Meet our leaders

Ajit Menon was appointed CEO of MEININGER Hotels in June 2020, leading the company’s strategic growth across Europe. He brings more than 30 years of experience in finance and hospitality, including senior roles at American Express and Holidaybreak, where he worked with leading British travel brands and rose to Deputy CEO. Ajit also founded and successfully sold a boutique corporate finance house specializing in M&A and equity raising. 

At MEININGER, Ajit focuses on expanding the hybrid hotel concept and strengthening the brand’s position in the market. Ajit holds extensive international leadership experience and is passionate about building high-performing teams that deliver sustainable growth.

Thomas Hagemann was appointed to the Executive Committee as Chief Operating Officer of MEININGER Hotels in August 2018. He oversees operational strategy and ensures the smooth launch and performance of MEININGER Hotels. He has extensive global hospitality experience, having worked with Marriott, Starwood, and Radisson Hotel Group in both corporate and operational roles. Thomas has led hotel openings in more than 30 countries and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMI) with a specialization in pre-openings. 

At MEININGER, Thomas focuses on optimizing operational excellence, supporting the company’s growth strategy, and implementing efficient processes across new and existing hotels. Thomas brings strong cross-functional leadership and proven expertise in managing complex projects in diverse cultural environments.

Malin Widmarc-Nilsson joined MEININGER Hotels in 2015 as Head of Commerce and was appointed to the Executive Committee as Vice President Commerce in November 2021. She leads the Commercial division, overseeing Sales, Group Sales, Marketing, Revenue and Central Reservations, a structure she originally developed and continues to expand. Malin brings more than 25 years of international experience in sales and marketing with leading hotel brands including Accor, Dorint, Pullman, Nikko and Westin, as well as multi-brand franchise operators. Earlier in her career she worked in operations across Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, the USA and Germany, giving her broad global expertise. 

At MEININGER, Malin plays a key role in driving growth and positioning the brand as a leader in the hybrid hospitality sector.

Vivian Schneider joined MEININGER Hotels in January 2021 as Head of Finance and was appointed to the Executive Committee as Vice President Finance in April 2022. She leads the company’s Finance function and oversees Accounting, Tax, Financial Planning & Analysis and Group Reporting with teams in Germany, Italy, and the UK. Vivian has played a key role in restructuring and rebuilding the Finance team, strengthening processes, and ensuring stability during a period of growth and transformation. With more than 30 years of international finance experience, she has held senior leadership roles across Europe, Asia, and North America. 

At MEININGER, Vivian focuses on ensuring financial resilience, driving efficiency, and supporting the company’s continued expansion.

Nicolas Capelle joined MEININGER Hotels in September 2015 as Head of Development Europe and was appointed to the Executive Committee as Vice President Development & Asset Management in 2021. He has been instrumental in more than doubling MEININGER’s portfolio in recent years while successfully entering new European markets. Before joining MEININGER, Nicolas was Development Director at Motel One for France and the Benelux, managing the full development process. He also worked as a Consultant at PKF hotelexperts in Vienna and gained operational experience at Hilton Brussels. 

At MEININGER, Nicolas drives portfolio growth and strengthens partnerships with landlords and investors.

Rick Medford joined MEININGER Hotels in 2019 as Head of IT and was appointed to Executive Committee in August 2022. As Vice President Change Management & Technology he leads the group’s IT strategy and transformation projects, driving efficiency and ensuring business processes keep pace with the digitalisation of the hotel industry. Before joining MEININGER, Rick gained extensive corporate and consulting experience in software-based change management projects. He held senior positions at organisations including Marks & Spencer and Vertex Data Science and worked as an independent consultant to Sainsbury’s and Domino’s Pizza. 

At MEININGER, Rick focuses on optimising systems and processes to support growth, safeguard quality, and enhance the guest experience.

Laura Moreno joined MEININGER Hotels in October 2024 as Senior Director People and was appointed to the Executive Committee in 2025 as Vice President People. She brings more than 15 years of international HR leadership experience, with expertise in talent acquisition, employee development, and cultural transformation. Before MEININGER, Laura worked in global technology companies, where she implemented strategies to optimize HR processes. She also has strong roots in hospitality, having held senior HR roles with Azimut Hotels across Europe and earlier with Hilton Hotels in London. 

At MEININGER, Laura focuses on building a people strategy that supports growth, enhances employee engagement, and strengthens company culture.