Our Esteemed Jury

Esther’s passion for hospitality, strategic mindset, and ability to lead with impact set her apart as 2025’s Future Hotel Leader. The jury recognized her as a visionary who not only excels in her role but also inspires those around her.

What is more beautiful as a leader in education than being able to work for the most enjoyable school in the Netherlands and perhaps even in Europe? With over 1,000 students and about a hundred colleagues, the International Hotel and Management School has grown into one of the largest hospitality schools in our country. I am proud that we still manage to maintain the human touch.

How does it work? Some of it is already inherent in hospitality: you treat each other with care, and your team is only as strong as its weakest link. Partly because of this, we always attract the most delightful students. The passionate teachers and support staff do the rest.

Of course, it’s hard work for everyone, but we constantly see the surprising results: from first-year students achieving their initial successes in our practical training businesses to alumni who, even after many years, still keep our teachers informed of their next career steps. I, for one, go to work with a smile every day.

Four pillars: care, hospitality, entrepreneurship, leadership.

Marcel Peijnenburg (1965) is an International Leadership Trainer and Coach. He draws inspiration from Theodore Roosevelt’s thought: ‘People do not care how much you know, until they know how much you care.’ That’s why he dedicates everything he has to build successful and enjoyable relationships with his clients. Marcel commits to their objectives and culture, considering both personal and business goals and helping to align them.

With a wealth of experience gained over 25 years working for international corporate companies as well as smaller, informal organizations, combined with an entrepreneurial background from Peijnenburg Koek and a Michelin restaurant, Marcel navigates this path. His management experience includes roles within top hospitality organizations such as Walt Disney and Hilton.

Elsbeth van Eekeren has been working in various roles at Booking.com since 2017. Through frequent daily interactions with accommodation partners, Elsbeth knows precisely why they collaborate with Booking.com and the value Booking.com can add. In her current role, she is responsible for the Benelux region and maintains close relationships with various industry representatives, acting as a link between the company and the market.

Gienke Osinga is the director of the Academy of Hotel Management & Facility Management at Breda University of Applied Sciences. Gienke holds a bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management and a master’s degree in Change Management. 

After completing her hotel management studies in The Hague, she worked for KLM in commercial roles for an extended period before transitioning to the field of education. 

Her driving force is the opportunity to educate new hotel and facility managers with a fantastic team of colleagues. 

She takes pride in her alumni who have found themselves in prestigious positions “around the globe”.