InterContinental Athénée Palace Bucharest welcomes Freddy Schenk as Director of Operations: Revolutionizing guest experiences with strategic upgrades

InterContinental Athénée Palace Bucharest proudly announces the appointment of Fridtjof Schenk as the new Director of Operations. With a wealth of international experience and a proven track record of excellence, Freddy is poised to lead key projects at the hotel, including the renovation of the SPA, the enhancement of the restaurant and bar offerings, and the continued optimization of daily operations to elevate guest satisfaction.

Freddy’s career began in Germany and spans leadership roles in the United Arab Emirates, the Seychelles, Qatar and Singapore, where he has overseen transformative initiatives and major events. Since joining IHG Hotels & Resorts in 2015 at InterContinental Doha Beach & Spa, he has contributed significantly to landmark projects, including the successful delivery of operations during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Most recently serving as Hotel Manager at InterContinental Singapore Robertson Quay, Freddy now returns to Europe, bringing his expertise in operational management and a passion for innovation to Bucharest.

We sat down with him to discuss his vision for the hotel, his thoughts on leading renovations, and his commitment to delivering unforgettable experiences for our guests.

You’ve had an impressive career spanning Germany, the UAE, the Seychelles, Qatar and Singapore. How have these diverse experiences shaped your approach to hospitality and operations?

Having had the opportunity to work in several countries across different regions of the world has enabled me to develop my cultural awareness and becoming more sensitive towards different cultures and customer needs. This helps me to refine details in our service delivery, customizing and enhancing the guests experiences across our various hotel facilities and ensuring that guests from all backgrounds feel welcome and valued. The same applies for our colleagues. With an ever increasing nationality diversity among our team members, it is crucial that everyone works together harmoniously and contributing to building a positive work culture.

InterContinental Athénée Palace Bucharest is a historic landmark in the city. How do you plan to balance preserving its legacy while driving innovation in operations?

In today's world, nearly everything is available through the click of your finger on your smartphone and guests expect to have similar access to resources when staying in hotels. While traditionally an in-room dining order would be placed via the phone with an actual person on the other end answering the call, guests also want to have the option to place the same order without actually having to speak to anyone. Understanding the needs of the modern traveler and embracing and seamlessly integrating modern technologies in the guest journey is becoming more and more relevant and necessary. If carefully done and while remaining focused on the rich history and traditions of this historical landmark, the guest experience will be positively enhanced.