Premier Inn, part of the British Whitbread group, has appointed Christopher Presland as Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Director of Premier Inn Germany, effective May 1, 2025. Chris-Norman Sauer will become Managing Director Property for Germany and Austria on June 1, 2025, succeeding Michael Hartung. Both will join the Germany Operating Committee led by CEO Erik Friemuth.
Growth targets in Germany and Austria
Premier Inn currently operates 62 hotels with 11,000 rooms in Germany and Austria and has signed contracts for nearly 40 additional properties. The company aims to grow its portfolio to 20,000 rooms in the region by 2030. The ongoing expansion is also confirmed by the recent announcement of expansion in Munich.
“I am delighted that we have been able to attract Christopher Presland, a colleague with extensive experience, to our team. He will be a valuable addition to our team. The same goes for Chris-Norman Sauer, whose promotion is more than deserved. And I would like to thank Michael Hartung for his work with us over the past six years. He has built a strong team that has now signed contracts for 101 hotel projects, making a decisive contribution to Premier Inn’s expansion in Germany.” – Erik Friemuth, CEO of Premier Inn Germany
Executive backgrounds
Christopher Presland brings marketing and CRM expertise from TUI Germany and Vodafone. He will oversee distribution, sales, and marketing at Premier Inn.
Chris-Norman Sauer, formerly with hotel property developer GBI AG, joined Premier Inn in 2017 and has managed significant hotel developments, including Premier Inn Frankfurt Messe.
Outlook
These leadership changes align with Premier Inn’s strategic objective to increase its presence and market share in the German-speaking hotel sector over the coming years.
