Michiel Bakker

As the director of global food services (based in Mountain View, CA), Michiel Bakker leads Google’s world-renowned Food program, supporting all food service related activities and initiatives for Google’s global community. Bakker’s focus areas include developing new insights and evidence in how food experiences can enable individuals and teams to be their best short and long term, and developing internal and external global partnerships to explore and tackle the challenges and opportunities in the broader food systems.

Prior to joining Google, Michiel spent 17 great years with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc., in various roles. Most recently, he led Starwood’s Food and Beverage in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East where he drove operations and guided growth and development. Prior to that, he co-led Starwood’s F&B efforts in its North American Division and was for many years the F&B leader for Starwood’s New builds and transitions team.

Michiel serves on several advisory Boards. He is an Advisory Board member for the Stockholm Food forum EAT, the Sustainable Business Leadership Council for the CIA – Harvard School of Public Health Menus of Change Initiative, the International Hospitality Advisory Board of the Hotel Management School Maastricht, the Netherlands; and a Board member of the Society for Hospitality and Foodservice Management.

Michiel holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the Hotel Management School Maastricht (The Netherlands); a MBA from the University of Bradford (United Kingdom); a master’s of Hospitality Administration degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (USA); and a master’s degree in Real Estate and Construction Management at the University of Denver, Colorado (USA). Together with his wife Nicolette, Michiel is raising his two sons in sunny Los Gatos, CA. In his spare time, Michiel loves spending time with his family, traveling, walking, eating out, reading, and enjoying life.