Adrian Messerli

An exceptional hotelier with a world of management experience earned exclusively with Four Seasons, Adrian Messerli knows that the brand’s people, and their dedication to genuine care, makes all the difference in luxury hospitality. From palace hotels in Europe to glittering skyscrapers in the Middle East to hideaway beach resorts in Africa, he is tasked with overseeing Four Seasons hotel operations across a diverse portfolio of more than 40 operating properties and 20 under development.

Whatever the address, Messerli believes hotel teams need strong leadership support to excel. He describes his personal style as “inclusive,” and his goal, he says, is to “bring out the best by giving people the opportunity to develop the services they provide.”

Hospitality has always been a good fit for Messerli, who was born in a ski resort village in the German-speaking region of Switzerland and raised in his parents’ fourth-generation family-owned hotel. They hoped he would be the fifth generation someday, but he had other priorities, including serving in the military and working for Swissair. In 2002, he achieved his degree from hospitality school and began his career that has now spanned 21 years.

Since joining Four Seasons in 2005, he has travelled the world, taking on more responsibilities with each assignment in the US, Caribbean, South America, Europe, the Middle East, and, in his first appointment as General Manager, Seychelles. In 2018, Messerli finally made it to Asia as a General Manager in Shanghai, China. After a few years at an island resort, leading a city hotel was “at the top of my list,” he recalled.

Following Shanghai and before assuming his current role leading hotel operations across EMEA, Adrian held the role of Regional Vice President and General Manager at the first Four Seasons in Spain, Four Seasons Hotel Madrid. In speaking of the many teams he has worked with throughout his tenure at Four Seasons, the “specialists,” as Adrian calls them, “are working at a completely different level and likens his role to that of a maestro leading an orchestra of virtuosos. “What I do is bring everyone together and make sure the word on the street reflects their true talent.”

Career Highlights

• At Four Seasons, Messerli’s passion eventually spilled over into spas, and he was behind the noteworthy success of the acclaimed SPA at Four Seasons Resort Seychelles that led to a seat on the company’s Global Spa Task Force.
• Leadership roles spanning Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Madrid; Four Seasons Hotel Shanghai; Four Seasons Resort Seychelles; Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza; Four Seasons Resort Sharm El Sheikh; Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon; Four Seasons Resort Carmelo, Uruguay (formerly a Four Seasons hotel); Four Seasons Resort Great Exuma, Bahamas (formerly a Four Seasons hotel) and The Ritz-Carlton Chicago (formerly a Four Seasons hotel).
• Education: Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality, Ecole Hotelière de Lausanne, Switzerland; Certified Chef, CPLN, Neuchâtel, Switzerland

Personal Insights

• Adrian grew his passion for the hospitality industry in his family’s hotel in the Swiss Alps. After completing a culinary apprenticeship Adrian followed his roots in the hotel industry and graduated from the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne.
• His passion for fine culinary experiences and wines is not only limited to his work environment; Adrian is also an active member of several institutions within the food and beverage industry.
• Throughout his career, Adrian has become a true citizen of the world and speaks five languages including English, German, French, Spanish and Portuguese.
• Overseeing Four Seasons hotel operations across the EMEA region, Adrian is based in Dubai with wife Joana and daughters Emilia and Alice.