Michael Widmann

Managing Director, PKF Hotelexpert

Michael Widmann joined PKF Munich in 1990 during which time he built up the hospitality consulting practice. In 2003, he moved to Vienna, where he established PKF hotelexperts. Besides managing a team of about 40 consultants and associates in eight locations, Michael provides strategic advice to clients in the hotel, tourism and leisure sector.

In addition to studying economics at the University of Applied Sciences in Munich and at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, Michael completed an executive education curriculum at Cornell University School of Hotel Administration in Ithaca, New York. He gained hands-on operational experience working as a dishwasher, housekeeper, waiter and receptionist at various hotels. He also partook in a management trainee programme at Mandarin Oriental in Singapore and Bangkok, and also worked at the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten in Munich, at Stouffer Hotels and Resorts in Seattle and at Claridge’s in London.

As Chairman of PKF International’s Hospitality Consulting Committee, Michael coordinates PKF’s global hotel, tourism & leisure consulting activities. He is the co-founder of the AlpAdria & Eastern Europe Chapter of the Cornell Hotel Society. Michael sits on the Advisory Board of the IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems and the MODUL University Vienna, where he is also a lecturer. He translated the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry into German and (co-)authored various books and publications for the hospitality sector.

Speaks German, English, French, Italian, Spanish. Areas of expertise: strategic advice project development.