HONG KONG—Swire Hotels has revealed key senior management appointments: Brian Williams as deputy chairman; Toby Smith as managing director; Dean Winter as group director of operations; and Gretchen Smelter as director of marketing.
Brian Williams, previously the managing director of Swire Hotels has taken up the new role of deputy chairman, focusing on the growth and development of the group. He is a seasoned hotelier who has worked in the luxury hotel market on four continents over the last 30 years.
Williams spent a significant period of his earlier career with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, including holding GM positions at Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, The Ritz London and Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park London, before becoming VP of development EMEA, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. Prior to joining Swire Hotels, he was the CEO of The Scotsman Hotel Group.
Toby Smith joined the Swire group as a management trainee in 1991 after graduating from the University of Bristol. During his tenure at Swire, he has held positions within the group’s shipping and aviation sectors. In his new role, Smith will assume the day-to-day leadership of the Swire Hotels portfolio, with the latest addition—The Middle House, Shanghai scheduled to open at the end of this year. Prior to joining Swire Hotels, Toby was the GM of sales and distribution at Cathay Pacific, overseeing the distribution channels including online, corporate sales and Cathay Holidays.
Dean Winter is a hotelier and restaurateur with more than 25 years of experience in London, Hong Kong and Singapore. Winter has expanded his scope of responsibilities, overseeing all hotel and restaurant operations in Hong Kong, China and Miami. He joined Swire Hotels in October 2006, to manage operations and pre-opening preparations for The Opposite House in Beijing, The Upper House and East in Hong Kong, prior to opening The Upper House as GM in 2009.
As a creative director and brand consultant with more than 20 years of experience, Gretchen Smelter joined Swire Hotels in April as director of marketing. She has previously worked for global publishing companies Condé Nast, Hearst, Time Inc. (Travel + Leisure) and Hong Kong-based Edipresse Asia (Hong Kong Tatler).