Speaker Biographies
THRIVE
Three days of market insight, investment discussion, founder-led exchange and hospitality experiences across Dubai.
Andre Gerschel
Section Chief, Abu Dhabi Culinary Investment Fund
Andre is a relentlessly passionate F&B developer, fixer and self starter with a focus on excellence, scaleability, and talent retention.
Currently responsible for growing several brands across the region with over 16 years of experience in the G.C.C.
Native New Yorker, passionate cook, Thai boxer, coffee addict, enthusiastic but mostly terrible dancer.
My Philosophy: We are drawn to this hard industry because we find it deeply satisfying to take care of people. I believe true hospitality occurs when we make customers feel confident we are on their side. That we have thought deeply about what it is they want to experience and that we are eager to listen and adjust our homes to make them feel at home.
I believe strongly that there are no shortcuts in this industry. To grow you have to start from the bottom. There are only two things that separate the good from the truly great in our business. The first is a sense of urgency and the second is perpetual motion. Good Culture makes money.
If you master those two things this industry will take you on an incredible lifetime adventure.
Core competencies are legal contract review, government relationships, project management, lease negotiations, licensing and fran- chising, corporate governance, pre-opening operations, scaling.