At the kind invitation of Mauro Santinato of Teamwork Hospitality, on September 23, 2021, in Milan, Italy, Piers Schmidt appeared alongside his friends Filip Boyen, CEO Forbes Travel Guide, Mauro Governato, General Manager, The Peninsula, Paris, and Luca Finardi, VP Mandarin Oriental, Italy.

Each panellist contributed to an International Overview during a very well received session moderated by veteran hotelier Claudio Ceccherelli, General Manager, Park Hyatt, Paris-Vendôme.

Topics discussed by the lively foursome, which was staged at Milan’s magnificent Palazzo Delle Stelline, included the proposition that the positioning of an exclusive luxury hotel brand is much easier than the positioning of the luxury brand of a multi brand hotel chain, the three rules that define the storytelling of an exclusive hotel and whether it is best to be better or to be different?

The event was preceded by a wonderful evening reception hosted by Andrea Obertello, General Manager of The Four Seasons, Milan.