Trio of new managerial appointments for Gleneagles

09 December 2016 by Janet Harmer

Gleneagles, the iconic five-red-AA-star, 232-bedroom hotel in Auchterarder, Perthshire, has announced three managerial appointments.

From left: Warren Brown, Colin Farndon, Paul Heery and Conor O'Leary

Conor O'Leary, previously director of food and beverage at the Grand Hyatt in Dubai for nearly three years, has been appointed hotel manager. His chief responsibility in his new role will be overseeing all food and beverage operations across the hotel and estate, taking over the reins from current director of food and beverage Alan Hill, who has been at the hotel for 27 years.

Hill will leave Gleneagles at the end of 2017 and until then he will mentor O'Leary and the new executive chef Warren Brown. He will also take up the temporary post of director of food retail development in the New Year, to explore the development of new food-related offerings at Gleneagles

He said that he was delighted to join Gleneagles, which he regards as being "the finest seat" of luxury Scottish hospitality. "An ambitious vision has been set by Gleneagles, in terms of strengthening the hotel's position on the global stage and enhancing the guest experience, and I very much look forward to contributing to its future success."

Brown has been appointed to the post of executive chef, following the sudden death from a stroke of his predecessor, Alan Gibb, aged 48, in June.

In his new role, Brown will oversee four head chefs and kitchen teams as he sets about expanding the breadth and scope of the hotel's culinary offering.

Brown, a graduate of Birmingham City University, has worked overseas in executive chef roles at the Hilton Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Shangri-La Manila, Philippines; and St Regis hotel, Shanghai, China.

Colin Farndon, previously spa director for nearly five years at Armathwaite Hall Country House Hotel & Spa, Bassenthwaite, Cumbria, has been appointed director of leisure.

Farndon has been tasked with implementing a new leisure strategy to maximise opportunities for guests on the 850-acre estate, including shooting, archery, falconry, fishing, gundog training, tennis and off-road driving, in addition to the world-famous golf facilities.

The trio of new recruits will work under general manager Paul Heery and managing director Bernard Murphy.

Heery said that the appointments are part of the hotel's ambitious plans to enhance the Gleneagles offer and guest experience. ""This is a tremendously exciting time for Gleneagles, with our investment programme already well under way, and these three roles will be critical to the business - ensuring we build on our existing success and forge new opportunities to strengthen our position as one of the leading hotels of the world."

Ennismore, the owner of designer budget hotel brand the Hoxton, acquired Gleneagles in July 2015 off a reported guide price of £200m. The hotel is undergoing a multi-million redevelopment.

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