In Brief: a&o has appointed Gernot Porcher as Senior Vice President of Construction, signaling a focus on strengthening the company’s project management and development capabilities for future property growth and upgrades.
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a&o SVP of Construction Gernot Porcher – Image Credit a&o Hostels
Gernot Porcher is the new Senior Vice President of Construction at a&o, Europe’s largest hostel chain. In this role, the 56-year-old will be responsible for the planning, construction, and maintenance of a&o locations. He clearly articulates his goal: “Successful further development and the tapping of new growth potential through increasingly adaptable real estate.” Oliver Winter, CEO and founder of a&o: “With Gernot Porcher, we’re gaining on two fronts: He’s a real estate all-rounder with extensive expertise in both the design and planning as well as the implementation and maintenance of real estate; he’s a driving force behind our corporate goals—solution-oriented, open-minded, and quality-conscious.” By the end of 2028, a&o plans to open six new locations in Europe, four of them in 2027.
Until 2015, Gernot Porcher worked at EY/Ernst & Young as Head of Project and Risk Management; he later moved to Deutsche Hospitality, formerly Steigenberger and later H World International, where he most recently held the position of Vice President of Real Estate. A native of Hesse, he holds a degree in architectural engineering and a degree in real estate economics (ebs).
Clear structures, continuous development, and an open approach to experiences and learning processes form the foundation of Gernot Porcher’s holistic view of real estate. And that, in turn, is a prerequisite for long-term success, because: “It’s only after completion that things really get interesting.”
With “price competitiveness, sustainability/durability, and flexibility,” a&o will continue to set new standards and provide important impetus for the entire industry, even in a persistently dynamic and challenging market environment. Porcher leads a team of 10 and plans to expand the team soon.
New Locations on the horizon
Following the acquisition and renovation of properties in Manchester, London, Milan, Florence, and Brussels over the past 24 months, 2027 will see the opening of the fourth a&o location in the capital — including the a&o Berlin Checkpoint Charlie as well as the launch of the new a&o Heidelberg. Two more properties will be added by the end of 2027, followed by another two by the end of 2028.
a&o Hostels was founded in 2000 and currently operates 46 properties with approximately 31,600 beds in 32 cities across Europe. Oliver Winter sees clear potential for “doubling the portfolio”: “We’ve grown by about 11,500 beds over the past two years—we will continue to consistently pursue our goal of making affordable travel to European cities and metropolitan areas possible, especially for families, young travelers, and school groups.”
In 2025, the Berlin-based company recorded nearly three million guests and approximately 6.6 million overnight stays. Ongoing market trends and strong demographic drivers are propelling the hostel segment’s evolution into an institutional asset class. Just recently, a&o completed a refinancing deal worth 874 million euros with the financial investor Apollo (NYSE: APO). Stepstone Group and Proprium Capital Partners have been the owners of a&o since late 2023.