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Academic team
Dean César Ritz Colleges and Culinary Arts Academy
Ms. Tanja Florenthal joined César Ritz Colleges Switzerland in 2010, as a faculty member and went on to become the Head of Curriculum. She was appointed Dean at Le Bouveret in 2012 and Brig in 2019. She graduated from Cornell University with a BSc, and holds an MBA and an MA in Education. She has extensive international experience in the hospitality industry and education. She has worked in hotel and hospitality management schools in the United States, Thailand, India, the United Arab Emirates, and Israel, and is a member of the Cornell Hotel Association.
Dean Swiss Hotel Management School
Dr. Dominic Szambowski has a PhD in Education from the University of Sydney and has held Senior Leadership roles at various higher education institutes. Before SHMS, he was CEO and President of the International College of Management, Sydney. His previous roles include Vice Chancellor of BERJAYA University College of Hospitality, President and CEO of INTI International College, and Executive Dean, Hospitality, Culinary Arts and Tourism for the INTI Group.
Dean HIM
Ms. Claire Jollain holds master’s degrees in both education and marketing, with extensive managerial and entrepreneurial experience. For over 10 years, she has organized prestigious events with high-profile clients in Europe, from fashion shows and celebrity weddings to seminars and film festivals. A Gen Z expert, Ms. Jollain was the Assistant Dean of HIM for 3 years before ascending to her current position as Dean.
Honorary Dean Culinary Arts Academy
Mr. Anton Mosimann OBE is a world-renowned, Michelin-starred Swiss chef, lauded for his revolutionary cuisine naturelle and beloved by royalty, dignitaries and celebrities. At 28, he became the youngest person ever to hold the position of maître chef des cuisines at London's Dorchester Hotel and has since continued to defy expectations and forge his own path, establishing a private dining club and his own catering company. In 2004, he was awarded Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for his services in the tourism and food industries, and in 2021, he was named honorary dean of Culinary Arts Academy.
European Dean of CEIBS & Director and Academic Advisor of SEG
Mr. Dominique Turpin is the Dentsu Chaired Professor of Marketing and the Dean of External Relations at IMD. He served as IMD President and Nestlé Professor from July 2010 until the end of 2016. He was also previously the director of the IMD MBA (Master of Business Administration) and PED (Program for Executive Development). Professor Turpin has directed customized programs for companies such as Groupe SEB, Panasonic and Japan Tobacco International. He has extensive teaching, consulting and research experience in the areas of marketing and international strategy both in Europe and in Asia, particularly in the area of brand management, customer orientation and communications strategy.
Executive Director of Industry Affairs & Career Services
Ms Bjorklund holds a master’s degree in Education from the University of Derby. She served as Academic Director of Hotel Institute Montreux (HIM) from 2013 to 2023, having successfully authored key developments for the overall development and positioning of this brand globally. Ms Bjorklund has extensive experience in the hospitality industry, managing hotels and resorts in Europe, the United States, and the Caribbean.
Executive team
The executive team at Swiss Education Group is comprised of professionals who have excelled in business and academia, drawing from years of experience and knowledge to blend innovation with academic rigor and quality.
Vice President
Mr. Ronan Fitzgerald joined Swiss Education Group in 2004. Before he was appointed to the Executive Team, he served as Managing Director of César Ritz Colleges Switzerland and Academic Dean at Hotel Institute Montreux. He has previously worked in various social care management positions in Ireland. He is a graduate of the Irish Institute of Public Administration and Athlone Institute of Technology in Dublin. He holds a BA in Social Studies and a Master in Management.
Chief Operating Officer
Mr. Victor Gonçalves joined Swiss Education Group in 2010, and before joining the executive team, he took on the role of Director of Operations at Swiss Hotel Management School. He has also held the position of Food & Beverage Manager and lecturer at both Swiss Hotel Management School and Hotel Institute Montreux. He was awarded a BA in Hospitality Management from the University of Derby and is a certified American Hotel & Lodging Association Educational Institute Instructor in numerous hotel operation departments, as well as an Internal Auditor for the Quality – ISO 9001:2000.
Finance Director
Mr. Cédric Fabry, joined Swiss Education Group in 2020. He began his career in external audit at KPMG SA. A Senior Finance professional, he is highly skilled in accounting, controlling, reporting, and financial planning and analysis with extended experience from working in various senior management positions in the retail industry sector at Bata Brands SA. He was awarded an M.Sc. in Management from HEC Lausanne and is an Expert-Accountant holding a Swiss CPA.