Iconic Galle Face Hotel picking up pace with a mix of local and international appointments

From left:Galle Face Hotel Resident Manager Mubarak Gaffoor, Galle Face Hotel and Ceylon Hotel Corporation Head of Sales and Marketing Narelle McDougall, Ceylon Hotel Group and EKHO HotelsCorporate Chef of Sri Lankan Cuisine Chef Saman Jayawardene, Galle Face Hotel and Ceylon Hotel CorporationCluster Director of Human Resources Nalaka Dissanayake, and Galle Face Hotel Executive Chef Jay Kay Govind 

• The majestic Colombo hotel is powering up with five new executives, including a new Resident Manager, Head of Sales and Marketing, Corporate Sri Lankan Cuisine Chef, Director of Human Resources and Executive Chef

The Galle Face Hotel, opened in 1864 and one of the oldest hotels east of Suez, is gearing up for a strong future with the announcement of key appointments.

“This is such an exciting time, both in the country and in the hotel. Lonely Planet has rated Sri Lanka the ‘Top Country for Travel in 2019’, meaning a new era of growth for the destination. We want to ensure we have the team to take the hotel on that journey, creating new and authentic experiences for our guests in the years to come,” said Galle Face Hotel Chairman Sanjeev Gardiner, the hotel’s owner.

The new team has a combined total of 100 years of local and international experience in hospitality – experience they are now bringing to the Galle Face Hotel. 

Mubarak Gaffooris the hotel’s new Resident Manager, overseeing operational departments including the rooms division and food and beverage. After many years in the UK, ‘Muba’ has been a part of the Galle Face Hotel family since 2014 when he joined as a Director of Sales, and later promoted to the role of Director of Group Sales and Marketing. 

Narelle McDougall is the new Head of Sales and Marketing for the Galle Face Hotel and Ceylon Hotel Corporation (CHC), overseeing sales and marketing, revenue and reservations, catering sales and public relations. Narelle has many years’ experience in the region including Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and the Maldives with leading brands such as InterContinental, Le Méridien and Anantara. 

Chef SamanJayawardeneis now Corporate Chef of Sri Lankan Cuisine for the Ceylon Hotel Group and EKHO Hotels. An acclaimed Sri Lankan chef with almost 30 years’ experience, he moves from Executive Chef at the Galle Face Hotel having previously worked with leading hotels across Sri Lanka, India and the Maldives. NalakaDissanayake has come on board as Cluster Director of Human Resources, with a responsibility for identifying and nurturing talent for the Galle Face Hotel and Ceylon Hotel Group. Nalaka has worked with major brands in the Middle East, the Maldives and Sri Lanka, including Radisson Blu, Millennium and Copthorne, and Habtoor, a leading Emirati hotel group. 

Jay Kay Govindjoins as the Galle Face Hotel’s new Executive Chef, on board and excited to create culinary experiences for guests and events. Chef Jay is an award-winning chef with a career spanning 25 years in five different countries. Prior to joining the Galle Face Hotel, he worked for top hotel brands including JW Marriott, Anantara, Banyan Tree and InterContinental.

“Although from different disciplines, our new team members are leaders in their fields and dedicated to success. I am personally excited to have them on board and look forward to creating new experiences together in this incredible destination,” said Robert C. Hauck, the hotel’s General Manager and Area Vice President.