Faculty

After graduating from business school, Mr. Bruno Dard began his career in the watch industry and spent 20 years developing luxury watch brands. After eight years of strategic brand building for companies such as Frédérique Constant and Alpina Geneva, he became an executive board member at Hermès, elevating the watch division by establishing clearer product offer and a more selective distribution network.

Having received her Master in Art History in the Netherlands, Ms. Angharad Elliott first worked in the art industry; she was involved in a stolen art research project, focusing on Holocaust stolen art. After moving to Switzerland, she originally joined Swiss Education Group as an English teacher, before moving on to teach Art History to our undergraduates.

After pursuing a BA in European Business Studies, Ms. Linda Hurlimann kicked off her career traveling throughout Europe organizing MICE events. She holds a master's degree  in intercultural communication and currently divides her time between teaching cultural diversity and business ethics,  and completing a PGD in Applied and Professional Ethics from Leeds University.

Dr. Ruby Khurdi is an award-winning innovative educationist, TEDx speaker, emotional intelligence expert, and acclaimed international keynote speaker. She joined HIM in 2018 and her teaching style focuses on gamification, team-building, and perceptual learning. She holds PGCert in Higher Education from Derby University, UK and Doctorate in Business Administration from American University in Switzerland.

After working for over 25 years as a Desk Manager and Bonds, Equities, and Derivatives Broker, Mr. Denis Klotz joined Hotel Institute Montreux in 2020. He has an MBA in Finance from the University of Hartford and completed programs in Finance from IMD Lausanne and in FinTech from Harvard Business School. He is an expert for the “Bilateral Assistance and Capacity Building for Central Banks" program funded by Swiss SECO.

Having graduated from EHL, the University of Derby, and Cornell University, Mr. Edouard Louapre has spent the past 7 years teaching management. He has managed a hotel in the past and worked in various positions in luxury hotels all over Europe. He is committed to inspiring others to undertake lifelong learning and continuous self-improvement.

Dr. David McPartland has more than 15 years of experience as a lecturer and facilitator. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Hotel and Catering Management, a Masters in Corporate Strategy  and People Management, and a Doctor of Education. He has a diverse business background spanning across multiple industries from travel and tourism, advertising, to the education sector.

Roberto Medda holds a PhD in Law from the University of Eastern Piedmont (Italy). An expert in constitutional, administrative, and comparative law, Dr. Medda has conducted research in the United Kingdom (University of Southampton), France (Université Grenoble Alpes), and Switzerland (Swiss Institute of Comparative Law) on various topics, including urban governance and freedom of information regulations.

Mr. Gedeon Tumong is a Doctor in Business Administration (DBA) candidate, and is completing a Master in Public Finance from the University of Lausanne. He holds a MBA from Schiller International University, certificates in Market Intelligence and Financial Regulations from New York Stock Exchange, and the Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington DC. He has worked for international organizations such as the UN and Texaco Oil and founded a car dealership.

Having received his BA in Linguistics and teaching qualification in the UK, Mr. Ben Smith moved to Switzerland and joined Swiss Education Group as a lecturer and course developer in the English Foundation Program. After over five years developing and teaching on the program, he completed his MA in Higher Education, before moving onto his current position, where he teaches Applied Business Research and Business Communications to first year students on HIM’s BBA program.

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.

Ms. Marie Tirvengadum holds a Bachelor in Language Studies from the University of Essex and a Postgraduate Certificate in International Business from the University of North London. Throughout her studies she worked in the restaurant sector and eventually managed a restaurant chain. She also worked in banking in the UK and after moving to Switzerland she joined Kestrel SA - a wealth management company. She joined the Career Services Department at IHTTI, School of Hotel Management and has ten years of experience in career coaching.

Ms. Alyaa Fathi has been working for over seven years in the hospitality & event management sectors in the Gulf region & Europe. She holds an MBA from the American University in Switzerland and is certified in Train the Trainer, Event Management & Wedding Planning. Her professional experience has covered fields such as international enrolment and student recruitment in higher education, and Catering & Sales for five-star properties such as the Four Seasons in Milan, Marriot Hotel in Doha, and launched soft & grand opening Fairmont Hotel in UAE.