Simon Barnett Appointed General Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur

Simon Barnett Appointed General Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur

Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur announces the appointment of Simon Barnett as its General Manager. Arriving from Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya, Simon brings more than three decades of global hospitality experience to his new role.

“I’m thrilled to be here in vibrant Kuala Lumpur and look forward to building on our Hotel’s legacy as an icon of luxury and glamour,” says Simon, checking off some of the key attributes that set apart Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur: innovative wellness offerings, highly personalized service, and an award-winning culinary program that includes the Michelin-selected Yun House and Bar Trigona, ranked among Asia’s 50 Best Bars for six consecutive years.

As a veteran hotelier who has spent nearly 15 years with Four Seasons, Simon embodies a rare combination of operational know-how and sales and marketing experience. Starting out in the front office of a five-star hotel in Brisbane, Australia, he honed his skills across various departments, including concierge and reservations, before discovering a strong affinity with sales, where he progressed steadily through the ranks while learning to flex his creative muscles. Working across luxury properties in the Gold Coast (Australia), London and New York, he also had the opportunity to build and lead teams across diverse cultural environments.

In 2011, Simon joined Four Seasons Hotel Sydney as Director of Catering and Conference Services, quickly moving up to Director of Marketing. It was around this time that he felt an increasing pull to return to operations and take on a role that would encompass the Hotel in its entirety. His transition to Hotel Manager in Sydney was followed by a move to Four Seasons Hotel Singapore where he served simultaneously as Hotel Manager and Director of Marketing.

Simon then took on his first assignment as General Manager at Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta, helping the property stabilize and kickstart its post-pandemic growth, before heading over to the award-winning Four Seasons property in Bangkok, where he spent the last two years executing multiple successful initiatives, including the launch of a new restaurant, a hotel-wide sustainability program, and a calendar of daily cultural experiences.

While in the region, Simon and his wife travelled frequently to Malaysia to visit dear friends – “our godchildren were born here” – falling in love with the country’s warm, welcoming spirit. When the opportunity arose to move to Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur, their answer was an instant and resounding “yes”!

In his role as General Manager, Simon is excited to elevate the Hotel’s offerings, with a strong focus on showcasing Kuala Lumpur’s multicultural vibrancy. “While the city’s incredible food scene is world famous, its cultural heritage has yet to gain its rightful place on the global travel stage,” notes Simon, sharing his vision for bringing local art, history and customs to life through destination-led experiences. Guests can also look forward to an expanded wellness program, including a line-up of visiting practitioners as well as daily activities centred around mindfulness, healthy cuisine, longevity science and more.

What’s the most important lesson he’s learned in his career? “To make every single guest feel special,” he says, recalling the incident that led to this learning. Working as a porter during his university days, he rushed out to greet the arrival of a glamorous young couple and escort them to their room. Later, the head concierge pulled Simon aside and noted that he had overlooked an elderly couple who had arrived just a few seconds before. “They had been saving up for months to spend their fiftieth anniversary with us,” he says, remembering how embarrassed he felt at the unwitting oversight. Ever since, the memory has served him as a valuable reminder of why people come to hotels – and why it’s worth taking every opportunity to make their visit memorable.

Now, Simon looks forward to making every guest feel special at Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur, the city’s most stylish and welcoming retreat. On a personal front, he and his wife are excited to explore lesser-known regions of the country: “We’re already looking forward to our first Malaysian vacation since moving here... Continue reading here (members only)

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The Team

at LEADING HOTELIERS NETWORK / JOB LEAD SERVICE

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