HSD alumni of the month: Steffen Fox, International University of Applied Sciences Bad Honnef
You are a member of the management team at the 25hours Hotels company. How did you rise to your current position?
Six years ago when I joined 25hours, my task was to build up the finance department. I immediately felt comfortable in my team of direct colleagues, the general managers and shareholders. As the company expanded, so did my tasks as well as my overall business responsibilities. Expanding management, which until last year was still in the sole hands of our CEO Christoph Hoffmann, was the next logical step for all of us due to our strong growth. I was, of course, very pleased about the offer to be part of the management team.
What does your workday look like?
That is the beauty of my job: there is no everyday routine. Every day brings new challenges and, of course, is strongly influenced by new hotel projects and upcoming openings. Even in our existing operations, there are new challenges and questions to face every day.
How did your studies at IUBH prepare you for your successful career?
Unlike many colleagues, after Abitur I did not do a training programme in the hotel industry. Studying at IUBH helped me to become familiar with this very specific sector and to learn it from scratch.
It also helped me overcome my reluctance to move around – I did a practical semester in Bordeaux and a study year abroad in Helsinki – and trained me in the English language. In addition, I was able to establish valuable contacts during my studies that helped me, among other things, get started at 25hours.
What career planning tips would you give to potential students and current students?
Take initiative, follow your interests, be patient and pick out companies, co-workers and supervisors from whom you can constantly learn new things. It also helped me a lot that I did my master’s degree after three years of work experience.
What motivated you to pursue your bachelor’s degree in hospitality management at IUBH?
After finishing my Abitur, I considered the idea of doing a professional training programme in the hotel trade but then decided to do something supposedly more serious and went to law school. However, I ended that after 4 semesters. Since I wanted to gain practical experience, IUBH, and especially the double degree in hospitality management, was the best option for me to start in the hotel industry.
What job entry opportunities are available at 25hours?
The opportunities are almost unlimited – both at the head office in Hamburg and directly in the hotels. For more information check out: https://www.25hours-hotels.com/company/human-resources/jobs
Short description of 25hours Hotels:
25hours is a recent hotel idea that, following the example of the traditional hotel industry, looks for contemporary answers to the demands of an urban, cosmopolitan target group. True to the motto “you know one, you know none†(“Kennst du eins, kennst du keinsâ€) each hotel is a celebration of individuality that embraces its unique location and history. Although still focused on German-speaking countries, with new hotel projects in, for example Dubai, Florence and Paris, 25hours is slowly conquering the rest of the world.
Infobox for the CV:
- Name: Steffen Fox
- From: Pirmasens/Germany
- Education: 2006-2011 IUBH Bad Honnef including year abroad in Helsinki, later MBA in controlling at the University of Regensburg
- Degree programme: Double Degree Hospitality Management
- Professional history:
From 2010: Vienna International
Since 2012: 25hours