Christoph Karl Franzen

Christoph Karl Franzen (born January 30, 1971), professionally known as Chris K. Franzen, is a Swiss hospitality professional, consultant, entrepreneur, chef, and sommelier. He is the managing director of the Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne.
Early life and education
Christoph Karl Franzen was born to Stephan Anton Franzen and Verena Hildegard Franzen (née Iten), both Swiss nationals. He was raised in Zermatt, a Swiss alpine village near Mount Matterhorn. Growing up in his family's hotel, Franzen was exposed to the hospitality industry from an early age.
He completed his schooling in Switzerland and later completed apprenticeships to become a certified Chef and Sommelier. Franzen pursued higher education at the Australian International Hotel School in Canberra and completed a Bachelor of Business from Cornell University in Ithaca, USA 1999.
Career
Early career
Franzen began his career with a chef apprenticeship at Gourmet Restaurant Wart in Hünenberg, Switzerland, in 1986, followed by a sommelier apprenticeship at Hotel and Restaurant La Porte d'Octodure in Martigny. By 1991, he transitioned into management roles, including Food & Beverage Manager at Gourmet Restaurant Glashof and Director of Food & Beverage at Kofler Inn Side in Germany, where he oversaw several pre-opening projects. He later gained international experience with roles in the U.S. and Australia, including at The Inn on Fifth and Hotel Kurrajong.
Chris joined Hyatt in 1999 and worked at the Hyatt Regency Dubai, followed by Grand Hyatt Muscat, Park Hyatt Moscow, Grand Hyatt Dubai, the Grand Hyatt Doha Hotel & Villas, the Grand Hyatt Mumbai Hotel & Residences in India till 2021. During his time with Hyatt, he held several senior corporate positions and was Area Vice President for Qatar and Oman, followed by an appointment as Area Vice President in India, managing one of the largest Hyatt portfolios outside the United States.
In 2022, Franzen served as General Manager at Waldorf Astoria Lusail Doha, opening the hotel ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2022.
In April 2024, Franzen became managing director of Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne, owned by Katara Hospitality and is a Qatari sovereign wealth fund. The same year, he hosted and managed the Ukraine Peace Summit, Switzerland's largest political conference.
Consulting
Franzen is the CEO of Aureus Advisors LLC, where he provides luxury hospitality consulting.
Board appointments, advisory, and consultation work
Chris currently serves on the board of Swiss Deluxe Hotels, the Della Leaders Club for the Hospitality & Travel Committee in India, and the Alumni Board of the Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School. He is an appointed Ambassador of Tourism for the Swiss Alpine Resort of Zermatt and does consultancy work for Guidepoint Advisors. He previously was published on Horizon Hospitality and served as a board member for the Indo American Chamber of Commerce in India.
Publications
Blogs and papers
* Learning from the COVID-19 Crisis
* Emerging Leaders During a Crisis
Awards
* Business Excellence Award, 2017<ref name":2" /><ref name":5" />
* Newcomer of the Year, by the Karl Wild Hotel Rating in Switzerland, 2024.
* GM's Power List Middle East, included as an industry leader by Hotelier Middle East, 2023.<ref name":6" /><ref name":7" />
Recognition
Franzen was featured in Schweiz Aktuell for managing Switzerland's largest political conference, the Ukraine Peace Summit (2024). He starred in the documentary Abenteuer am Golf, broadcast on Swiss and German national TV. He has been a guest on Michigan's Big Show and Swiss National Radio, discussing topics ranging from crisis management to luxury hospitality. Franzen was featured as a guest of honor with the Zermatt Hoteliers Association.
Personal life
Franzen has been married since 2001. They have two children, who are dual Swiss and Australian nationals. The family has lived in the UAE, Oman, Qatar, India and Switzerland.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu