Michael Levie

I gained my Master's degree in Hospitality at ESSEC Business School in 1983, where I developed a passion for innovative hospitality solutions and strategic operations management. This foundation in world-class hospitality education has enabled me to shape and drive transformative projects throughout my career.

I began my professional journey with Sonesta Hotels, where I spent 18 years honing my leadership skills as Vice President of Operations. During my tenure, I oversaw the development and implementation of operational standards across various properties, driving both guest satisfaction and profitability. Following this, I joined NH Hoteles as a Country Director for the Netherlands, Belgium, and International markets, where I managed multiple locations, leading teams and projects for over three years.

In 2005, I co-founded citizenM, where I served as the Chief Operations Officer for 17 years. At citizenM, I focused on creating a unique hospitality experience based on new and forward-thinking business processes centred around affordable luxury, innovation, and guest experience. My role included creating, overseeing operations, scaling the business, and ensuring we consistently delivered exceptional service across all our properties Worldwide.

Currently, I am the Principal and Owner of SMARELS, a hospitality advisory firm where I provide consulting on hotel concept development, service composition, and configuration. In this role, I also serve on various boards, advisory boards and advise companies, including Neom, PWC Middle East, IreckonU, Scandic, Mr. Green, EHL, Hotel.School, Quo-global, PreJax, and Kay Sake, helping to steer these companies towards sustainable growth and excellence.

My diverse experience across hospitality operations, concept development, and leadership roles allows me to contribute to the future of the industry by implementing innovative strategies that push the boundaries of traditional hotel service models.