A Swiss national, Mr Sauter is a life-long hospitality professional with a proven track record. He has also enjoyed a richly rewarding 24-year relationship with Phuket – and with Thailand as a whole. Having first arrived on the “Pearl of the Andaman” in 1997, as Resident Manager of Impiana Resort Patong, he went on to manage some of the island’s top hotels and resorts. He is also proficient in Thai, one of six languages he can speak along with French, English, German, Italian and Spanish.
A graduate of the prestigious Swiss hotel school Ecole Hôtelière de Genève and Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, Mr Sauter is clearly highly-qualified, but it is his time in Phuket that has defined his life and career.
Following five successful years with Impiana, he achieved his first general manager’s role with Cape & Kantary Hotels, leading the well-known Cape Panwa Hotel on Phuket’s southeast coast.
Mr Sauter has since headed several major properties in Phuket and neighbouring Phang Nga province for international hotel groups, including Wyndham and Marco Polo. Most recently, he was GM of The Surin Phuket for over six years, making it one of the island’s best performing hotels.
Now, he brings his management qualities and local area expertise to The Slate, where Bill Bensley’s quirky and compelling interior design concept showcases the island’s industrial tin mining heritage.
“It gives me great pleasure to welcome Claude to The Slate as our new general manager,” commented the hotel’s co-founder and owner Krystal “Khun Moo” Prakaikaew Na-Ranong.
“His track record speaks for itself; not only is he a highly-skilled hotelier with strong leadership qualities, he also shares my deep passion for Phuket. Having spent more than two decades living and working on the island and being able to speak Thai, he can offer expert advice and insights to our guests, while also intuitively understanding the local tourism market and the needs of our team members. Claude is a perfect fit for The Slate,” she said.
“It is an honour to be appointed GM of The Slate and to work alongside Khun Moo, who is a truly iconic figure in Phuket’s tourism and hospitality industry,” Mr Sauter reciprocated.
“She has successfully created one of the most breath-taking resorts in Asia, which successfully weaves her family’s life story with Bill Bensley’s design and the finest five-star hospitality. As the world starts to travel again, I look forward to ushering in an exciting new era at this outstanding resort, and creating exceptional experiences for all our guests,” he added.