“He asked if I knew what I was getting myself into. I smiled and said I was ready for the challenge.”
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- Elisabeth Støle
When Elisabeth Støle first walked through the doors of the state-of-the-art architectural landmark AC Hotel Bella Sky Copenhagen back in 2011, she had no idea that the hotel and the industry would steal her heart forever. Originally from Norway and with a Service Management degree in her backpack, Elisabeth moved to Denmark as the first Norwegian accepted into SAS’ trainee program, convinced she was destined for a career in tourism.
“I always knew I would work in the tourism industry but never imagined myself in sales,” Elisabeth says as she begins her story. To this day, she is still not sure how she - with no prior experience in hotel sales - managed to land a job where she was suddenly responsible for selling hotel, meeting, and event business across Northern Europe at one of the largest hotels with 811 rooms to fill.
“The GM at the time asked if I knew what I was getting myself into,” she recalls with a laugh: “I just smiled and said I was ready for the challenge.”
“I want women to know they belong in leadership roles. If my story can encourage someone to take that next step, then my mission is complete."
That moment marked the beginning of a career built on curiosity, drive, and ambition. Over the years, Elisabeth worked her way up, always eager to take on new challenges: from Manager to Team Leader to Senior Manager to Assistant Director - all while expanding her portfolio to include more hotels and stepping into Bellagroup’s board of directors.
Moving from hands-on sales to a strategic leadership role has been a defining shift.
“Sales is very direct. You’re out there building relationships and chasing opportunities,” Elisabeth explains: “Today, my focus is on the bigger picture: How can we drive commercial strategy, revenue growth, and end-to-end client experience at one of Denmark’s largest conference hotels? And even more important: How can I, as a leader, build new talent to become the leaders of tomorrow?”
“I want women to know they belong in leadership roles. If my story can encourage someone to take that next step, then my mission is complete."
“Hospitality is about creating memorable experiences and connections – we create moments that matter. That’s what I love, and that’s why I’ll always be in this industry.”
"How can I, as a leader, build new talent to become the leaders of tomorrow?”
Today, she is back where it all began - this time as Director of Conference & Event sales at AC Hotel Bella Sky Copenhagen. She brings with her more than a decade of Bellagroup experience, two children at home, and a growing ambition to pave the way for more women in leadership.
“I want women to know they belong in leadership roles,” she says and adds with a smile: “If my story can encourage someone to take that next step, then my mission is complete. Whether it’s my kids seeing their mom as a strong, modern leader who balances family and career, or my colleagues recognizing what’s possible through my Bellagroup journey.
"How can I, as a leader, build new talent to become the leaders of tomorrow?”
Describing herself as a strategic visionary, what drives Elisabeth most is people.
“I’m motivated by teams - their growth, reaching targets, and winning together,” she says: “I love working with colleagues who bring energy and new ideas to the table.”
“Hospitality is about creating memorable experiences and connections – we create moments that matter,” Elisabeth adds as a closing remark: “That’s what I love, and that’s why I’ll always be in this industry.”
