Glion Institute of Higher Education has announced that three new high-profile members are joining its Governing Board.
The Board presides over the institution’s strategy and its ongoing commitment towards excellence. Its objectives include ensuring the institution’s integrity and the calibre of the curriculum it offers, reviewing major changes in the curriculum, endorsing strategic planning, and analysing financial data and performance.
It meets three to four times annually and has nine members in total, including an independent chairperson and members, and representatives from Sommet Education. The new appointments to the Governing Board are:
Fabienne Lupo, former Chair and Managing Director of the Foundation de la Haute Horlogerie (FHH), where she headed up the organisation of the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie (since rebranded Watches and Wonders). She is the Founder and CEO of ReLuxury, the first event dedicated to the re-commerce of luxury and collectible goods, as well as to initiatives in the field of the circular economy. Fabienne is also the Founder and CEO of LuXpo, her own company established to accompany and advise luxury brands and organisations on their strategy, communication, customer experience, and organisation of events and exhibitions. She is also an expert partner at Creative Lab Consulting. Previously, she was Executive Director of the Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship and organiser of the Homo Faber Event in Venice.
Fabienne, who will join the Glion Board as of next June, said: “Luxury and hospitality share the same values and codes: the passion for what is good and beautiful. Today, luxury brands want to provide unique and true experiences to their clients, so building communities with hospitality programs has become crucial. Joining Glion, a worldwide reference in hospitality, means contributing to facilitating this unique dialogue.”
Pierre Tapie graduated as an engineer from Ecole Polytechnique, holds a PhD in Biophysics from University Paris-Saclay, and an MBA from INSEAD. After 10 years as a scientist at SANOFI, he was Dean of Purpan Graduate School of Engineering for 11 years, then Dean and President of ESSEC Business School. In 2013 he created Paxter, a consulting firm focused on academic institutional strategy and pedagogical engineering, serving universities, governments and companies worldwide. He is an active business angel in biological, medical and educational technologies. Among volunteering services, he was Chairman of Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative (2008-11), Board member of AACSB (2006-09), and Chairman (2009-13) of Conférence des Grandes Ecoles, a main body representing academic civil society towards government in France. Currently, he is Chairman of VersLeHaut, the first French think tank dedicated to youth and education.
Pierre, who will also take up his position on the Glion Board as of next June, said: “Devoted to extreme quality in teaching, learning and practicing, Glion has progressively gained the status of excellence in hospitality education and I am in admiration of its accomplishments. The state of the world requires wise and entrepreneurial young people to invent the future and Glion has a competitive advantage to prepare them.”
Alexis de la Palme, an experienced Chief Executive Officer with over 25 years’ experience in the hotel industry. He holds an Executive MBA from HEC business school and a diploma from Glion, Switzerland (Hotel Management) and is also a former auditor of the IHEDN (Institut des hautes études de Défense Nationale // French Defense College). After nearly 14 years with the Accor group, notably as Worldwide Sales VP, VP Sales and Marketing for the Middle East and Africa, then as Senior Vice President – Hotel Development Accor Europe, he joined the Edmond de Rothschild Heritage group in 2015 as Chairman of the Management Board. In 2014, Alexis was appointed Chevalier dans l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur. He is also a longstanding Reserve Officer in the National Gendarmerie (currently as Colonel at the cabinet of the head of the French Gendarmerie).
Alexis, who will be appointed in October to take over from Dr Robert A Spencer following 18 years’ service, said: “After 35 years, as a former student, I am happy to find Glion again as member of the Governing Board to accompany and help to spread the international influence of one of the world’s best hotel management schools.”
Pierre Salles, Chairman of the Governing Board of Glion Institute of Higher Education, and Owner and Co-founder of HES Hotels & Management Co, said: “I am very happy to welcome these so unique talents, whose experiences and expertise combined together are incredible assets for the future developments of the institution.”
Glion Institute of Higher Education also recently confirmed the appointment of Frédéric Picard as its new Managing Director (Glion, Bulle, London).
Previously Frédéric spent his career in the luxury hotel industry in Europe and internationally. After studying hospitality management and graduating with a Master’s degree in international hotel management, Frédéric has worked for some of the world’s leading hotel groups including Le Méridien Bangkok, Intercontinental Paris, Jumeirah Dubaï, Kerzner International Morocco, Oetker Collection and La Réserve Paris. His career has always been marked by exciting projects and he has participated in the opening of seven hotels around the world, which has allowed him to develop his managerial leadership skills
The hotels managed by Frédéric have been widely awarded by the profession and the international press, and the transmission of excellence has always been a central element for Frédéric. La Réserve Paris was awarded to the highest hotel certification “Palace” only 18 months after its opening, as well as two stars Michelin.
These experiences enabled him to apply his expertise by creating his own consulting company specialised in hotel projects. In this context, he was the co-founder of the Maisons Pariente hotel group, whose hotels were soon rewarded by the international press. Throughout this adventure, other private investors (Ultra Net Worth Individuals) have trusted his professional thinking and his global vision in the conception of their hotel projects in Gstaad, Saint Moritz, Florence, Girona, Porto and many others in France.
Frédéric was also the special advisor for a government project in the Middle East with a development of 2,700 hotel rooms, 1,300 luxury residences, for a total amount of three billion dollars. Among other things, Frédéric is a member of “the Club des Dirigeants de l’Hôtellerie Internationale et de prestige”, and member of the drafting committee for the award MOF “Meilleur Ouvrier de France” (Best worker in his category) maître D speciality
