Alumni are an integral part of the EU family. It is wonderful to see how their careers and professional lives progress following their time at EU, and we are delighted to have the opportunity to share their stories with you in this ‘Meet Our Alumni’ section.
Michel Miserez
Area Vice President, Western Europe, Marriott International
BBA, 1986 & MBA, 1987
From: Belgium
Speaks: Dutch, French, English, German and Spanish
Has lived in: Belgium, France, Spain, Netherlands, Hungary, Hong Kong, Germany
Hobbies: Golf, sailing, biking
Awards and honors: Leadership award from EU
Additional Studies: Executive Development in Hotel Real Estate at Cornell
Michel Miserez always knew he wanted to go into the hospitality business. “My gut was telling me… the hospitality business is multicultural. I can travel, work with people from different backgrounds, learn other languages, and see the world.”
In his current position as Area Vice President, Western Europe with Marriott, he has overall responsibility for the operations of 40 managed and franchised hotels in nine countries, including key markets like Paris, Amsterdam and Brussels.
Miserez started working in the hospitality industry in 1990 after completing his MBA at EU. The university helped him attain traineeships in Paris with the Ramada Renaissance Group (today part of the Marriott Group), at their West Europe regional sales and marketing office. His first “real job” with Marriott was at the Paris Marriott Prince de Galles, on Avenue George V in Paris.
“As night manager, I had to know about everything: checking people in, playing concierge, carrying luggage, assisting security…. but that is the best school. In my two and a half years there, I learned the job from the bottom up.”
Since he started, Miserez has held different positions in 10 different locations. He has been Vice President Finance for Europe; Area Finance Director for the Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia regions; opening Director of Finance for the Mallorca Marriott Resort and the Vacation Club; as well as opening Director of Finance for the Paris Marriott Hotel.
As to what has kept him with the company all these years, Miserez says: “At Marriott, people come first, like family. That has always been the case, for more than 85 years, since John Willard Marriott opened a root beer stand in Washington DC in 1927, which grew and became the foundation of what is now one of the largest hospitality management groups in the world.”
