Stefan Catic
Director & Head of Operator Search, PKF hospitality group, Austria
Stefan Catic is a hospitality advisor, deal specialist and strategic advisor focusing on operator selection, transaction structuring, and brand-driven hotel and serviced living concepts. Since 2018, he has advised on and executed several hundred projects across Europe, North America, Africa, Middle East and Asia, with a strong focus on translating complex developments into bankable, executable projects.
He is closely involved in the execution of around 60 to 70 operator searches per year and has successfully negotiated and closed lease, management, and franchise agreements with all major international hotel groups, as well as small to mid-sized hospitality companies. His work spans a wide range of asset classes and positioning strategies, with a substantial share of projects already realized and operating in the market. Stefan is widely recognized for bridging investor objectives, operator requirements, and product vision into robust, financeable deal structures.
Beyond transactions, he is a trusted sparring partner to mid-sized and larger hospitality groups on expansion strategies, portfolio development, and brand positioning. His expertise in branding, concept development, and market positioning allows him to align commercial strategy with long-term asset value and sustainable performance.
Stefan holds a Bachelor’s degree in General Management and Entrepreneurship from FH Vienna and a Master’s degree in Management from Modul University Vienna. Prior to his advisory career, he worked in controlling and cost control at DO & CO, gaining hands-on experience in forecasting, cost optimization, and large-scale hospitality operations. He also held operational management roles in lifestyle restaurants and completed several operational traineeships in luxury hotels in Austria, giving him a strong operational foundation that continues to inform his transaction and strategy work today.
He currently serves as Director and Head of Operator Search at PKF hospitality group and is based in Vienna.
He is closely involved in the execution of around 60 to 70 operator searches per year and has successfully negotiated and closed lease, management, and franchise agreements with all major international hotel groups, as well as small to mid-sized hospitality companies. His work spans a wide range of asset classes and positioning strategies, with a substantial share of projects already realized and operating in the market. Stefan is widely recognized for bridging investor objectives, operator requirements, and product vision into robust, financeable deal structures.
Beyond transactions, he is a trusted sparring partner to mid-sized and larger hospitality groups on expansion strategies, portfolio development, and brand positioning. His expertise in branding, concept development, and market positioning allows him to align commercial strategy with long-term asset value and sustainable performance.
Stefan holds a Bachelor’s degree in General Management and Entrepreneurship from FH Vienna and a Master’s degree in Management from Modul University Vienna. Prior to his advisory career, he worked in controlling and cost control at DO & CO, gaining hands-on experience in forecasting, cost optimization, and large-scale hospitality operations. He also held operational management roles in lifestyle restaurants and completed several operational traineeships in luxury hotels in Austria, giving him a strong operational foundation that continues to inform his transaction and strategy work today.
He currently serves as Director and Head of Operator Search at PKF hospitality group and is based in Vienna.
