News

A new General Manager runs the Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko from the beginning of September 2019. Christian Ruge has already been introduced in the hotel by his predecessor Natalia Kashirskaya and welcomed by Bansko's  Mayor Georgi Ikonomov.

The German besides his native language speaks fluent English and has good skills in Spanish and French. He holds a Master Degree in Business Administration from the University of Wales and is certified in Rooms and Strategic Management by the renowned Cornell American University.

46-year-old Ruge has over 25 years of experience in the tourism industry with extensive proficiency gained across 4 continents (Europe, North America, Africa and Asia) – in Germany, USA, Poland, Egypt, China, UAE and Saudi Arabia.

He joined the family of Europe’s oldest and most luxurious hotel chain in 2012 as Manager of Kempinski Hotel Airport Munich and soon afterwards was promoted to General Manager of Kempinski Taiyuan in China. In 2017, he ran a hotel in the United Arab Emirates. His last appointment before his arrival in Bansko was as General Manager of Burj Rafal Kempinski Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The German’s career started at Intercontinental Frankfurt. In 2001 it continued overseas as an Assistant Manager at Intercontinental New York and in 2003 he returned to his home country where he was working as Assistant Front Office Manager at Intercontinental Berlin and Revenue Manager at Hotel Le Meridien Munich. His professional career continues in the luxury French hotel chain Sofitel where he has worked for over 8 years in Germany, Poland and Egypt.

Christian Ruge is the 8th General Manager in the 14-year history of the Kempinski Grand Arena Bansko and the 4th German to head it. The first manager of the iconic hotel is also German – Konstantin Zeuke heads it from its opening in January 2005 to the autumn of 2007. He was succeeded by his compatriot Andrea Muegge, who headed Kempinski in Bansko only one winter season – from November 2007 to May 2008, the Italian Marco Terzini (May 2008 – May 2009), the Swiss Orlando Stefani– who held the position the longest (May 2009 – November 2012), and the Greek Athanassios Manos (November 2012 – June 2015). Chronologically, the last to lead Kempinski before Natalia Kashirskaya was the German Karsten Seubert (June 2015 – September 2017). The Russian, who was only the second lady in the 5-star position under Todorka peak, showed style and class during her 2-year tenure, with some of the hotel industry’s most prestigious awards entering the storefront. Now Ms. Kashirskaya is leaving for the best Swiss ski resort Verbier, which from the new winter season will partner with Bansko. There she intends to pay attention to her personal life.
 







Source: Bansko Utre Weekly