Meet Rainer Burkle – Stelliers 2023 Judge!

Rainer Burkle
Former Area Vice President Luxury, Greater China, Marriott International

In September 2022, Rainer Burkle returned to Europe after 30 years of working with Marriott International in numerous leadership positions. At the finale of his tenure, he held responsibility as Area Vice President Luxury, Greater China for more than 40 key properties, achieving well over 30% of the company’s financial turnover in the area.

Rainer Burkle learned hospitality from the bottom up, immersing himself in the many facets of the exciting profession throughout the course of an inspiring career. After successfully completing a master certification as Chef at a young age, he soon after acquired further skills working in restaurants as a waiter, sommelier and bartender. Having worked in acclaimed hotels across Germany, Switzerland, France, and Great Britain in various positions ranging from receptionist to duty manager, and often coupled with Michelin-starred restaurants, Rainer Burkle gained extensive experience from the back to the front of house. He then moved to the USA to further develop his managerial skills and pursued studies at Cornell University. In 1992, he joined The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, where he maintained and deepened his passion for luxury and continued to grow with the company's manifested opportunities. His excellence was further demonstrated through the company's acquisition by Marriott.

In 1998, Rainer Burkle attained his first GM position, and by 2004, he was already overseeing several Ritz-Carlton properties as Regional Vice President, including Moscow, Istanbul, Wolfsburg, and Berlin. Throughout his career, he never seems to lose touch with the basics, and he understood the importance of having well-motivated, proficiently skilled, educated associates. He insisted on having a clear and shared vision, with aligned daily execution being of utmost importance. Although he believed that guests can sense within minutes if the service culture is at the core of the employees' self measurement, he also believed that it was crucial for the employees to measure themselves against this parameter.

Over the last 15 years in Greater China, he has been actively involved in the growth of The Ritz-Carlton pipeline and later with other Marriott luxury brands; namely, The St. Regis, EDITION, Bvlgari, W Hotels, The Ritz-Carlton Reserve, and Luxury Collection Hotels. This is an area in which he excelled, and his passion never waned. He stresses the importance of driving each individual brand design to evoke a specific feel and touch for customers, which he believes is crucial for ensuring success.

We are most delighted to welcome Rainer Burkle to the panel for our 10-year anniversary in 2023 and are looking forward to his valuable contribution.