École Ducasse announces the appointment of Karine Hyon-Vintrou as Managing Director

Karine Hyon-Vintrou began her career in the luxury hotel industry, joining Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts in the USA, then in France. These experiences enabled her to build up solid expertise in this sector before joining the global headquarters of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) in the UK. It was here that she discovered her passion for branding, a field that would soon become the core of her career. Karine continued her career in Bangkok to manage the Onyx Hospitality Group’s brand platform, before returning to IHG to join the global resorts strategy team. This international experience reinforced her strategic vision and ability to manage large-scale projects in a multicultural context. On her return to the UK, she was appointed Global Brand Director for InterContinental Hotels & Resorts.

In 2018, Karine joined Sommet Education to reposition the Glion and Les Roches brands, strengthening their reputation in hotel management education. She implemented innovative strategies and led a high-performance team. In March 2023, she was promoted to Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of the group, overseeing all marketing activities and contributing to its international expansion.

Today, Karine is taking over the management of École Ducasse at a time of rapid international expansion. Particularly motivated by the institution’s potential for global deployment, she aims to consolidate École Ducasse’s position as a world leader in gastronomy and culinary education. “École Ducasse is an iconic brand recognized for the excellence of its training and the influence of its graduates on the global culinary scene. I look forward to accompanying this institution in its international expansion, and to drawing daily inspiration from passionate teams, talented students and renowned experts”, she said.

Karine Hyon-Vintrou succeeds Elise Masurel after five years at the head of Ecole Ducasse. Under her leadership, École Ducasse has undergone major development, marked in particular by the launch of the new Meudon campus, the expansion of the École Nationale Supérieure de Pâtisserie (ENSP), the largest pastry campus in the world, and international expansion with the opening of 3 new schools in India, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates. These achievements testify to the leadership and strategic vision that have enabled École Ducasse to strengthen its global position.

On this occasion, Alain Ducasse said: “I commend the tremendous commitment of Elise Masurel, who has given Ecole Ducasse a remarkable dynamism both in France and worldwide. I welcome Karine Hyon-Vintrou. Her extensive experience of the hospitality sector on an international scale is a major asset in strengthening Ecole Ducasse’s strategic position.”

Benoît-Etienne Domenget, CEO of Sommet Education said: “I sincerely thank Elise for her contribution, particularly with the opening of Paris Campus, and I am delighted with Karine’s appointment, who will be able to put her extensive experience of education, marketing and luxury at the service of École Ducasse.”