Simon Hirst Joins Raffles Singapore as General Manager

Simon Hirst has been appointed General Manager of Raffles Singapore.

Simon moves from sister property Raffles Praslin, Seychelles to take up the position in Singapore on 1 August 2013.

Simon’s role in the Seychelles will be filled by Christoph Ganster who succeeded him as General Manager, Raffles Praslin, Seychelles, on 15 July 2013.

Peter French, President of Raffles Hotels & Resorts, said “I am delighted to announce the news of Simon’s move to Raffles Singapore. Simon’s high regard within the industry and his extensive international hotel experience speaks for itself - as do the results of the past eighteen months he has spent with us in the Seychelles. I am more than confident that Simon will be an exceptional custodian of Raffles Singapore and do justice to the legacy of such an iconic property, especially in this, its 125th anniversary year.”

Simon joined the Raffles family in February 2013, as General Manager, Raffles Praslin Seychelles.

Simon established his reputation in the hotel industry over 15 years working with hotelier Gordon Campbell Gray. In 1997, Simon was appointed opening General Manager of One Aldwych, London. In 2008, he moved on to be Operations Director of Campbell Gray Hotels, overseeing the whole hotel collection.

Simon’s career began with the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, where he held management positions in Hong Kong and San Francisco over 11 years. He then joined Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts in 1988, as Resident Manager of the Four Seasons, Park Lane, London. He returned to Asia in 1991 as Hotel Manager of Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong and then re-joined Four Seasons in 1994 as opening General Manager of The Regent Chiang Mai (a Four Seasons hotel).

Christoph Ganster

Simon’s role as General Manager of Raffles Praslin Seychelles has been filled by Christoph Ganster.

Christoph moves to the Seychelles from the Ukraine, where he held the position of General Manager at the Fairmont Grand Hotel Kyiv, which opened in 2012. Prior to that, he was General Manager of Fairmont Towers, Cairo from April 2009.

Christoph originally joined Raffles Hotels & Resorts in 2005, as Director of Food & Beverage at the former Raffles Canouan in St. Vincent and The Grenadines. He was promoted to Executive Assistant Manager of the property in 2006, before moving to the UAE in 2007 to work on the opening of Raffles Dubai in the same capacity. He was promoted to Hotel Manager in 2008.

This is also a return to the Indian Ocean for Christoph: he has previously worked at the Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel, Port Louis, Mauritius and at One&Only Kanuhura, Maldives. Christoph’s career started with the Rafael Group of Hotels, in his native Germany and in Miami, Florida.