École Ducasse, a network of schools founded by multi-starred chef Alain Ducasse dedicated to the transmission of outstanding French expertise and excellence in culinary and pastry arts, has announced the appointment of Karine Hyon-Vintrou as its new Managing Director.
Karine succeeds Elise Masurel, who spent five years at the helm of École Ducasse, during which time she significantly accelerated the institution’s growth.
Having begun her career in the luxury hotel industry, Karine joined 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 hospitality management school brands, strengthening their reputation in hotel management education. She implemented innovative strategies and led a high-performance team. In 2023, she was promoted to Chief Marketing Officer of the Sommet 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 growth. 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 recognised 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.
Under the leadership of Elise Masurel, École Ducasse has undergone major development, marked in particular by the launch of its 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 three 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 commented: “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, added: “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.”