Meet the Instructor: Gilles Charlet

Shanghai. Danang. Montreux. Macau. Zurich. Cairo. Dubai. Jakarta. Singapore. Geneva. Sydney. Brighton. Munich. Berlin. Bangkok. What do these places have in common? They’re all cities to which Gilles Charlet’s long and storied career has taken him. For students who plan to build a global career, Gilles’ experience and stories are an inspiration.

Want to know more about his journey and the way it impacts his teaching? Read on to discover more about what he brings to the AIHM experience.

Gilles Charlet – Lecturer in Hospitality Management

Gilles brings over four decades of hospitality expertise to the classroom. Before joining AIHM, he spent 13 years as a faculty member at the renowned Swiss Hotel Management School (SHMS), where he taught both Bachelor’s and Master’s students in subjects such as project management, operations and facility design. Prior to becoming a hospitality educator, he spent another 13 years with Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, managing food and beverage operations and overseeing multi-million-dollar hotel development projects across Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

At AIHM, Gilles teaches hospitality management with a focus on food & beverage and project management—combining Swiss academic precision with real-world experience from a career that spans continents.

Q&A with Gilles Charlet

What inspired you to pursue a career in hospitality and education, and what keeps you motivated to teach?
From a young age, I was drawn to the idea of travelling the world, exploring different cultures and meeting people from all walks of life. Hospitality offered me a unique path to do all of that while developing a meaningful career. I’ve had the privilege of working in places as diverse as Switzerland, Vietnam, Dubai, Egypt and China. Each of these experiences has deepened my appreciation for this global industry.

Now, as an educator, what keeps me motivated is the opportunity to pass that knowledge forward. I enjoy helping students connect theory to practice and watching them grow into professionals who can thrive in any corner of the world.

How do you ensure your curriculum remains relevant with real-world industry challenges and solutions?

Hospitality never stands still, so neither should we. I’m always studying research, case studies and industry publications to stay informed about emerging trends. I also draw from decades of operational and project management experience, including hotel openings, renovations and large-scale hospitality projects. My aim is to bridge academic insight with practical application so students leave prepared for today’s industry, and tomorrow’s as well.

What essential skills or attributes do you believe are crucial for students to succeed in the hospitality sector today?

Three qualities stand out: adaptability, resilience and empathy.

This is an industry where change is constant—new technologies, new guest preferences, new challenges. The professionals who succeed are those who can adjust quickly, bounce back from setbacks and connect authentically with others.

Hospitality is ultimately a people-first business, and emotional intelligence is just as important as technical skill.

Looking into the future, how do you see the field of hospitality management evolving, and how does education play a role in this transformation?

We’re seeing a shift toward flatter organisational structures and more decentralised decision-making, especially in forward-thinking companies. That means tomorrow’s leaders need to be agile, collaborative and empowered to take initiative.

Education must evolve in tandem. We have to foster critical thinking, creativity and leadership at every level. As an educator, I don’t just teach students to follow procedures. Instead, I prepare them to shape the future of the industry. I help them develop the skillsets to be an innovator, to adapt quickly, to develop new and better ways to tackle evolving challenges.

Anyone can follow the rules. I want to give rising professionals the ability to rewrite the rules, to improvise, to improve, to react intelligently in situations where there aren’t pre-existing rules and procedures to follow. My goal is to empower students to handle the complexity and constant changes in the hospitality world with finesse and creativity. The hospitality industry is always evolving. I aim to give students the ability to evolve with it, to stay on top of the changes, and to create the changes that will move the industry forward.

Meet AIHM’s Hospitality Management Experts

Get to know the faculty members inspiring our students in the Meet the Instructor series. Explore the AIHM Higher blog for more stories from instructors, students and special guests.

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