Global Sales Director of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts in Russia, Ukraine and CIS. Associate professor at the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics.

Elvira started her career in hotel business as the front desk agent in Swedish-managed Katerina hotel in Moscow, and then continued her endeavors in the financial and sales & marketing departments of the Marriott Hotels in Moscow. She occupied positions of Moscow sales and marketing manager of Grand Hotel Europe and business development director of BBPG Conventions, Moscow.

From March 2006 till April 2016 Elvira subsequently headed the Regional sales office of the luxury hotel group Rocco Forte Hotels as the Director of Sales, Russia, CIS and Baltics, had the position of the Commercial director at the group of companies GOST (GOST Luxury Clubs) and Business Development Director at Interstate Hotels & Resorts being in charge of strategic sales & marketing, brand endorsement, sales & marketing pre-opening of new hotels, controlling diverse hotel and real estate projects in the regions of Russia and CIS, Baltics and Europe.

From April 2016 Elvira has taken the position of the Global Sales Director of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts in Russia, Ukraine and CIS developing and increasing volume of sales and revenue as well as partnership and loyalty programs of the largest soft brand of hotels consisting of more than 700 hotels worldwide. 

Elvira Tarasenko graduated with honors from the Russian University of Economics named after G.V. Plekhanov with the major in economics, international hotel, travel and restaurant management. She possesses a diploma of the Hotel Manager with honors issued by the American Hotel & Motel Association as well as co-joint diploma with Noordelijke Hogeschool Leeuwarden. Elvira has a PhD in economics and a postgraduate diploma in real estate management/development issued by RANEPA (Russian Presidential Academy of National economy and public administration).

In 2010-2019 Elvira published a number of articles and a few academic and practical text books on hotel business and marketing, cross-cultural business.

Elvira has been a guest of honor and expert at many sessions at a number of business forums on hotel business, marketing in Russia and abroad (such as Vedomosti, MIBEX, PIR etc).

Elvira is a lecturer and associate professor at the Plekhanov University of Economics and the invited lecturer at the International Business School (Nancy, France).