Shangri-La International Hotel Management Ltd. appoints VP for Middle East and India

Haechler was appointed general manager of Shangri-La Hotel, Dubai in April 2002, prior to the hotel's opening in July 2003.

In May 2006, he was promoted to the position of area manager and general manager which included Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi, which soft-opened in August 2007.

Traders Hotel, Dubai was included in Haechler's area manager responsibility in March 2007.

Prior to Dubai, Haechler was the general manager of Shangri-La's Rasa Sayang Resort, Penang, Malaysia and Shangri-La's Golden Sands Resort, Penang, Malaysia.

He joined Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts in 1993 as general manager of the Aberdeen Marina Club, located on the south side of Hong Kong Island.

This was followed by general manager postings at Kowloon Shangri-La, Hong Kong, Edsa Shangri-La, Manila, in the Philippines and Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok in Thailand.

Haechler brings with him over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry.

A graduate of the Hotel School in Lucerne, Switzerland, he began his career in Switzerland before moving to South Africa in 1978 to join the Southern Sun Hotel Corporation.

Haechler then joined Sun International in 1986 as the general manager of the Wild Coast Sun Hotel, Casino and Country Club following which he was general manager of the Sun City Main Hotel.