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MEININGER is pleased to announce the following executive appointments commencing on 4th October 2016

• Michael Gies – Chief Financial Officer
• Boris Jaster –General Counsel

Michael (photo: left) joins MEININGER with many years experience in international Finance in various types of industries. His most recent role as Group CFO for the Hess Group headquartered in Luxembourg where he was responsible for overseeing the finance, HR, IT, Supply Chain and Risk Management functions with all local CFO’s reporting directly into him. His achievements include business turnarounds, company transformation, financial optimisation, tax restructuring and working with major financial institutions for M&A and refinancing opportunities. Michael’s financial credentials are impeccable and with his proven track record and deep understanding of business operations he will play a significant role on the Board and in helping MEININGER deliver its plans for growth.

Michael holds a Master’s Degree in Science Business Administration, Economics from the University of Cologne, Germany and a MBA INSEAD, Fontainebleau.

Boris (photo: right) has over 12 years professional experience with his areas of expertise including litigation, arbitration, corporate law, M&A, compliance and building law. Most recently, Boris was Director of Legal & Chief Compliance Officer for Tele Columbus AG in Berlin, where he was responsible for contract negotiations, EU transactions, due diligence and SPA negotiations. In his role as GC for MEININGER, Boris will take responsibility for a wide array of legal issues including estate, corporate and commercial law as well as providing support in employment, compliance and regulatory matters.

Boris gained his professional qualifications with the Legal Examination Court in Berlin.

Michael and Boris bring highly relevant, complementary and a strong professional perspective to the senior leadership team. Both positions report to the CEO, Hannes Spanring; and Michael Gies will also sit on the MEININGER Board.

About MEININGER hotels

MEININGER is a subsidiary of Holidaybreak Ltd, a travel group specialising in educational and activity holidays in Europe. Holidaybreak Ltd is, in turn, a subsidiary of Prometheon Holdings (UK) Ltd, which is a part of Cox & Kings Ltd. Cox & Kings Ltd is listed on the National Stock Exchange, the BSE Ltd and also on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.

MEININGER is a unique hotel product that combines the service and comfort of an international budget hotel with exceptional facilities, such as a guest kitchen and a games zone. The central location, top-quality furnishings and fair prices appeal to people of all ages and backgrounds. With the right dose of MEININGER humour and an enthusiastic team, MEININGER Hotels become a real home from home for their guests from all over the world.

The bedrooms range from classical double rooms, via multiple-bed private rooms through to a bed in a dorm room. The hotels are tailored and adapted to the specific location and market the hotel is catering for. The unique and flexible design of each hotel makes it possible to appeal to a wide range of target groups, such as school groups, families, individual travellers and corporate guests.

MEININGER currently operates 16 low-budget hotels in Europe, with a total of 7,025 beds in 10 European cities (1 x Amsterdam, 4 x in Berlin, 1 x Brussels, 2 x Frankfurt/Main, 1 x Hamburg, 1 x Cologne, 1 x London, 1 x Munich, 1 x Salzburg, 3 x Vienna). Contracts for 9 new hotels, with a total of 6,495 beds, in Barcelona, Budapest, Munich, Amsterdam, Rome, Paris, 2 x Berlin and Leipzig have already been signed.

The group has its headquarters in Berlin.

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Eva Bachmann has held the new position of Director Acquisitions and Strategy at MEININGER Hotels since August this year. In addition, she has also assumed the function of Executive Assistant to the CEO and in both functions, she works closely together with Hannes Spanring, CEO of the company, from the London Office. The focus is on both the strategic positioning of MEININGER Hotels and its expansion. Ms Bachmann heads the Hotel Group’s acquisitions and is thus strongly involved in all new hotel deals. The aim is to expand the MEININGER portfolio to about 40 hotels in the next 3 years. In this regard, the focus is no longer only on Europe – possibilities for an expansion to North America and Asia are also being sounded out.

Eva Bachmann has been working for MEININGER Hotels in the Development segment since 2013. She joined the company as Development Manager, built up the Development Team and in 2015 was appointed to the new function of Acquisition and Strategy Manager.

Ms Bachmann has previously worked as Senior Analyst at CBRE Hotels in London in the area of Asset Management, Consultation and Acquisition Strategy for 3 years. 

About MEININGER hotels

MEININGER is a subsidiary of Holidaybreak Ltd, a travel group specialising in educational and activity holidays in Europe. Holidaybreak Ltd is, in turn, a subsidiary of Prometheon Holdings (UK) Ltd, which is a part of Cox & Kings Ltd. Cox & Kings Ltd is listed on the National Stock Exchange, the BSE Ltd and also on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.

MEININGER is a unique hotel product that combines the service and comfort of an international budget hotel with exceptional facilities, such as a guest kitchen and a games zone. The central location, top-quality furnishings and fair prices appeal to people of all ages and backgrounds. With the right dose of MEININGER humour and an enthusiastic team, MEININGER Hotels become a real home from home for their guests from all over the world.

The bedrooms range from classical double rooms, via multiple-bed private rooms through to a bed in a dorm room. The hotels are tailored and adapted to the specific location and market the hotel is catering for. The unique and flexible design of each hotel makes it possible to appeal to a wide range of target groups, such as school groups, families, individual travellers and corporate guests.

MEININGER currently operates 16 low-budget hotels in Europe, with a total of 7,025 beds in 10 European cities (1 x Amsterdam, 4 x in Berlin, 1 x Brussels, 2 x Frankfurt/Main, 1 x Hamburg, 1 x Cologne, 1 x London, 1 x Munich, 1 x Salzburg, 3 x Vienna). Contracts for 9 new hotels, with a total of 6,495 beds, in Barcelona, Budapest, Munich, Amsterdam, Rome, Paris, 2 x Berlin and Leipzig have already been signed.

The group has its headquarters in Berlin.

DIRECT LINK

MEININGER Hotels will open a hotel in close proximity to Leipzig's main station at the beginning of 2017. The former ibis Hotel from the Accor Group will be converted in accordance with MEININGER standards and will ultimately have 404 beds available in 126 rooms.

The hotel is located in the centre of Leipzig and is the perfect starting point from which to explore the city. Numerous places of interest, such as the opera, the Gewandhaus concert hall, or the publishing district are in the immediate vicinity of the hotel. There is also an enormous range of shops. The important shopping streets Petersstraße, Grimmaischer Straße and Hainstraße are just a short walk away. Owing to its proximity to the main station, the hotel can be easily reached on public transport.

The existing building and the former ibis Leipzig City will be developed in accordance with MEININGER standards. The hotel was closed in March 2016 and, after a thorough refurbishment, it will re-open as a MEININGER hotel. The building has a gross floor area of 4,102 sq m and will have 126 rooms and 404 beds available across 8 storeys. The well-appointed rooms will have a TV, free wifi, USB sockets and en-suite bathrooms with high-quality fittings. The flexible room structure of MEININGER Hotels means that the accommodation options will range from traditional double rooms through private rooms with multiple beds right down to a bed in a shared dorm room. All the public spaces, such as the lobby, lounge, bar, breakfast room and terrace will be located on the ground floor of the building, as will the guest kitchen and games zone, which are also typical features of a MEININGER hotel. In the well-equipped guest kitchen customers will be able to prepare their own meals at any time, day or night. Moreover, the kitchen will also have a washing machine and a dryer.

Art in Progress

The design of each MEININGER hotel is based on a specific theme. In this way a place of warm personality emerges where guests feel comfortable and willing to share their experiences. In Leipzig, the basis for the local connection was, in particular, the diverse and modern art and cultural scene, which inspired the 'Art in Progress' theme. This will be realised by the architects Bruzkus Batek Architekten who are responsible for the planning and implementation of this project's interior design.

MEININGER currently operates 16 hotels in 10 European cities and is still on course for expansion with the target of having a presence in all the important large European cities within the next few years. The unique MEININGER concept is based on combining the service and comfort of a hotel with the relaxed atmosphere of a hostel: a central location, high-quality furnishings, flexible room structure and fair prices. The MEININGER hotel in Leipzig is an excellent addition to the MEININGER portfolio.

About MEININGER hotels

MEININGER is a subsidiary of Holidaybreak Ltd, a travel group specialising in educational and activity holidays. Holidaybreak Ltd is a subsidiary of Prometheon Holdings (UK) Ltd, which is a part of Cox & Kings Ltd. Cox & Kings Ltd is listed on the National Stock Exchange, the BSE Ltd and also on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.

MEININGER is a unique hotel product that combines the service and comfort of an international budget hotel with extra facilities, such as a guest kitchen and a games zone. The central location, high quality furnishings and fair prices appeal to people of all ages and backgrounds. With the right dose of MEININGER humour and an enthusiastic team, MEININGER hotels with their guests from all over the world become a real home from home.

The bedrooms range from traditional double rooms through private rooms with multiple beds right down to a bed in a dorm room. The hotels are tailored and adapted to the specific location and the market served by the hotel. The unique and flexible design of each hotel makes it possible to appeal to various target groups alike, such as school groups, families, individual travellers and corporate guests.

MEININGER currently operates 16 low budget hotels in Europe, with a total of 7,025 beds in 10 European cities (1x Amsterdam, 4 x in Berlin, 1 x Brussels, 2 x Frankfurt/Main, 1 x Hamburg, 1 x Cologne, 1 x London, 1 x Munich, 1 x Salzburg, 3 x Vienna). Contracts for 9 new hotels, with a total of 6,090 beds, in Barcelona, Budapest, Munich, Amsterdam, Rome, Paris, 2x Berlin and now also Leipzig, have already been signed.

The group is headquartered in Berlin.

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John joins the MEININGER team after more than fifteen years of experience in senior management positions. He has served as the Director of Administration at both the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organisation in Vienna (CTBTO) and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague (OPCW), as well as in management positions at the U.S. Department of State. He has a reputation for leading without micromanaging, supporting colleagues to continually develop their skills, encouraging staff to look for ways to work more efficiently, and delegating responsibility (as well as accountability) to where it belongs. John will join the Management team and will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

About MEININGER

MEININGER is a subsidiary of Holidaybreak Ltd, the European Education & Leisure specialist activity travel group. Holidaybreak Ltd is a subsidiary of Prometheon Holdings (UK) Ltd, which is a part of Cox & Kings Ltd. Cox & Kings Ltd is listed on National Stock Exchange and BSE Ltd and also on Luxembourg Stock Exchange.

MEININGER provides the service and comfort of an international budget hotel with a combination of regular and multi-bedded rooms, guest kitchens and game zones. The central location, high quality furnishings and good value appeal to a variety of business and leisure customers. With innovative design and an enthusiastic team supporting it, MEININGER hotels provide a unique hotel experience that has proven popular with guests from across the world.

The bedrooms range from traditional double rooms through to rooms with multiple beds and dormitories, and are tailored and adapted to the particular target market the hotel is catering to in a specific location. The unique layout and design of a MEININGER Hotel enables it to cater equally to school groups, families, individual travellers and corporate guests.

MEININGER currently operates 16 hotels in Europe, with a total of 7,025 Beds in 10 European cities including Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, London, Munich, Salzburg and Vienna. MEININGER has now signed an additional 8 hotels with 5680 beds which are under development in Barcelona, Budapest, Paris, Munich, Amsterdam, Rome and 2x Berlin.

The group is headquartered in Berlin.

DIRECT LINK

MEININGER hotels is pleased to announce changes to its Board with immediate effect. Navneet Bali has been promoted to Chairman, Hannes Spanring becomes new CEO of MEININGER Hotels and Clare Gates joins the Board as Human Resources Director.

Navneet Bali, formerly the Company’s CEO has been promoted to Chairman. With MEININGER’s ambitious organic growth plans, this opportunity will allow him to provide the strategic direction and guidance to the Board. Navneet, providing his many years of in depth industry knowledge and expertise will enable MEININGER to continue on its path of growth both organically and through acquisition.

Hannes Spanring, formerly Managing Director and Head of Projects, takes over the reins as Chief Executive Officer for MEININGER with the Senior Executive Team and Business Development reporting directly into him. Hannes joined MEININGER in 2012 and has a wealth of commercial experience particularly in project selection, acquisition and development across Europe and Asia. With his impressive track record, Hannes brings invaluable know-how in his new role as CEO and together with his knowledge of commerce and international markets he will lead the business and direct the strategy in line with the exciting plans for MEININGER. 

Clare Gates, joins the Board as Human Resources Director. Clare has over 20 years HR experience where most recently she worked for LateRooms.com as their HR Director. Her previous experience includes leading global HR functions within technology, engineering & manufacturing sectors. It is Clare’s aim to create a positive and collaborative working environment building on the transformation of MEININGER’s business and culture where engagement, succession planning and talent management will help drive commercial success.

Peter Kerkar, Director, Cox & Kings says: “We are extremely fortunate at having such a talented team of executives taking MEININGER through its next phase of growth, and I have the utmost confidence in Hannes’s ability to make a significant impact in the role of CEO, working closely with the management team and the Board under Navneet’s guidance the team will continue to drive growth and excellence, executing our strategic plans and delivering value to the organisation and most importantly, our customers.”

About MEININGER

MEININGER is a subsidiary of Holidaybreak Ltd, the European Education & Leisure specialist activity travel group. Holidaybreak Ltd is a subsidiary of Prometheon Holdings (UK) Ltd, which is a part of Cox & Kings Ltd. Cox & Kings Ltd is listed on National Stock Exchange and BSE Ltd and also on Luxembourg Stock Exchange.

MEININGER provides the service and comfort of an international budget hotel with a combination of regular and multi-bedded rooms, guest kitchens and game zones. The central location, high quality furnishings and good value appeal to a variety of business and leisure customers. With innovative design and an enthusiastic team supporting it, MEININGER hotels provide a unique hotel experience that has proven popular with guests from across the world.

The bedrooms range from traditional double rooms through to rooms with multiple beds and dormitories, and are tailored and adapted to the particular target market the hotel is catering to in a specific location. The unique layout and design of a MEININGER Hotel enables it to cater equally to school groups, families, individual travellers and corporate guests.

MEININGER currently operates 16 hotels in Europe, with a total of 7,025 Beds in 10 European cities including Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, London, Munich, Salzburg and Vienna. MEININGER has now signed an additional 8 hotels with 5680 beds which are under development in Barcelona, Budapest, Paris, Munich, Amsterdam, Rome and 2x Berlin.

The group is headquartered in Berlin.

DIRECT LINK