Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer and EHL Hospitality Business School join forces to train the talents of the future

This Wednesday 20th November, the Chairman and CEO of Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer (SBM) Group, Stéphane Valeri, the dean of EHL Hospitality Business School (EHL), Achim Schmitt, and the dean of EHL School of Practical Arts, Patrick Ogheard, signed a partnership agreement. The signing took place at Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo, in the presence of the Managing Director of the Monegasque group, Albert Manzone, the Human Resources Director, Sophie Vincent, and the Head of Business Development – EHL School of Practical Arts, William-Alexandre François. This partnership now links the two institutions, which are driven by the common goal of boosting the appeal of the hotel and catering sector while encouraging the development of SMB employees’ skills.

A partnership built on excellence 

With this partnership agreement, Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer and EHL Hospitality Business School, formerly Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne, undertake to work together over the long term, in four areas: 

• Roll out professional training in the SBM Resort with EHL.
• Develop the appeal of the hotel and catering sector.
• Create internship opportunities. 
• Introduce career plans to support and retain talented individuals.

This alliance illustrates the shared challenges of these two historic institutions which, more than ever, want to attract and support the talented individuals of the future. Thanks to ongoing training, Monte-Carlo SMB staff will be able to benefit from the high-level teaching methods offered by the EHL, combining practical activities and theory lessons supported by digital media. EHL students will be taken on as trainees or within the framework of study projects to develop their operational and managerial skills in Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer Group establishments.

This additional support for Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer employees is fully in line with the development of the “We are Monte-Carlo” Employer Brand initiated by the Group’s Human Resources Director, Sophie Vincent, and her teams. The Employer Brand aims to attract and retain talent, in particular through high-quality training courses.

“Signing a partnership with an institution like this is very rewarding and I am certain that our employees will be delighted with this news. Together we intend to help boost the appeal of our professions. We want to set up joint initiatives to continue to promote all of these wonderful professions that make up the hotel and tourism industry“, said Sophie Vincent with delight at the time of signing. 

Monte-Carlo SBM and the EHL, two historic institutions 

In their own fields, Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer and EHL Hospitality Business School embody excellence.  

With nearly 4,000 employees in 130 different professions, Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer is the leading private employer in the Principality of Monaco, and one of the biggest on the Côte d’Azur. For 160 years, the Group has constantly reinvented itself and innovated, making it today an international reference in the luxury hospitality sector. Present in the Principality of Monaco since 1863, the Group now exports its know-how and the Monte-Carlo luxurious lifestyle internationally, thanks to major partnerships like this one. 

“The aim of this partnership is to develop internships together, as well as to take on new recruits. Monegasques, local people, residents of Monaco and the neighbouring communes are already EHL students. I can only encourage anyone with a passion for the hotel, hospitality or catering sectors to study at EHL, because in addition to internships, we will be recruiting a lot of people afterwards so that these students become the future leaders of our establishments“, stated Chairman and CEO, Stéphane Valeri, on this occasion.

A global reference in training, innovation and consulting for the hospitality and services sector, EHL, founded in 1893, is a pioneer in teaching methods for the hotel and catering professions, not only in Switzerland, but worldwide. “Jacques Tschumi founded École Hôtelière de Lausanne over 130 years ago, not much later than Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer was founded. He had already identified the need to train hotel managers due to an imminent shortage. Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer shares our ambition: to put hotel and catering professions at the heart of its business. Our shared mission is to transform the image of the industry to attract and retain talented individuals. With this partnership, there will be concrete actions to continue to promote the excellence and future of our professions”, emphasises Patrick Ogheard.

Year after year, EHL rises to the top of university rankings. According to the QS World University Ranking, it has been the number 1 hotel management school in the world for the past six years.  

Today, EHL combines the Swiss values of academic rigour and practices in the sector with creativity and innovation to deliver training courses that prepare students for international careers and to become future leaders in the hotel and services sector.

“At EHL, hospitality is more than just an industry — it’s a way of thinking, living and connecting with the world. Teaming up with Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer makes perfect sense because we share a deep commitment to excellence, people and the creation of experiences that leave a lasting imprint. The thing that excites me the most about this partnership is its deeply human approach. Our aim is not just to develop skills or to innovate for the sake of innovating; we are creating a platform where individuals – students, professionals or guests – are at the centre of everything we do. Together, we will explore new ways of combining tradition and avant-garde ideas, and I am convinced that the results will redefine  what it means to prosper in this extraordinary industry”, explained the dean of EHL Hospitality Business School, Achim Schmitt.