Hartmut has been involved in the hospitality and tourism industry in several countries over the past 35 years. He trained at universities and colleges in Australia and Germany. Following four years of high school teacher training and science he completed a diploma in hotel and catering management.
Hartmut held senior management positions in some of the world’s leading hotels primarily during their pre- and post-opening phases. His appointments included positions as business manager/financial controller for what was rated one of the ten top ranking hotels worldwide. In 1993 he changed directions to explore uncharted terrain and committed to the philosophy of the Youth Hostel (YH) movement in Australia, the UK and internationally as a member of the senior management team of the International Youth Hostel Federation/Hostelling International.
During his time with the IYHF, an umbrella organization for some 4,000 youth hostels in more than 60 countries he was a member of the management team involved in strategic planning and responsible for a team of field officers representing the organization on five continents. He instigated and managed worldwide quality assurance and standard hostel programmes and was in charge of international training development.
As the ‘Operational Lead – Capital Programme’ with YHA (England & Wales) Ltd. he was responsible for the organisation’s major development projects in London and around the country. 13 project management teams report directly to the position. His brief ranged from conducting feasibility studies, planning, managing and supervising projects to director level reporting.
In the capacity of development manager for a UK based private equity investment company Hartmut was tasked with laying the foundation for a pan-European roll out of a chain of up to 10,000sqm, state of the art backpacker hostels. He worked simultaneously on up to seven projects spanning several countries and successfully concluded his assignment having developed brand standard manuals and the timely opening of prototype hostels in Copenhagen and Dublin.
As an independent management consultant his clients ranged from luxury hotel developers, Youth Hostel Associations, hostel developers, and operators to the worldwide leading hotel software company, international interior design firms and FFE suppliers. In a consulting role he continues in cooperation with his international partners to review hotel chain performance, advises on expansion programme strategies, property specifications, and pretty much all facets of project coordination, development and operational management.
Hartmut loves to explore this wonderful blue planet of ours, getting to know and understand different cultures and ways of life.
Throughout his career he has travelled extensively, gathering work experience and developing contacts in Australia, the US, Europe and countless other countries.
In his personal life, he has been no less bold. In 1981, having landed in Australia with nothing but a backpack and a burning desire to prove himself a real man, he spent a gruelling year building his own house and dodging snakes in the outback. The house still stands, though Sydney has since caught up with it!
His most recent activities focus on initiating, developing and supporting small scale aid projects in developing countries. His objective is to make a small contribution to alleviate the suffering of so many of our fellow humans around the world, to give something back in appreciation the wealth we are privileged to enjoy in our ‘Western world’.
