Maxime Hops

The Grand Hôtel du Lac is a splendid 5 stars boutique hotel of 50 rooms nestled on the shores of Lake Geneva in Vevey. Positioned between Lausanne, the picturesque Lavaux vineyard (UNESCO World Heritage site), and the vibrant Montreux, our hotel provides an elegant retreat in the heart of a culturally rich region. Charming and refined, our establishment is adorned with the elegance of a bourgeois family home, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Chef Guy Ravet delights guests with exceptional gourmet cuisine in our restaurant Emotions par Guy Ravet, while our unique concepts such as Esprit Brasserie and the summer pop-up of the Buddha-Bar add a modern touch to our oasis of serenity. Featuring three dedicated seminar rooms and a sumptuous Viennese ballroom, the Grand Hôtel du Lac is the perfect address to blend charm and elegance into your event projects.

Hotel group consisting of three establishments (Villars Palace, Victoria Hotel & Residence, Villars Lodge) with 330+ rooms, 4 restaurants, 11 seminar rooms and extensive event spaces. Pre-opening and launch mission in a fast-paced, high-intensity environment. Key Responsibilities: - Structuring of Sales, Marketing, Revenue, Events and Reservations departments from scratch - Rapid team building and leadership (up to 16 team members recruited and onboarded) - Development of international partnerships and representation agencies (USA, GCC, UK, CIS, Germany) - Implementation of initial go-to-market strategy and commercial foundations - Collaboration with local tourism partners, external consultants and spa/F&B brands Intense and formative experience in a dynamic opening context. Completed Swiss Federal Certificate as Marketing Specialist during this period.

The Lenkerhof is a 5-star superior hotel in the Swiss Alps with 83 rooms, a Relais & Châteaux member, renowned for its exceptional spa and gastronomic concept featuring three distinct restaurants. Over my 8-year tenure, my responsibilities evolved significantly, expanding from accommodation sales to integrated marketing across the entire resort. Key Achievements: - Built Sales & Marketing department from scratch - Delivered +43% RevPAR growth and contributed to +40% overall resort revenue increase over 8-year tenure (accommodation, F&B, spa) - Market Positioning: Developed compelling narrative and sales strategy in collaboration with hotel management, positioning Lenkerhof as "a destination within the destination". Engaged in outreach to corporate clients for mountain seminars, involving extensive travel across Switzerland for client presentations. - Client Engagement and Digital: Became primary contact for French-speaking client relations. Managed social media accounts, online reputation, crisis communications during pandemic, converting challenges into loyalty opportunities. - International Expansion: Represented Lenkerhof at major industry events worldwide (ILTM Cannes, WTM London). Established agent partnerships across multiple countries (France, Germany, UK, Russia, Asia). - Studies: Recognizing the importance of strategic marketing over sales tactics, I initiated marketing studies to obtain the Swiss Federal Certificate in Marketing.

The Steigenberger Alpenhotel & Spa was a 4-star superior hotel with 136 rooms and 7 meeting rooms. It closed in 2015 and was transformed into the HUUS Gstaad. I was part of the management team and was responsible for sales and event organization at the hotel. Key Achievements: - Event Sales & Coordination: Led sales, organization, and coordination of events up to 250 attendees. - Client Relations: Conducted client meetings and site inspections to ensure tailored delivery. - Communication & Collaboration: Ensured smooth internal communication between departments for seamless operations. - Marketing Initiatives: Actively participated in marketing and sales activities, including cold calling and targeted initiatives for French-speaking audiences. - Sales Activities: Managed and animated a booth at the ConferenceArena in Zurich.

Ekypage was a prominent event agency operating on the French Riviera before the COVID-19 pandemic. I was acting as the head of the department overseeing event execution. - Successfully executed 50 B2B and B2C events with 20 to 300 attendees each. - Oversaw processes, created new activities, and developed tailored concepts in collaboration with the sales team. - Managed human, technical, and budgetary resources for smooth event coordination. - Ensured client satisfaction as the main interface for logistical and organizational matters. - Successfully handled accommodation and transfer planning, equipment management, and event animation. Notable references include Abbott Laboratories, ARM, Luxottica, Diginext, Schneider Electric.

CIR France was an agency specialized in B2B events, including product launches, inaugurations, trade shows, incentive trips, seminars, and business tourism. They were the official partner of the DFB - Deutscher Fußball-Bund (German Football Association) for all their events and trips in France. In this role, I was responsible for the conception, production, organization, and execution of various event and tourism projects. Notable Projects: - Hyundai: Site coordination for the FIFA World Cup 2010 match broadcasts at Disneyland Paris – Lille/Paris. - British Telecom: Logistics for exhibition stand and VIP evenings at the GARTNER Exhibition in Cannes 2009 and 2010. - NBA Tour 2009 and 2010: Recruitment and management of a team of 80 hosts and hostesses during the road-show.

Specialized DMC offering incentive trips, seminars, gala dinners, and weddings for primarily German-speaking clients. Operating in Paris and the South of France. I was mainly responding to RFPs and I accompanied clients during events, translating from German to French and ensuring the smooth execution of the proceedings. Participation in 2 trade shows: World of Events (Wiesbaden, DE) and IMEX (Frankfurt am Main, DE).

Spécialité Physique-Chimie, Sciences de l'Ingénieur (PCSI). Cursus couplé avec la Fachhochschule de Munich - Maschinenbau