Bernd A. Zängle hands over to Holger Flory

Bernd A. Zängle retired at the end of February 2021 after 33 years as a Hotel Director at Steigenberger Hotels AG. Mr. Zängle’s most recent role was as Director of the Steigenberger Graf Zeppelin in Stuttgart, a position to which he was appointed in 2017. During his tenure, the “Olivo” Restaurant managed by Head Chef Anton Gschwendtner was able to secure a second Michelin star. Zängle is to be succeeded by the Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof’s Director Commercial Holger Flory, who will take up the reins with effect from 1 April 2021.

“Bernd Zängle has headed up numerous hotels at Steigenberger over the course of the past decades,” said Denis Hüttig, Vice President Operations, Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts. “His inventiveness and commitment have left a lasting mark, and the Steigenberger Graf Zeppelin has undergone particularly impressive development during his time of leadership. For us, Holger Flory represents an ideal choice as the next General Manager of the Steigenberger Graf Zeppelin. He offers a wealth of experience in the high-end and luxury hotel sectors. He is extremely well acquainted with our company and will ensure that the success story at the Steigenberger Graf Zeppelin continues. We would also like to thank Christiane Welt, Deputy Director of the Steigenberger Graf Zeppelin, who was interim manager of the hotel. We are pleased that she will remain with H World International in her current position.”

Bernd Zängle launched his career at H World International in 1988, when he became Director of the Steigenberger Duisburger Hof. He had already headed the Steigenberger Graf Zeppelin as General Manager between 1993 and 2011 and returned to Stuttgart in 2017 after spending five years as Director of the Steigenberger Hotel Hamburg. Whilst at the Steigenberger Graf Zeppelin, Mr. Zängle was significantly involved in determining the conceptual approach for the further development of the hotel. His most effective PR coup probably came during the 2006 Football World Cup, when he arranged for a giant banner to be unfurled across the façade of the building to welcome the German soccer team back from their third-place play-off. He was also able to persuade the players to make an appearance at the windows of the banqueting suite.

In his capacity as Director Commercial, Holger Flory has been co-responsible for the strategic management and alignment of the Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof since 2018. After completing initial training as a hotel specialist, Mr. Flory worked as a Sales Manager for Steigenberger Hotels AG between 1997 and 2000. He subsequently held Key Account Manager and Director of Sales & Marketing positions at employers which included InterContinental and Rocco Forte. He was appointed Hotel Manager at The Charles Hotel in Munich in 2007 before moving to the Althoff Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg as General Manager in 2013. Prior to his return to Steigenberger Hotels AG, in 2016 Mr. Flory became the General Manager in charge of pre-opening and opening at Roomers in Baden-Baden.