NEW YORK—Industry veteran Rudy Tauscher has been appointed general manager of AccorHotels’ 398-room Sofitel New York, bringing 20 years’ of experience helming several Manhattan luxury hotels.
Tauscher first came to New York in 1995 to serve as hotel manager of the Peninsula Hotel. He then opened the Trump International Hotel & Tower New York as general manager.
In 2002, Tauscher served as opening GM of the Mandarin Oriental, New York, where he was promoted to area vice president in 2008. In this role, he oversaw the opening of the Mandarin Oriental in Boston while continuing to lead the Manhattan flagship until his departure in 2012.
Tauscher’s first general manager role was in his native Germany, where he opened the Park Hotel, Pforzheim in 1991. His early hospitality experience also included positions at Mansion on Turtle Creek and Hotel Crescent Court, both in Dallas, and the Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans. He also spent three years as hotel manager of The Palace of the Lost City in Sun City, South Africa.
“A natural leader, Rudy is among the most respected hoteliers in the business and his attention to detail is legendary,” said Balendra Nagesvaran, VP/operations for luxury and upscale brands, AccorHotels North and Central America.
“Bringing together the right personalities with the right skills is essential to delivering a luxury guest experience,” said Tauscher. “I feel fortunate to be joining a team that is already deeply committed and talented.”
Having steered a number of hotels through openings, Tauscher’s skill set includes a strong working knowledge of engineering and building technologies. Most recently, he participated in the conceptualization of Equinox Hotels, a lifestyle hotel brand by Related Companies that will debut in New York’s emerging Hudson Yards neighborhood.
Tauscher earned his general manager certificate at Cornell University and completed his management training at Brenner’s Park Hotel in Baden-Baden and Le Bristol in Paris.