People with Passion
Stephan Schupbach, CEO Chedi Hospitality
For the past year and a half, Stephan Schupbach has been steering the course of GHM as CEO – and now, the company is clearly picking up speed. With a rebrand to Chedi Hospitality and the upcoming launch of a new hotel brand, a new chapter is underway. In this issue of LuxuryInsider, the seasoned globetrotter shares his thoughts on family values as the core of the brand, the rising demand for branded residences, and why long-term partnerships with travel advisors are key to his strategy.
People with Passion
Stephan Schupback CEO Chedi Hospitality
For the past year and a half, Stephan Schupbach has been steering the course of GHM as CEO – and now, the company is clearly picking up speed. With a rebrand to Chedi Hospitality and the upcoming launch of a new hotel brand, a new chapter is underway. In this issue of LuxuryInsider, the seasoned globetrotter shares his thoughts on family values as the core of the brand, the rising demand for branded residences, and why long-term partnerships with travel advisors are key to his strategy.
On the Rebranding
"The biggest difference is that GHM was primarily focused on hotels. With Chedi Hospitality, we’re taking a broader approach – it’s also about restaurants, lifestyle, and, very importantly, our move into the residences segment. A rebrand like this helps us get noticed and signals that things are shifting. In recent years, we may have been just a little too under the radar."
On Industry Feedback "We’ve received fantastic feedback – even before the official launch of the new brand. That’s partly because, as we all know, the travel industry is a small world, and many people already know my team and me. Guests also appreciate it when something new and exciting comes to market. Right now, we operate seven hotels, and it will take us about twelve more months to fully align everything under the new umbrella. In 2026, we plan to add three more properties. That said, we have no intention of growing just for the sake of growth. We're not chasing volume. Our goal is a carefully curated portfolio of 30 to 40 properties worldwide. The response in the residences space has been equally strong: in The Chedi Private Residences in Dubai, 60 percent of the units were already reserved before sales even officially launched."
On the Brand's USPs
"One of the things that sets us apart is how we collaborate with third-party partners. While many other brands aim to stand out in a single category – like culinary or wellness – our goal is to excel across the board. Working with partners allows us to bring specialized expertise and desirability into each Chedi property. It’s also important to us to engage with the local community at every hotel. At The Chedi Hegra, for example, we’re planning to offer 10 to 15 experiences that are truly unique to the region. We’ll also be introducing Maiz, a fine dining restaurant focused on Saudi cuisine. What we don’t do is copy and paste. We want our guests to feel a real sense of place – to know exactly where in the world they are."
On the Positioning of Chedi Hospitality "I see Chedi Hospitality as something akin to a small family business. Back in the day, guests became friends – sometimes even felt like family. And that kind of connection is making a comeback, especially with travelers from the UK and the DACH region. It’s a great opportunity for us. We operate with the efficiency of a hotel group, but still create family-style warmth and familiarity. I truly believe that’s one of the reasons The Chedi Muscat was named Best Hotel in the Middle East in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards 2024 – despite the incredible regional competition and the constant buzz around the latest openings."
On the Importance of Travel Agencies "My wife is a luxury travel advisor herself, so I’m very familiar with this side of the business. At Chedi Hospitality, we see travel advisors as valued partners. When an agency sends us a guest, it’s our responsibility to make sure that guest is well taken care of. If we fail at that, the advisor loses trust – and ultimately, we lose the business. It’s also critical that commissions are handled properly and paid on time. I’m a firm believer that this industry is – and always will be – a people business. And when things don’t go as planned, that’s when you quickly find out who your real partners are."
On Current Challenges
"The biggest challenge, without a doubt, is staffing – getting people excited about working in hospitality, and more importantly, convincing them to stay. Maybe our industry isn’t perceived as particularly attractive right now – which means we need to rethink how we structure our business. Working evenings and weekends, combined with standard hospitality wages, just isn’t competitive anymore. We have to adapt to a changing labor market. In many cases, we can’t even offer basics like affordable housing. We need to support our team members in all aspects of life, recognize their potential, and help them grow. And we have to make hospitality appealing to people coming from other industries. That’s the only way forward."
On the New Brand Serai "We created Serai because we’re truly passionate about this business. In Shanghai, in addition to a 120-room Serai hotel, we’re developing 600 apartments and residential villas. We’re also building an Africa-themed club, a plunge pool, and a climbing wall. Future programming will include cycling, wildlife viewing, and tea ceremonies – all designed to enrich the community we’re creating for both hotel guests and local residents. A key pillar of the brand will be a strong emphasis on technology. Additional Serai properties are already in the works for Chiang Mai and Malaysia."
On the Rise of Residences "Residences have become so popular with hotel developers because they allow for a much faster return on investment than traditional hotel operations. Depending on the location, it can take a very long time to recoup development costs through hotel revenue alone. And construction costs are rising rapidly. From a brand perspective, residences offer a fantastic opportunity to build customer loyalty. There’s also a shift in what travelers want: hotel rooms are often simply too small. Families are traveling together more often, and privacy, security, and spacious accommodations are becoming increasingly important. We’re also adding a destination-tailored Chedi Club to each project – complete with F&B outlets, a spa, dog salon, and meeting spaces. Residence owners will enjoy access to these club facilities worldwide."
On the Rebranding
"The biggest difference is that GHM was primarily focused on hotels. With Chedi Hospitality, we’re taking a broader approach – it’s also about restaurants, lifestyle, and, very importantly, our move into the residences segment. A rebrand like this helps us get noticed and signals that things are shifting. In recent years, we may have been just a little too under the radar."
On Industry Feedback
"We’ve received fantastic feedback – even before the official launch of the new brand. That’s partly because, as we all know, the travel industry is a small world, and many people already know my team and me. Guests also appreciate it when something new and exciting comes to market. Right now, we operate seven hotels, and it will take us about twelve more months to fully align everything under the new umbrella. In 2026, we plan to add three more properties. That said, we have no intention of growing just for the sake of growth. We're not chasing volume. Our goal is a carefully curated portfolio of 30 to 40 properties worldwide. The response in the residences space has been equally strong: in The Chedi Private Residences in Dubai, 60 percent of the units were already reserved before sales even officially launched."reserviert."
On the Positioning of Chedi Hospitality
"I see Chedi Hospitality as something akin to a small family business. Back in the day, guests became friends – sometimes even felt like family. And that kind of connection is making a comeback, especially with travelers from the UK and the DACH region. It’s a great opportunity for us. We operate with the efficiency of a hotel group, but still create family-style warmth and familiarity. I truly believe that’s one of the reasons The Chedi Muscat was named Best Hotel in the Middle East in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards 2024 – despite the incredible regional competition and the constant buzz around the latest openings."
On the Brand's USPs
"One of the things that sets us apart is how we collaborate with third-party partners. While many other brands aim to stand out in a single category – like culinary or wellness – our goal is to excel across the board. Working with partners allows us to bring specialized expertise and desirability into each Chedi property. It’s also important to us to engage with the local community at every hotel. At The Chedi Hegra, for example, we’re planning to offer 10 to 15 experiences that are truly unique to the region. We’ll also be introducing Maiz, a fine dining restaurant focused on Saudi cuisine. What we don’t do is copy and paste. We want our guests to feel a real sense of place – to know exactly where in the world they are."
On the Importance of Travel Agencies
"My wife is a luxury travel advisor herself, so I’m very familiar with this side of the business. At Chedi Hospitality, we see travel advisors as valued partners. When an agency sends us a guest, it’s our responsibility to make sure that guest is well taken care of. If we fail at that, the advisor loses trust – and ultimately, we lose the business. It’s also critical that commissions are handled properly and paid on time. I’m a firm believer that this industry is – and always will be – a people business. And when things don’t go as planned, that’s when you quickly find out who your real partners are."
On Current Challenges
"The biggest challenge, without a doubt, is staffing – getting people excited about working in hospitality, and more importantly, convincing them to stay. Maybe our industry isn’t perceived as particularly attractive right now – which means we need to rethink how we structure our business. Working evenings and weekends, combined with standard hospitality wages, just isn’t competitive anymore. We have to adapt to a changing labor market. In many cases, we can’t even offer basics like affordable housing. We need to support our team members in all aspects of life, recognize their potential, and help them grow. And we have to make hospitality appealing to people coming from other industries. That’s the only way forward."
On the New Brand Serai
"We created Serai because we’re truly passionate about this business. In Shanghai, in addition to a 120-room Serai hotel, we’re developing 600 apartments and residential villas. We’re also building an Africa-themed club, a plunge pool, and a climbing wall. Future programming will include cycling, wildlife viewing, and tea ceremonies – all designed to enrich the community we’re creating for both hotel guests and local residents. A key pillar of the brand will be a strong emphasis on technology. Additional Serai properties are already in the works for Chiang Mai and Malaysia."
On the Rise of Residences
"Residences have become so popular with hotel developers because they allow for a much faster return on investment than traditional hotel operations. Depending on the location, it can take a very long time to recoup development costs through hotel revenue alone. And construction costs are rising rapidly. From a brand perspective, residences offer a fantastic opportunity to build customer loyalty. There’s also a shift in what travelers want: hotel rooms are often simply too small. Families are traveling together more often, and privacy, security, and spacious accommodations are becoming increasingly important. We’re also adding a destination-tailored Chedi Club to each project – complete with F&B outlets, a spa, dog salon, and meeting spaces. Residence owners will enjoy access to these club facilities worldwide."