Galle Face Hotel spearheaded by new executive team

Wednesday, 11 June 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

As the iconic Galle Face Hotel continues with its impressive restoration project to reinstate the persona of the world heritage site to its glory days, the new executive team is thriving on a value proposition of guest focused hospitality. Within the walls of the famous milestone, the new team is implementing strategies that will work well in the newly restored iconic hotel that is steeped with the grandeur and elegance of a bygone era.

Headed by 30 year veteran Group General Manager Tony Fleming, the new executive team also comprises Director Operations Carlos Sanchez Vizan, Group Director Human Resources and Development Wasula Wijegunawardane, Director Marketing Communications Mahika C Pereira, Director Sales Mubarak Gaffoor, Group Accommodation Manager Nihal Muhandiram and Financial Controller Thanuja Leelarathena. Group General Manager Tony Fleming has been with Galle Face Hotel for 18 months while Director Operations Carlos Sanchez Vizan has been with the hotel for six months with past senior leadership roles in international branded hotels in Europe and Asia. Group Director Human Resources Wasula Wijegunawardene with a background in HR Management and Hospitality Education in Sri Lanka and the region has been with the group for two years. Director Marketing Communications Mahika C. Pereira joins the hotel from a background in hotels, airlines and destination marketing with a focus on PR and communications. Director Sales Mubarak Gaffoor recently returned from 10 years in the UK where he held leadership roles in Sales and Distribution Management for internationally branded hotels. Group Accommodation Manager Nihal Muhandiram who has been with the group for the past four years manages special projects and building, and facilities presentation across the group. Thanuja Leelarathena the Financial Controller managers the full range of commercial transactions across the hotel and joins the team from a similar role in an internationally branded hotel in Sri Lanka. Each in their focused discipline has created mechanisms to enhance the unique value proposition that focuses on the genuineness of old world charm that boasts of bespoke nostalgia in a credibly evident Galle Face Hotel. “Our strategy focuses on the customer’s individual needs and placing that distinctive price to endorse the fact that we are unique and operationally efficient,” says Tony Fleming. “With a newly structured management team in place, we are poised to forge ahead towards new milestones and ambitious goals,” he adds. The hotel’s success will be built upon the new structural changes to the management team, enabling Galle Face Hotel to take a strong step forward, in the highly competitive hospitality industry. Coupling global expertise with local insights, the new team is geared to take on further challenges with both the Galle Face Hotel post-restoration and the newly acquired Ceylon Hotels Corporation properties. As a further testament to brand strength, Galle Face has been awarded best heritage hotel for four years running for its uniqueness and maintaining the connection with the past. The Galle Face Hotel is an award winning heritage hotel located at the heart of Colombo, Sri Lanka, which is steeped in the unique history of Sri Lanka amidst tradition and family values. It is probably the only Hotel in the world which has a setting of a sea front city Hotel combined with the features of a beachside resort together grandeur and elegance of the bygone era of Sri Lanka. Celebrating 150 years, the Galle Face Hotel is one of the landmarks in Asia with a historical past that speaks of the historical significance of Sri Lanka. Today, the Galle Face Hotel is acclaimed as one of the best heritage Hotels in Sri Lanka and in 2012 it became the first Hotel in the country to be featured on a postage stamp.