Raffles Hotels & Resorts Appoints Simon Hirst As General Manager, Raffles Praslin Seychelles

Feb. 24, 2012 - PRLog -- (February 2012) -- John Johnston, President of Raffles Hotels & Resorts, announces the appointment of well known London hotelier, Simon Hirst, as General Manager of Raffles Praslin Seychelles, effective 27 February 2012.  

John Johnston says, “I am delighted to welcome Simon into the Raffles family. He is extremely highly-regarded in the industry and brings extensive international expertise in the pre-opening, opening, positioning and managing of award-winning hotels and resorts.   I know that Raffles Praslin Seychelles will benefit enormously from Simon’s international experience, to confirm its position as one of the leading luxury hotels in the Indian Ocean”.

Simon Hirst has been working with visionary hotelier Gordon Campbell Gray since 1997 when he was appointed opening General Manager of One Aldwych, London.  In 2008 he became Operations Director of CampbellGray Hotels where he oversaw the hotel collection including Carlisle Bay, Antigua, Dukes Hotel, London and the recently opened Le Gray, Beirut.  He was also responsible for the operations planning of new hotel projects.

Simon began his career with the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, holding management positions at Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong and Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco over the course of 11 years.  

In 1988, he joined Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts as Resident Manager of the Four Seasons, Park Lane, London.  He returned to Asia in 1991 when he was appointed Hotel Manager of Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong and thereafter re-joined Four Seasons in 1994 as General Manager of The Regent Chiang Mai (a Four Seasons hotel) and opened Chiang Mai’s first luxury resort.

Raffles Praslin Seychelles opened in February 2011, set on 30 acres on the Northern tip of Praslin Island, with 86 spacious villas each with 24 hour butler service and private plunge pools. It is home to the signature Raffles Spa, which embraces the philosophy of transformation.  

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Further information:  Lucinda Buxton/Anita Gryson, Mango PR
Telephone +44 (0) 207 421 2500
Lucinda.buxton@mangopr.co.uk | anita.gryson@mangopr.co.uk


ABOUT RAFFLES HOTELS & RESORTS:  Raffles Hotels & Resorts is an award-winning, luxury international hotel company with a history dating back to 1887 with the opening of Raffles Hotel, Singapore.  The portfolio currently comprises eight luxurious properties, from secluded resorts to chic hotels in key locations around the world:  in Singapore, Cambodia, China, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles and Paris, each one is an oasis of calm and charm.  The company is embarking on a new phase of expansion, with openings in Istanbul, the Maldives, Indonesia, the Philippines and China scheduled over the next two years.   With a compelling mix of cultures and styles, every hotel in the Raffles family has its own individual personality, with its own story to tell and its own sense of place.   However, each one is proud to draw on the timeless essence of Raffles – to deliver thoughtful, personal and discreet service to well-travelled guests.  

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