EHL

What EHL does

EHL (legal entity E.H.L. Holding SA, founded 1893 in Lausanne, Switzerland) is the global reference institution for hospitality management education and a diversified platform spanning education, industry advisory, innovation, and licensing. The core product is a portfolio of academic programs — from pre-university and associate degrees through bachelor's, MBA (AACSB-accredited), and executive master's degrees — delivered across campuses in Lausanne, Passugg, Singapore, and the Hainan Lausanne Tourism University joint venture in Sanya, China. Supporting operations include the Michelin-starred Le Berceau des Sens teaching restaurant (2019–2025), the EHL Certified Schools and VET by EHL licensing network for partner institutions, and the BNXT professional development platform operated by subsidiary EHL Next SA.

The business operates as an interconnected ecosystem rather than a standalone school. The EHL Alliance is a paid industry membership network linking EHL to corporate partners; the EHL Innovation Hub runs the HumanX Summit and Open Innovation Summit and hosts industry-academic collaboration projects; Advisory Services and Student Consulting Services translate faculty expertise into consulting engagements for hospitality businesses and learning centers worldwide; and the AEHL alumni network (35,000+ professionals across 150 countries, 70 regional chapters, 300+ annual events) underpins long-term employer relationships, recruitment through the connect.ehl.edu job platform, and ongoing tuition cross-sell. Notable corporate partners include Train of Glamour (Fosun), Sun Group, LVMH, Moët Hennessy, Ascott, Coca-Cola HBC, EY, TGV Lyria, Marriott, Accor, and Equinox Hotels. The institution has held the #1 global ranking in Hospitality & Leisure Management from QS World University Rankings for eight consecutive years (2019–2026), was awarded B Corp certification in April 2026, and operates under CEO Markus Venzin with a Board of Directors that saw five new appointments across 2025–2026.

Revenue is generated across four primary streams: tuition and academic program fees (the largest, quote-based, with alumni receiving a 20% discount on MBA/online programs); education consulting and advisory services (strategic transformation, curriculum licensing, faculty training, governance certification); licensing and royalties from the EHL Certified Schools and VET by EHL partner networks; and on-campus food and beverage operations including the Michelin-starred Le Berceau des Sens. Distribution is direct through owned campuses and digital properties (ehl.edu, ehlgroup.com, connect.ehl.edu), with lead capture driven by downloadable brochures, AI chatbot assistants, email subscriptions, and flagship events (HumanX Summit, Open Innovation Summit, Young Hospitality Summit). The legal and operating structure comprises wholly-owned subsidiaries (EHL Education Consulting, EHL Innovation Hub, EHL Swiss School of Tourism and Hospitality in Passugg, Hainan Lausanne Tourism University, and EHL Next SA) under a Swiss foundation/association-style governance model, with no external parent company or public listing disclosed.

Name

EHL

Legal name

E.H.L. Holding SA

Website

https://ehlgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1893

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

EHL (founded 1893, Lausanne) is the global #1-ranked hospitality management education group, delivering degree and executive programs across four campuses (Switzerland, Singapore, China) alongside an EHL Alliance industry network, advisory and licensing services, the BNXT professional development platform, and a 35,000+ member global alumni community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Lausanne

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Academic Program Fees: EHL generates primary revenue through tuition fees from a comprehensive portfolio of academic programs including Pre-university Programs, Associate Degrees (e.g., International Culinary Arts, Fine Dining & Restaurant Management), Bachelor's Degrees in Hospitality Management, Graduate and Postgraduate programs (Master's, MBA), Swiss Professional Diplomas, Online Courses for Hospitality Professionals, and Practical Arts Short Courses in Lausanne. The MBA program has received AACSB accreditation.
2. Education Consulting & Advisory Services: EHL Advisory Services and Student Consulting Services provide professional consulting to hospitality businesses and learning centers globally, covering strategic development and transformation, program licensing and curriculum development, faculty training, governance and certification, and operational performance optimization.
3. Licensing & Curriculum Licensing: EHL licenses its curriculum, programs, and educational standards to certified schools worldwide (EHL Certified Schools network) and VET by EHL partners, generating licensing and certification revenue.
4. Campus Food Service Operations: Revenue from on-campus food and beverage outlets including Le Berceau des Sens, the Michelin-starred teaching restaurant in Lausanne, and other F&B outlets. Alumni receive a 20% discount on meals at these venues.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

EHL is a hospitality education institution delivering a full lifecycle of academic and professional programs — from pre-university, associate, bachelor's, master's, AACSB-accredited MBA, and Swiss professional diplomas, through to online courses and culinary short courses — across campuses in Lausanne, Passugg, Singapore, and Sanya. Complementary offerings include advisory and consulting services for hospitality businesses, curriculum licensing via the EHL Certified Schools Network, and the BNXT professional development platform operated by EHL Next SA.

Product overview

EHL Group operates as a platform of interconnected educational and business solutions organized around hospitality excellence. The core offering spans a full lifecycle of hospitality education — from pre-university programs through graduate and executive education, delivered at campuses in Lausanne, Passugg, Singapore, and Sanya — augmented by the EHL Alliance (a global professional network for industry-academic collaboration), the EHL Innovation Hub (which hosts the HumanX Summit and open innovation programs), and Advisory Services (including student consulting projects). Supporting offerings include the EHL Alumni Network (35,000 members globally), the EHL Job Platform (student recruitment), BNXT (AI-powered professional development via EHL Next SA), the Michelin-starred Berceau des Sens training restaurant, and the EHL Certified Schools Network (licensing curricula to partner institutions worldwide). Thought leadership is delivered through the annual Hospitality Outlook Report and Food & Well-being Report. The portfolio functions as a unified ecosystem where education feeds the alliance, innovation research informs curricula, alumni engagement sustains the network, and advisory services translate academic expertise into industry impact.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EHL Pre-university Programs Hospitality and tourism preparatory programs for prospective students entering EHL's degree pathways, delivered at EHL campuses.
• EHL Associate Degree in International Culinary Arts, Fine Dining Experience and Restaurant Management Associate-level program targeting aspiring culinary and restaurant management professionals, combining kitchen arts with fine dining experience and restaurant operations.
• EHL Bachelor's Degree in Hospitality Management Three-year internationally accredited bachelor's program in hospitality management, Bologna/ECTS-compliant, delivered across EHL campuses.
• EHL Graduate, Postgraduate & Executive Education (MBA, Master's, Executive Master's) Advanced degree suite including the AACSB-accredited human-centric MBA, master's degrees, and executive master's (e.g., LVMH co-developed Executive Master in Leading Sustainable Excellence in Luxury Retail & Hospitality).
• EHL Swiss Professional Diplomas Swiss-recognized vocational diplomas delivering focused hospitality and service management credentials.
• EHL Online Courses for Hospitality Professionals Online professional certificates and courses for working hospitality professionals, delivered through EHL's graduate school platform with alumni discounts.
• EHL Practical Arts Short Courses Hands-on culinary and service arts short courses delivered in Lausanne, leveraging EHL's teaching kitchens and Michelin-starred environment.
• EHL Advisory Services Consulting services for hospitality businesses covering strategic development and transformation, operational performance, faculty training, and program licensing; includes Student Consulting Services where EHL students deliver advisory projects to organizations.
• EHL Alliance Global membership-based professional network providing industry and academic partners privileged access to EHL Group resources, talent exchange, co-creation programs, and benchmarking opportunities.
• EHL Certified Schools Network (Curriculum Licensing) Licensing program granting partner schools rights to deliver EHL curricula and educational standards, including VET by EHL workforce development pathways, generating licensing and certification revenue.
• BNXT Professional Development Platform AI-augmented training and career development platform provided by EHL Next SA, delivering digital and face-to-face professional development using algorithms trained on institutional data.
• Le Berceau des Sens Restaurant Student-operated Michelin-starred teaching restaurant at EHL Lausanne campus, serving as the applied-learning venue for culinary arts and restaurant management education.

Quantifiable outcome

• EHL has produced 35,000+ alumni in 150 countries across 70 chapters, hosting 300+ events annually.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AscottcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2026Ascott announced strategic partnerships with Accenture, Amadeus, and EHL to build agentic commerce infrastructure enabling its AI concierge Cubby to evolve into a proactive personal travel agent. EHL contributes hospitality expertise to this multi-partner initiative focused on AI-driven guest experience innovation.
• Coca-Cola HBCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Coca-Cola HBC (headquartered in Switzerland, operating across 29 markets in Europe and Africa) serves as co-creation partner for EHL HumanX Summit 2026. The partnership reflects Coca-Cola HBC's commitment to AI-augmented human thinking and its belief that the best outcomes happen when people and technology work together. Coca-Cola HBC is continuously piloting emerging technologies and developing purpose-built tools designed to free up employee and customer time, deepen customer relationships, raise execution standards, and drive sustainable growth.
• Canton of VaudminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Canton of Vaud serves as premium partner for EHL HumanX Summit 2026, connecting companies, universities, research institutes, and investors into a thriving regional ecosystem where ideas find the capital, talent, and partnerships needed to scale.
• Train of Glamour (Fosun Infrastructure Group)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Train of Glamour, the premium rail lifestyle brand under Fosun Infrastructure Group, joined the EHL Alliance as the first corporate member from China (April 2026). The partnership focuses on five strategic initiatives: co-developing China's first luxury rail service standards, talent exchange programs with EHL students, and exploring Michelin-level culinary experiences for the Silk Road Express tourist train (80-guest capacity with hand-painted exterior). The membership aims to position Train of Glamour as a benchmark for China's luxury train travel lifestyle guided by Eastern narratives and international hospitality excellence.
• EY (Ernst & Young)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 March 2026EHL partnered with EY as a professional partner for the Finance, Real Estate, and Consulting specialization within its AACSB-accredited MBA program (March 2026). The alliance aims to train future leaders in finance, real estate, and consulting, leveraging EY's industry expertise and EHL's hospitality management excellence.
• TGV LyriaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026TGV Lyria, the leading rail operator between Switzerland and France, entered a strategic collaboration with EHL to make its onboard service the new reference for excellence, drawing on EHL's expertise in hospitality service standards and culinary excellence.
• Sun GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 September 2025Sun Group partnered with EHL (known as the 'Harvard of the global hospitality industry') to develop the Sun Tourism Academy in Vietnam, aiming to train international-standard professionals in entertainment and leisure to enhance Vietnam's tourism service industry. EHL supports the academy in building international-standard training programs that link theory with practical experience, serving as a source of high-quality human resources for both Sun Group's facilities and Vietnam's broader tourism and hospitality industry.
• FELCOminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 September 2025FELCO (world leader in professional pruning shears and cutting solutions) partnered with EHL to launch the FELCO 1893 professional culinary scissors — the first product of its kind in FELCO's history — developed in collaboration with EHL culinary arts expertise.
• CREA (Culinary Research and Education Academy)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 July 2025EHL partnered with CREA to co-create and launch a cutting-edge course on sous-vide cooking, revolutionizing culinary arts education through a joint initiative blending EHL's hospitality expertise with CREA's culinary research capabilities.
• Intesa SanpaolominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2025Intesa Sanpaolo collaborated with EHL on the Food & Well-being Report 2025, contributing to research, industry projects, and education initiatives to stimulate innovation in the international hospitality sector. The partnership also included B2B and educational activities in the Oltrepò Pavese region of Italy, bringing together entrepreneurs, schools, and local businesses around the report's key themes.
• LVMHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2025EHL and LVMH launched the Executive Master Leading Sustainable Excellence in Luxury Retail & Hospitality, combining LVMH's luxury retail expertise with EHL's hospitality management leadership to address sustainability and excellence in the luxury sector.
• Moët HennessycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2024Moët Hennessy partnered with EHL for the CRS and Sustainable Transformation specialization within the Master in Hospitality Management, bringing luxury wines and spirits expertise to EHL's graduate curriculum.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Glion Institute of Higher Education: Swiss hospitality and luxury management school with campuses in Switzerland, the UK, and Spain; targets the same international student segment as EHL with bachelor, master, and MBA programs in hospitality and luxury brand management.
• University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) William F. Harrah College of Hospitality: US-based hospitality college with extensive undergraduate and graduate programs, a large alumni network, and Las Vegas Strip industry connections; competes with EHL for global students interested in operational hospitality management.
• Swiss Hotel Management School (SHMS): Swiss-based hospitality school operating in the same Swiss-heritage segment as EHL with bachelor and master programs in hotel, hospitality, and culinary management; competes head-to-head for international students applying to Swiss hotel schools.
• Les Roches International School of Hotel Management: Swiss-based global hospitality management school with campuses in Switzerland, Spain, China, UAE, and the US; directly competes with EHL for premium hospitality undergraduate and postgraduate students and operates a similar Swiss-heritage brand positioning in the same QS-ranked subject category.
• Cornell University Nolan School of Hotel Administration: US Ivy League hospitality management school consistently ranked alongside EHL in QS Hospitality & Leisure Management rankings; offers comparable undergraduate, graduate, and executive hospitality programs to a global student base.
• Hotel School The Hague: Netherlands-based hospitality business school consistently ranked in QS top hospitality management rankings alongside EHL; offers bachelor and master programs targeting similar international student segments with strong industry placement focus.
• Oxford Brookes University Oxford School of Hospitality Management: UK-based hospitality management school offering bachelor, master, and doctoral programs with strong international student enrollment; competes with EHL in QS rankings and shares similar placement-focused curriculum design.
• The Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Hotel and Tourism Management: Asia-leading hospitality and tourism school ranked in QS top hospitality rankings; directly competes with EHL for Asian students and operates an overlapping research and thought-leadership agenda in global hospitality trends.

Broad incumbents

• ESSEC Business School: Top European business school with hospitality and luxury management specializations (ESSEC La Rochelle / BBA Hospitality); broader business school portfolio but directly overlaps with EHL's AACSB-accredited MBA positioning and luxury hospitality executive education.

Emerging players

• IMI International Management Institute Switzerland: Swiss hospitality and culinary management school offering bachelor and master programs with a smaller global footprint than EHL; competes in the same Swiss-heritage segment for international students seeking hospitality management degrees.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EHLnews
• Facebookfacebook.com/ecolehotelieredelausanne
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ehl

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about EHL