Gregor Aufhauser: the Austrian who keeps carving out profits in crisis

Ten years ago, when Gregor Aufhauser started working with his family's stone masonry company in Austria, little did he know that ten years later he'd be sitting on a terrace in Sighisoara, enjoying the ancient ambiance of the Romanian city. Or about the challenge he'd have to face running a multifunctional complex in Romania during times of crisis. Put at the helm of the Grand compound in Bucharest in 2010, Aufhauser had to face the personal challenges of his first job abroad and of living as an expat in Romania, as well as that of steering the ship through stormy economic seas. Turbulence for retail, hotels and office – all of which are present in the Grand complex – best known for hosting the five-star JW Marriott hotel in Bucharest. The owners of the complex have a management contract with the Marriott chain for running the hotel.