Walter Seib
Walter Seib is the CEO of HMSHost International; the world leader in creating dining experiences for travel venues, with nearly 600 stores in 41 airports, 33 train stations and 7 shopping malls across 19 countries in Europe, India, the Middle East and Asia Pacific. Born in Vienna, Austria, Walter studied at the Gastgewerbefachschule School of Hotel Management, and began his professional career with management roles at Wescho Gastronomie and Mövenpick.
Joining HMSHost International in 1993, Walter held roles including Multi-Unit Restaurant Manager and Food & Beverage Manager at Schiphol Airport, Director of Concepts & Marketing Europe, Managing Director of HMSHost Netherlands and Managing Director of Business Development for International, responsible for Europe, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, China, Australia and New Zealand. He also worked as Senior Vice President for HMSHost Corporation and has been on the Senior Executive Team of HMSHost Corporation.
After being appointed as CEO of leading Dutch fast-casual restaurant chain La Place in 2010, and serving as a member of the Board for V&D Group, Walter returned to HMSHost in February 2012 as CEO for HMSHost International, responsible for the Northern European, Asia Pacific, Indian and Middle Eastern markets. He reports in to the CEO of the Autogrill Group, Gianmario Tondato da Ruos, and is part of the Senior Executive Team of the Autogrill Group.
Walter Seib is an active member in the food service industry; serving as Chairman of the Board for the FoodService Institute Netherlands since January 2020, as well as member of the Supervisory Board of ISS Netherlands, HAK, and the Het Rijk Golf courses. He serves as a member of the Advisory Board for the Hotel Management School Maastricht, where he also gives biannual guest lectures, and for ACROSS Magazine.
Throughout his career Walter has preserved his customer-centric approach, building it into the company culture as he brings his unique brand of attention to his people, his business partners and importantly, his guests. From the air travel impact of 9/11, SARS and the Global Recession, through to Iceland’s volcano bringing European airspace to a standstill, Walter has led the company through crisis, recovery and growth times alike.