SINGAPORE, August 6, 2012 – Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts is pleased to announce the appointment of Kevin Furrer, as General Manager of Swissôtel Resort Phuket with immediate effect. He has been with the company since 2004 and was most recently Acting General Manager at Swissôtel Nai Lert Park, Bangkok.

Not new to Asia, Kevin Furrer was Director of Food & Beverage at Swissôtel Nankai Osaka, Japan since 2010, prior to his appointment in Bangkok. In Osaka, Kevin Furrer was responsible for seven Food & Beverage outlets as well as over 250 team members within the department.  He first joined Swissôtel Le Plaza, Switzerland as an Assistant Banquet & Catering Manager and quickly rose up the ranks to Rooms Division Manager. He then became Director of Operations at Swissôtel Berlin, Germany for three years before he moved to Asia.

Kevin Furrer holds a Bachelor of Science in international Hospitality Management from the prestigious Lausanne Hotel School, Switzerland. A chef by training, he started his career at Hotel Weisses Kreuz in Lyss, Switzerland as an Apprentice Chef. He brings on board an extensive knowledge of F&B and Rooms divisions as well as a hands-on approach to Swissôtel’s first resort in Asia.

Swissôtel Resort Phuket is the Swiss hospitality group’s first property in Phuket and third property in Thailand. Just a 30-minute drive southwest of Phuket International Airport, the retreat is located right by Kamala Beach and is an ideal base from which to explore Phuket. The resort offers 180 luxurious one to three-bedroom suites, each with a separate bedroom, living room and private balcony; three restaurants and bars, with a wide range of local and international dishes and drinks; a lagoon swimming pool, a spa & fitness centre; and Kids World: an amusement zone for children, which includes a wide array of recreational activities hosted in the Adventure Club. 460m² of meeting space, divided into eight function rooms for 10 to 150 guests is available for both business or private events.

About Swissôtel Hotels and Resorts
Swissôtel Hotels and Resorts (www.swissotel.com) is an award winning and distinctive group of deluxe hotels, combining renowned Swiss hospitality with contemporary design, personalised service, charm and efficiency. Located in popular gateway destinations and city centres, the hotels provide convenient access to business and shopping districts. The group's Swiss heritage ensures organisational competence, attention to detail, safety and a superlative guest experience.

The international hotel chain is owned by FRHI Holdings Limited, a leading global hotel company with 102 hotels and resorts worldwide under the Raffles, Fairmont and Swissôtel brands. The company also manages Fairmont and Raffled branded Residences, Estates and luxury private residence club properties.

Hotels under development: Sochi/Russia (2013), Bodrum/Turkey (2013 and 2014), Chengdu/China (2014), Bangalore/India (2014), Mumbai/India (2014),  and Kazan/Russia (2016).