Sept. 17, 2025

Kempinski CEO Barbara Muckermann on Leadership, Legacy, and Reinvention

Kempinski CEO Barbara Muckermann on Leadership, Legacy, and Reinvention

In this episode, Hospitality Daily careers correspondent Emily Goldfischer, founder and editor-in-chief of hertelier, sits down with Barbara Muckermann, CEO of Kempinski Hotels. As the first woman to lead the 162-year-old luxury hotel group, Barbara shares her remarkable career journey from shaping the cruise industry to steering one of hospitality’s most iconic brands. You’ll hear lessons from leading through crisis, navigating global scale, and balancing heritage with reinvention. 

Read on hertelier: How Barbara Muckermann Went from Cruises to the Helm of Kempinski

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Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands