her time with Ashoka, the leading global network of social entrepreneurs, where she helps identify and scale up the work of social entrepreneurs. Mariam holds a Master’s degree from the Université Libre de Bruxelles and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Campus: Switzerland
E. mariam.megally@glion.edu

Naike Demarchi

Front Office Senior Instructor 

Naike joined Glion in 2007 and she holds a professional background in rooms division and hospitality. She is currently working as a Front Office Senior Instructor, teaching and transmitting her passion for hospitality and welcoming to students. Before that, Naike completed her studies in Tourism and worked in a 4-star hotel as a receptionist.

Campus: Switzerland
E. naike.demarchi@glion.edu

Alexis Henrion

Kitchen Instructor

After completing his Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts at Institut Paul Bocuse, Alexis started his career in different Michelin-starred restaurants, where he specialized in French cuisine. He also gained wonderful experience in New York, working in a famous fine-dining restaurant. Then, he returned to Institut Paul Bocuse as a kitchen instructor. Alexis joined Glion in 2019, where he continued his mission as a kitchen instructor.

Campus: Switzerland
E.alexis.henrion@glion.edu

Olivier Godart

Head of Students Lodging and Front Office Instructor

Olivier joined Glion in January 2015, after holding the position of Front Office Manager and Assistant General Manager at Vatel in Switzerland. Prior to that, he held management positions in food & beverage and rooms division at the Hilton Brussels.

Campus: Switzerland
E. olivier.godart@glion.edu

Francesco Armato

Head Chef & Instructor at Fresh

Francesco began his career in a two Michelin star restaurant in Milan. Then, he worked in a three Michelin star restaurant in Padua, before moving to France, where he became Head Chef at a gastronomic restaurant. In 2016 he arrived in Switzerland, where he worked at the Lausanne Palace before joining Glion. Today, Francesco leads Fresh’s kitchen as Head Chef & Instructor.

Campus: Switzerland
E. francesco.armato@glion.edu

Irène Es-Borrat

Head of Rooms Division – Senior Instructor

Irene brings a background in rooms division and hospitality from both the USA and Switzerland. Prior to joining Glion, Irene worked at international companies such as Fairmont and Hilton. Irene holds a BBA in Hospitality from Les Roches Global Hospitality Education (then Les Roches International School of Hotel Management).

Campus: Switzerland
E. irene.es-borrat@glion.edu

Eric Foret

Practical Arts

Eric began his career in the pastry shops in France. He then moved to the UK, taking on a number of Head Pastry and Sous Chef positions. While in the UK, Eric was part of the opening of Ascot’s Dorchester Collection hotel. He then returned to France, working as Head Pastry Chef at Relais Desserts.

Campus: Switzerland
E. eric.foret@glion.edu

Dr. John Kawalek

Visiting Faculty – Digital Transformation & Data Analytics / Applied Business Research

John Kawalek is a Digital Transformation consultant using Systems Thinking. He is also a full-stack developer, fully proficient in Python, Django, Jupyter, PhP, Javascript, data structures and database architecture. As a senior academic, he delivers Master’s level learning in Digital Transformation, Data Analytics, Blockchain, Project Management, Business Research Methods and Systems Theory, having worked at universities across the world. Most recently, John has been working as a Senior Industry Adviser at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. He is additionally Managing Director of CrowditBuildit, which provides finance systems for house construction.

Campus: Switzerland
E. johnpaul.kawalek@ext.glion.edu

Fanny Boumékla

French Language  

Despite being a new teacher in Glion, Fanny has been instructing students for over 20 years. She worked in England, China and the International School of Geneva for the past decade, from where she formed a teaching philosophy that guides how to help students succeed in the classroom and beyond. Fanny always endeavours to use her positive attitude and energy to encourage students to work hard and succeed.

Campus: Switzerland
E. fanny.boumekla@glion.edu

Mathilde Chevallier

French Language

Mathilde has been teaching French on the Bulle campus since 2018. Born in Nice, she studies in Paris and Canada and holds a Master’s degree in French Didactics and Interculturality from Paris University. She first taught French in schools and at university in Serbia. She then moved to Switzerland to teach French to businesspeople, before joining Glion.

Campus: Switzerland
E. mathilde.chevallier@glion.edu

Pascal Christian

IT Business Tools

Pascal started his career as a consultant specialized in SAP software, before moving into training and education. Since 2011, he has been teaching Hospitality, Tourism and IT Business Tools, both face-to-face and online, at undergraduate and graduate levels. Pascal holds a BSc (Business Studies) and an MBA (Business Administration).

Campus: Switzerland
E. pascal.christian@glion.edu

Dr Zabin Visram

Intercultural leadership – Associate Professor

Zabin brings extensive teaching experience to Glion, having previously taught in six universities and three countries. Academic achievements include a first-class honours degree, a master’s degree and a Doctorate in Intercultural Relations. Zabin has taught both undergraduate and masters courses in International Hospitality Management. Zabin is well known internationally for her research having presented in Dubai, Ireland, England, Portugal, Florida, and Canada. Zabin also has extensive consultancy experience in leading a range of projects for global corporations.

Campus: London
E. zabin.visram@glion.edu

Cynthia Molteni Rillo

Spanish Language

Cynthia received her diploma degree in Law in 1997 and joined two post-graduate programmes in 2000. She has worked in both the private and public sectors in Argentina and holds a DipHE as a Teacher of Social Sciences. She has an extended career as a teacher in Buenos Aires, including for Universidad de Buenos Aires, and as a private tutor in The Hague and in London. She has been an active member in Colegio Publico de Abogados de la Capital Federal since 1997.

Campus: London
E. cynthia.molteni-rillo@glion.edu

Michelle Wells

Hospitality and Events Operations and IT

Michelle is an internationally experienced hospitality professional and educator, who has taught at graduate and undergraduate level in hospitality schools in Switzerland and the UK for close to two decades. She also has a background in event management and holds a master’s degree in Convention and Events Management from Southern Cross University, Australia. Her professional career in hospitality has taken her from resorts in Greece, Jordan, the UK, and the Maldives, with stops in Switzerland along the way.

Campus: London
E. michelle.wells@glion.edu

Sidi Mohamed Beldjilali

IT and Geopolitics

Sidi has been teaching at Glion since 2014, originally Geopolitics and more recently focusing on IT and Business. He has also been responsible for the BBA online courses, as well as acting as a tutor for both bachelor’s and master’s theses. He holds an MSc in International Relations: Security and Defense and has recently gained a Cybersecurity degree from the University of Montpellier. Prior to joining Glion, Sidi worked for a number of international organizations, including the Council of Europe and the International Justice Institute.

Campus: Switzerland
E. sidimohamed.beldjilali@glion.edu

Dr Bruno Levasseur

French

Bruno has been teaching at Glion London since 2013. He is an experienced lecturer and has previously taught at institutions such as the University of Chicago, the University of Birmingham, the University of Manchester and the University of Roehampton in London amongst others. Bruno has a PhD in French Studies from the University of Birmingham and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He has taught French at all levels as well as Research Methods classes. He is also an experienced Dissertation and Business Research Project Supervisor.

Campus: London
E. bruno.levasseur@glion.edu

Frederic Toitot

Visiting Faculty – Revenue Management & Pricing Strategy

Frederic Toitot has 20+ years of experience in revenue optimization, pricing and hotel operations, with extensive international exposure and a muti-brand portfolio. He is a former Vice-President at Accor, in charge of Learning & Development for Revenue Management, Sales, Distribution and Digital Marketing. Frederic is also an active member of the Revenue Optimization advisory board at HSMAI Europe, one of the leading associations for sales, marketing and revenue management. For the past 15 years, he has been a Senior Lecturer at business and hotel schools across the world, sharing his passion for hospitality management with thousands of students.

Campus: Switzerland
E. frederic.toitot@ext.lesroches.edu

Eric Mabilon

Advanced Hotel Operations

Eric spent the first eight years of his professional career working in the Rooms Division of many premium hotels, mainly in the UK and Switzerland. His last position before joining Glion was Front Office Manager. Holder of an MSc in Hospitality Organisational Training and Management from Endicott College (USA), Eric taught Rooms Division and Rooms Division Management courses in our Bachelor’s program at Glion, before moving over to our Master’s programs.

Campus: Switzerland
E. eric.mabilon@glion.edu

Gert Noordzy

Visiting Faculty – Program and Project Management, and Organizational Project Management

Gert Noordzy is an international hotelier, acknowledged hotel opening process maven and Organizational Project Management expert for the hospitality industry. He has over 25 years’ professional experience in Greater China and South East Asia, and has been involved in opening more than 30 new hotels and three integrated resorts, having worked for three of the 10 largest global hotel companies. His personal objective is to help the hotel industry transform itself and embrace project management as a strategic competence. Gert is Managing Director of Northside Consulting, specializing in the tactical and strategic aspects of hotel opening processes.

Campus: Switzerland
E. gert.noordzy@ext.glion.edu