Paul Hutton named Hilton Kuwait Resort general manager

Hutton takes over from Ashley Spencer, who was promoted to Hilton International vice president earlier this year.

"I'm delighted to be back in the Gulf and here in Kuwait," said
Hutton. "I spent the better part of the 1990's in the region - working in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Cairo - and loved virtually every minute of it.

In addition to the exciting challenges inherent in completing and managing a project of this scale and calibre, the job brings me back to an area my wife and I both enjoy, while introducing us to wonderful new customs and culture."

A career Hiltonian, Hutton has truly worked his up through the ranks. In 1984, Hutton joined the Noga Hilton International in Geneva as part of his Ecole Hoteliere degree programme. He returned to his native Australia in 1987, working in hotels in both Melbourne and Sydney.

After 7.5 years in Australia, Hutton accepted a promotion to food and beverage (F&B) director of the UAE Hilton in Abu Dhabi. A transfer to the Dubai Hilton and then the Nile Hilton Cairo saw out the 1990's.

In 2000, Hutton was promoted to general manager and given one of the company's grand European properties - Bucharest's Athenee Palace Hilton. Hutton was in Romania for almost three years exactly before coming to Kuwait.

"I was first appointed GM in 2000 and, being the Millennium year, it was always destined to be exciting." said Hutton. "2003 is also destined to be a banner year for me. My wife Lynne is expecting our second child this summer and just a couple of weeks after we found that out, I was offered the opportunity to come here to the Hilton Kuwait Resort. By fall, I'll have two babies - both demanding and both, in their unique ways, rewarding."

Hutton takes over the resort as it nears completion. The hotel, chalets, villas and apartments are fully operational. The spa and health club, Teatro and Courtyard restaurants, Songbird Cafe and the two franchises - Pizza Express and Starbucks - are exceeding expectations.

The ballroom and Blue Elephant restaurant are set to come on line before mid-year and the grounds work should be finished about the same time.

Calling himself a "jack of all trades", Hutton is proud to have worked his way from stocking mini-bars and scrubbing pots to general manager. He says he has "a desire, verging on impatience, to succeed and deliver a quality product to our guests, a quality property to Hilton International and, of course, quality results to our owning company."

"When I look back at my career, something I'm much too young to do often, I can identify the little extras that I bring with me from other hotels and even other regions. These are going to be critical, given the diversity of the products we're offering here in Kuwait," Hutton noted.

"We're a business hotel with comprehensive Hilton Meetings facilities AND we're a resort. We're a resort with a wealth of long term residents. We're a family oriented resort with much to offer young, active adults. We're an international hotel that already many people here consider a home away from home. The depth and breadth of my experience will be critical to making these apparent dichotomies work and I'm looking forward to the challenge."

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