Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur

Four Seasons Tenure

• Since 2011
• First Four Seasons Assignment: Director of Catering and Conference Services, Four Seasons Hotel Sydney

Employment History

• Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, Thailand; Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta, Indonesia; Four Seasons Hotel Singapore, Singapore; Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, Australia; Jumeirah Essex House, New York, USA; Jumeirah Carlton Tower & Lowndes Hotel, London, UK; The Trafalgar Hilton, London, UK; Hilton Hotels International, London, UK; Daikyo Hotels Resorts and Cruises, Gold Coast, Australia; Starwood, Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Brisbane, Australia

Education

• Bachelor of Business (Hospitality Management), University of Queensland, Australia

Birthplace

• Melbourne, Australia

Languages Spoken

• English

A veteran hotelier with three decades of global hospitality experience, Simon Barnett brings a rare combination of operational know-how and sales and marketing credentials to his role as General Manager. His mission? “To keep building on the property’s already-impressive legacy as an icon of luxury and glamour,” he says, checking off some of the key attributes that set apart Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur: an award-winning culinary program, innovative wellness offerings, and highly personalized service.

Starting out in the front office of a five-star hotel in Brisbane, Australia, Simon 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 with luxury brands 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 here, their answer was an instant and resounding “yes”!

In his current role, Simon brings a fresh focus to 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,” he notes. The Hotel’s growing selection of destination-led experiences brings local art, history and customs to life, connecting guests with the true spirit of Malaysia. Under Simon’s guidance, the team is also expanding the wellness program, from welcoming visiting practitioners to introducing daily activities centred on mindfulness, healthy cuisine, longevity science and more.

What’s the most important lesson he’s learned in his career? “As hoteliers, our goal is 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 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 as a valuable reminder of why people come to hotels – and why it’s worth taking every opportunity to make their visit memorable.

When it comes to leadership, Simon’s style is distinctly collaborative: “Asking people questions and getting their feedback is better for team members, for guests and for leaders. That’s the reality.”

On a personal front, he enjoys working out and practising Wim Hof breathwork. This is an offset to his other passion, which is to visit as many different restaurants, across cuisines and styles, as possible each week. As travel buffs, he and his wife also love exploring lesser-known regions of Malaysia together.