Generator and a&o Hostels appoint new chief executives in Europe

European hostel chain Generator announced Xavier Mufraggi as its new Chief Executive Officer. The former Club Med executive brings over 20 years of experience in hospitality, private equity and consumer goods, and will lead the company's international expansion and modernization of flagship properties in London, Paris, Dublin and Hamburg. Generator, owned by Brookfield since 2025, plans three new openings in 2026‑2027.

a&o Hostels named technology veteran Markus Harder as its Chief Financial Officer. Harder, who previously held senior roles at DeepL, Contentful and SoundCloud and began his career at Morgan Stanley, will oversee finance, legal, risk management and the chain’s digital transformation. The appointment supports a&o’s plan to grow its European portfolio and increase operational efficiency through cloud, AI and mobile technologies.