The Deanship’s objective is to ensure that education and scholarship at EHL are progressive and of the finest quality. Embracing the pioneering spirit of EHL, the Deanship promotes the development of new programs that meet industry needs and champions the EHL’s position as a leading academic institution.
EHL's Deanship:
Executive Dean
The first woman and youngest person to hold the position since the creation of the school in 1893, Dr Inès Blal assumed the deanship in August 2017. Inès holds a PhD in Strategic Management in Hospitality and Tourism from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, an MBA in Hospitality Administration from Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, and a bachelor’s degree in International Business from the INSEEC Group.
Dr Inès Blal joined EHL in 2006, as a lecturer, while she was completing her doctoral dissertation. She designed and taught undergraduate, graduate, and executive courses and managed multiple applied research and consulting projects for the hotel industry. During her eleven years of experience in research and teaching strategic management for the hospitality industry, Dr Inès Blal served as the co-director of Graduate Studies and held an active role in the steering committees overseeing EHL programs. She gained expertise in curriculum development, implementation of innovative teaching practices, academic governance, and program accreditation in Europe, North Africa, and the United States.
Her research and consulting works focus on the asset light model, the execution of expansion strategies, the financing possibilities for small and medium hotels, and the effect of distribution choices on sales performance. Inès publishes in the leading hospitality journals, collaborates with executives and presents at industry conferences. Prior to her academic career, Inès worked in the catering business and joined the board of a hotel group in 2004.
Associate Dean, Undergraduate Programs
Associate Dean of Practical Arts Programs
Mr Patrick Ogheard has a dual path combining industry experience and academia. A trained chef with a Master’s Degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management, Patrick has worked for over 20 years in France and abroad, with renowned chefs such as Jacques Maximin or Alain Ducasse for whom he wrote “Les Grand Livre d’Alain Ducasse”; a reference work. Naturally attracted by the transmission of knowledge, Mr Patrick Ogheard then turns to academic activities. In 1990, he opened the Training Center Alain Ducasse and in 1990, he set up the operational part at the opening of the Paul Bocuse Institute Research Center.
Mr Patrick Ogheard has been working at Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne since 2012, and was part of various projects such as the revision of the Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality (SSTH) ES program. He also took over the responsibility of the DHR program for two years and is now a member of the Deanship as Associate Dean of Practical Arts. Patrick is also passionate about applied research, and regularly collaborates on several projects in this field with stakeholders in the agri-food industry.
Associate Dean Graduate Programs
Dr Achim Schmitt is a Full Professor at Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne and Associate Dean of Graduate Programs. He led the creation of three new Graduate Programs; the MSc Global Hospitality Business, the blended MBA in Hospitality, and the Hospitality EMBA. Dr Achim Schmitt holds a PhD from the University of Geneva, obtained his Habilitation at the University of Paris-Dauphine in France, and is a Visiting Professor at the University of Geneva as well as an Associate Researcher at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland. Before joining the academic world, Dr Achim Schmitt was a strategy consultant for 4 years in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. He has gained academic experience at Audencia Business School in Nantes (France), Columbia Business School (USA), HEC University of Geneva (Switzerland), Universidad de Los Andes in Bogota (Colombia) and China Europe International Business School (CEIBS, China).
Dr Achim Schmitt’s research focuses on organization theory and strategic management, with particular interest in organizational ambidexterity, organizational decline, corporate turnarounds and strategic renewal. His articles and papers have been published in diverse outlets including the International Journal of Management Research, Journal of Management Studies, Long Range Planning, and Management Learning. He currently serves on the scientific board of the International Association of Strategic Management (France) and the Editorial Board at Long Range Planning.
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