Several Kempinski senior leadership members are resigning, or have recently resigned, from their positions, according to an internal source familiar with the matter.
The resignations have included group CEO Barbara Muckermann, chief financial officer Gordon Drake, chief development officer Frank Veenstra, chief human resources officer Karin Raguin and chief brand officer Barbara Biffi, the person said. Riko van Santen, chief information officer, departed the company earlier this year.
Veenstra has been succeeded by an internal candidate, Noel Attard. Drake's successor is Andrea Vanni, who served as a board member for the company.
All the departing officials had a short stint at Kempinski: Muckermann joined in May 2024, Drake in January 2025, Raguin came onboard in March 2025, Veenstra joined in September 2025 and Biffi came onboard in October 2025.
Since longtime CEO Reto Wittwer, who became CEO in 1995, left the company in 2014, the five succeeding CEOs' tenure has also been short-lived. Wittwer's successor, Alejandro Bernabe, stayed a year and a half; Markus Semer stayed just over three years; Martin Smura stayed a year and a half; and Bernold Schroeder, who is Muckermann's immediate predecessor, stayed for just under three and a half years.
Kempinski did not immediately respond to a request for comment.