Upcoming property Al Baleed Salalah Resort by Anantara in Oman, which is currently expected to open on October 1 2016, has confirmed the appointment of James Hewitson as general manager for the resort. A British national, Hewitson speaks fluent English, French and Arabic. He has worked with Anantara for five years, with a total of 25 years of hospitality experience behind him. During this time, Hewitson has worked across the Middle East, Europe and South East Asia. He also holds e-Cornell certificates in ‘Establishing Momentum – Managing Structure, Resources and Performance’ and ‘Hotel Real Estate and Asset Management’.His career began with the InterContinental Hotels Group, before moving on to work in the F&B department of the Crown Plaza Hotels in Kuwait and Bahrain.
Hewitson subsequently moved to the InterContinental Malta to take on the role of director of F&B, before taking up the same role for the InterContinental Bangkok, and the Holiday Inn Bangkok. Hewitson then returned to the GCC to take up the executive assistant manager position at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Bahrain. Moving back again to Thailand, Hewitson joined the Minor Hotel Group in 2011 as executive assistant manager of the Anantara Lawana Resort and Spa in Koh Samui. Hewitson later oversaw the pre-opening of Anantara Dubai The Palm Resort and Spa as resident manager. In 2014, he undertook a role as “task force general manager” for the pre-openings of Anantara Kihavah Maldives, AVANI Pemba Beach Mozambique and Banana Island Resort by Anantara Qatar.