Onno
Poortier
Onno Poortier is the Chairman and CEO of NOW Transforming Hospitality GmbH. He is the co-Founder of itmustbeNOW.com, a legacy project in alliance with inspiring figures and companies from the hospitality industry.
A respected hotelier and professional, O. Poortier’s extensive international hotel consultancy, asset management, business development, corporate organization, marketing and operational management experience spanned five decades with luxury deluxe hotel brands in Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and USA. As Chairman, Board Director and Board Advisor of numerous luxury deluxe hotels and marketing alliances for over 30 years, he travels worldwide and maintains an active and leading role in the industry. At present in Switzerland, he serves as Chairman of Sandoz Foundation Hotels with six hotels (Lausanne: Lausanne Palace, Beau Rivage Palace, Chateau d’Ouchy and Hotel Angleterre, Hotel Palafitte in Neuchatel and Riffelalp in Zermatt). He is also in the International Advisory Board of Preferred Hotels & Resorts.
O. Poortier founded REMbrandT Management Services Limited in 2000 to advise and develop unique luxury hotel brands and managed assets. During his 24 year hotel career with the prestigious The Peninsula Hotel (1979-2003), he led the group’s negotiations, expansion and development into the USA, Asia Pacific and Europe for 15 years (Vice President 1985-1987, Executive Vice President 1987-1992, President 1992-2000), and served as Board Director. His early management career in Switzerland with the Beau Rivage Palace Lausanne focused on refined service and the luxury hotel experience for discerning travellers.
At this most urgent of times, O. Poortier believes that travellers will increasingly expect hotel companies worldwide to be more responsible and credibly proven to be sustainable. Sustainability presents the hospitality industry with an enormous opportunity to collaborate and make more good things happen, to positively impact many lives and to help the industry thrive in an increasingly competitive world.