a&o Hostels appoints Gernot Porcher as SVP construction

a&o Hostels has appointed Gernot Porcher as senior vice president of construction, strengthening its development capability as the company continues to expand across Europe. 

 Gernot Porcher 

Based in Berlin, Porcher will oversee planning, construction and maintenance across a&o’s growing portfolio.

Porcher joins from Deutsche Hospitality, where he served as vice president of real estate. He previously spent five years at EY as head of project and risk management and has managed complex real estate portfolios across EMEA. He holds degrees in architectural engineering and real estate economics.

CEO and founder Oliver Winter said Porcher brings broad expertise across design, planning, delivery and long‑term asset management, as well as the solution‑focused mindset that supports a&o’s growth ambitions. Porcher will lead a team of ten specialists, expected to expand in the coming months, with a focus on innovation and long‑term value creation.

With six new properties planned across Europe by the end of 2028, including four openings in 2027, Porcher said adaptability will be central to unlocking future growth. He highlighted price competitiveness, sustainability, durability and flexibility as the defining pillars of successful hospitality development.

Upcoming openings include a&o Berlin Checkpoint Charlie, the company’s fifth property in the city, and a&o Heidelberg. Two additional properties are scheduled to open by the end of 2027, with two more expected in 2028.

Founded in 2000, a&o Hostels operates 46 locations with around 31,300 beds across 32 European cities. Winter said the company sees clear potential to double its portfolio, having added approximately 11,500 beds over the past two years. In 2025, a&o welcomed nearly three million guests and recorded 6.6 million overnight stays, with demographic trends supporting the hostel sector’s emergence as an institutional asset class.

The company recently completed an €874 million refinancing with Apollo. StepStone Group and Proprium Capital Partners have owned a&o since late 2023.