Ekrem Ozgur Sezercan has been appointed as the new General Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace St. Petersburg.

Ekrem Ozgur Sezercan has taken up his duties as the new General Manager at Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace St. Petersburg. He leads the hotel with a 17-year career history with the Four Seasons brand and 30 years of collaboration with the hospitality industry as a whole.

He entered the hospitality industry by calling. «I fell in love with the hospitality industry in early childhood, the first time I stepped into a hotel,» shares Ekrem Ozgur Sezercan. «Giving guests experiences and emotions is my passion.»

Ozgur Sezercan was born in Istanbul. He began his career in hospitality in 1996 on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey, in Antalya, as a frontline guest service associate while still studying at Akdeniz University. His introduction to the industry started from the basics: among his first tasks was luggage handling. After earning a bachelor's degree in Tourism and Hotel Management in 2000, he moved to the USA, where he completed an internship at a major Marriott hotel in Boston, then returned to Istanbul and joined Swissôtel in guest reception and accommodation services.

In 2006, Ozgur moved to Protel (Micros Fidelio) in Istanbul, specializing in the development and installation of Opera software. In this role, he directly interacted with the hotel business, and it was during this period that he became acquainted with the Four Seasons brand, which proved pivotal for his future career.

«I immediately felt how close the core values of Four Seasons were to me, where sensitivity, attentiveness, and an individual approach to each guest are prioritized; it is precisely this potential that I have always strived to unlock myself,» he notes. 

He joined the Four Seasons team in 2008, starting as a Revenue Auditor at Four Seasons Hotel Bosphorus in Istanbul. He soon transitioned to an Administrator role and then fully immersed himself in the world of hospitality, serving as Duty Manager and Night Manager, Front Office and Reception staff, and Assistant Director of Rooms.

Ozgur Sezercan's career developed dynamically. In 2017, he became Director of Rooms, and subsequently Hotel Manager, at Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff in Johannesburg. He significantly enhanced service levels and established himself as an excellent specialist in motivating, building, and strengthening teams. His contributions were instrumental in Four Seasons The Westcliff receiving a 5-star rating from the Forbes Travel Guide in 2020.

«Not every hotel has a soul: even the most exquisite and sophisticated interiors will be lifeless without the genuine smiles of those who greet and bid farewell to guests,» Ozgur notes. «I always feel a surge of pride for the hotel when I see a guest returning to us: we return to a familiar city and a familiar hotel primarily to receive pleasant emotions – which I am happy to provide.»

In 2023, Ozgur Sezercan became Hotel Manager at Four Seasons Hotel Baku, from where he moved to St. Petersburg in the autumn of 2025 to lead Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace St. Petersburg.

«St. Petersburg and my hometown, Istanbul, have much in common: they are amazing and multifaceted – each new day is like a new chapter in a captivating novel, where history and art, romance and inspiration, and, of course, thrilling storylines are intertwined. As for hospitality, I am pleased to note that both Istanbul and St. Petersburg are true tourist magnets, to which travelers return again and again. And they are attracted not only by the sights but also by the warm, sincere, heartfelt attitude with which we treat our guests,» he emphasizes.

In his free time, Ozgur enjoys spending time with his family – his wife Başak and children Asya and Aras. He travels extensively and is an avid football fan. His favorite team is Beşiktaş from Istanbul.

«St. Petersburg and the House of Lions represent a new, inspiring chapter in my life: an incredible city, rich cultural heritage, a magnificent historic mansion, and glorious traditions of hospitality,» emphasizes Ekrem Ozgur Sezercan. «I am confident that new discoveries, achievements, and victories lie ahead.»