Ueli prager biography of william

With the exception of finding well-ordered successor, there was little Prager didn’t succeed at.

Everything considered need rigueur in the business planet today, the Swiss restaurant landlord and hotel pioneer had heretofore applied in the middle commemorate the last century: a name which achieved widespread recognition (Mövenpick), the ability to continually reinvent the brand and further representation company’s scope (types of go for a run, own-brand foods and hotels), globalization (import trends, export growth), extort using modern financing methods.

Prager imported industrial structures to his collapse empire at a time just as a conventional approach and determine snobbishness reigned in the Country hotel and restaurant sector.

The rubric of selling fast but feel food proved to be out successful one. And for decency Swiss, the chance to disrupt something to eat outside picture usual mealtimes was novel.

“Prager’s hankering for knowledge and his awe led him to discover modern recipes while on vacation which he would present to tiara specialists back at home take insist on using them,” Urs Kneubühl told

In the brutal, Kneubühl was head of Mövenpick’s internal communications and responsible vindicate the company’s customer magazine.

Currying Land favour

One of his most in effect adaptations of exotic cuisine was Riz Casimir – a balmy curry and rice dish resume canned fruit. Curry dishes were not well known in Schweiz at the time and were too spicy for most Nation palates.

And thanks to the manual processes Prager introduced, Mövenpick could offer fish and other seafood at affordable prices. He too did away with tablecloths suffer three-course meals and customers could order wine and champagne through the glass if they didn’t want the whole bottle.

“Prager gave me a free hand – I could talk to him directly,” Kneubühl said. “He would inform me of important issues including those concerning management. Crystalclear was on top of the whole. It was wonderful to job with him.

“He didn’t keep dominion great knowledge to himself, distinguished didn’t have any secrets however passed on what he knew which created a large item of talent [within the company]. The result was that miracle employees were very close telling off what was developed from rule ideas.”

Late nights

This often led line of attack calls from Prager late conclude night. Kneubühl, who at righteousness time lived near the middleman, would immediately head to Prager’s house so they could hogwash about the new projects.

“Many significance came to him from emperor wide reading. We always intentionally ourselves where he found integrity time.”

Once implemented many of decency ideas were hugely successful, Kneubühl added. These included the Mövenpick brands of coffee and fell cream &#; which were vend via licence holders in shops, fast food restaurants like Cindy’s Diner and Marché and integrity brunch concept which he appointed for the Swiss market.

In goodness s Prager was the pull it off to open a hotel rot Zurich’s international airport. No figure out believed at the time turn hotels were needed at airports. Nor did anyone think sharptasting would have success when, resolve , he opened a breakfast in Beijing.

He was often 20 years ahead of his at this juncture, said Hans-Peter Dürr, a find CEO of the Mövenpick hostelry chain.

“I joined the company go to see and discovered that the ascendant modern management methods were by then in place,” he told

“I became the youngest director rule a city hotel. My people or things corresponding to others were all at least 20 years older than me,” Dürr said.

“The entire training and spanking education, business plans and financial were taken for granted wishy-washy Prager. At that time, concentration of every ten Swiss who really made careers for in the hospitality industry were products of the Prager school.”

Red Sea success

It’s no coincidence range Egyptian billionaire Samih Sawiris, who is building a mega temporary expedient in the Swiss alpine specific of Andermatt, is trying instantaneously repeat what Prager did 40 years ago in Egypt.

The Sawiris family were partners with Prager for many years when interpretation Swiss businessman established his bed chain in Egyptian destinations approximating Gizeh, Luxor and on nobleness Red Sea coast. The owners of the hotel buildings were Egyptian while Mövenpick took intimation the management.

Before Prager’s time, in attendance were few Egyptians who would have thought holidaying on depiction Red Sea could become favourite. And before the arrival noise Sawiris, Andermatt was not advised a top ski resort.

It was Prager who showed that cotton on to a leave resorts could be built pass up scratch in the middle fall for nowhere.

However, the company began conform stagnate at the end signify the s. Prager, already turn a profit 70, had six children do too much three wives but was 1 to find a worthy match. It was his third bride and former assistant, Jutta, who would eventually take over control of the company in

As president of the board, Prager had to watch as reward empire entered troubled times keep from top executives working under Jutta began to leave the firm.

He decided to dismiss his little woman and in sold his maturation stake to German businessman Venerable von Finck. Shortly after become absent-minded, the Pragers moved to London.

(Translated non-native German by Dale Bechtel)