Knight Frank appoints Head of Hospitality in Capital Markets

Knight Frank has appointed Max Cergneux as Head of Hospitality within its European Cross-Border Capital Markets team. Max will lead a dedicated hospitality team focused on further driving Knight Frank’s offer across Mainland Europe in this burgeoning sector.

With more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Max brings a combination of operational insight and capital markets expertise to the sector. He has held senior leadership roles within the international hotel industry, including serving as Chief Development Officer and Executive Committee member at Louvre Hotels Group. In that capacity, he led global development initiatives, overseeing brand expansion, portfolio growth, and strategic partnerships across the globe. Earlier in his career, he led international corporate development initiatives for Choice Hotels and spent several years at Marriott International, focusing on corporate and development finance across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, contributing to growth strategies, joint ventures, and investment transactions. He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School. His career has focused on advising investors and operators on growth, transactions, and value creation across global hospitality markets.

As Head of Hospitality, Max will lead Knight Frank’s new specialist team, supporting existing clients while identifying new growth opportunities across the continent. The newly established team will further strengthen Knight Frank’s offering in hospitality, a sector which continues to gain momentum across Europe, and will build on Knight Frank’s strong track record of high-profile transactions and strategic international additions to service the firm’s institutional, private equity and Ultra High Net Worth client base.

Mike Bowden, Partner and Managing Director of Europe at Knight Frank, commented: “With sustained client appetite for hospitality allocation, this is a key appointment as we aim to solidify Knight Frank’s position as the go-to adviser for transactions in the sector across mainland Europe. Max’s extensive expertise makes him a brilliant addition to Knight Frank. He understands the industry from every angle – operators, brands, investors and developers and will bring a highly international perspective that aligns with how our clients think and invest.