Etienne bows out, Brett takes over at Transcorp Hilton
19 January 2019 |
3:18 am
It was an evening of tributes Thursday as the immediate past General Manager, Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, Etienne Gailliez, handed over the ceremonial Golden Keys to his successor, Kevin Brett. Etienne has spent nearly seven years in Abuja, Nigeria, having been posted to take over the management of the hotel on July 6, 2012.…
Etienne (left) with Kevin Brett
It was an evening of tributes Thursday as the immediate past General Manager, Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, Etienne Gailliez, handed over the ceremonial Golden Keys to his successor, Kevin Brett.
Etienne has spent nearly seven years in Abuja, Nigeria, having been posted to take over the management of the hotel on July 6, 2012.
No doubt, the outgoing GM introduced a lot of initiatives during his tenure, including the on-going renovation exercise, which has given the hotel a facelift.
Etienne would be succeeded by Kevin Brett, who was posted from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia early in the week.
In his remarks, Etienne stated that it was emotional to hand over to a new person, having enjoyed the best of warms and cooperation from Nigerians.
He however hoped that the new GM would continue from where he stopped.
Commending the management and staff, customers and guests for helping him succeed; he spoke about the ‘Hilton Effect’, a phenomenon that has brought people of all races together with good intentions.
Etienne was elated that in spite of the economic downturn that has confronted the nation’s business environment in recent years; the hotel has been able to carry out major renovation works on the structure.
He also received Brett, stressing that he has no doubt the new GM will continue from where he stopped.
“I thank customers and guests for all the bookings. It is emotional to hand over”, he stated.
Also speaking, the Vice President, Operations, Africa and Indian Ocean, Jan Vanderputten, described Etienne as a fantastic ambassador, who has left a phenomenal impression on the hotel with his laudable initiatives and creativity.
“He was instrumental in making lots of changes and he has brought about a lot of initiatives and creativity to the hotel together with other management staff.”
Adding: “Without all the supports given to the hotel, it would not have been what it is today. It is a jewel of hotels in Africa. It is one of the hotels in African continent that win awards after awards.
“It has won the best business hotel in Africa award, the best hotel in Nigeria award and above all, it is a hotel that has welcomed a phenomenal amount of distinguished guests including Presidents, royalties and great politicians.
“That confirmed the importance of Abuja as the capital of one of the greatest countries in Africa”, he stated.
According to Vanderputten, Brett joined Hilton Hotels in 1979 and has worked in 11 countries and 17 different hotels.
He is taking over as the 9th General Manager of the Transcorp Hotel, Abuja.
“And I will promise you something, Kevin will be a wonderful host, a great leader and a good ambassador for this hotel.
“We are proud of our heritage. Hilton is proud to celebrate 100 years of hospitality in 2019.
“One of the best general managers in our country will lead the hotel into the future and into greater achievements in years to come.”
Meanwhile, Ettienne would be leaving Nigeria for a new assignment in the Middle East with immediate effect.
For the newly promoted President, and former Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Transcorp Group, owners of Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Valentine Ozigbo,
Etienne lived out his expectations maximally.
“We are going to miss you here. You have been a great general manager and this hotel has seen greater heights because of you. The team members have been extoling your virtues.”
Hoping that the new GM would hit the ground running, Ozigbo said he looked forward to a greater relationship with him. “This is where histories are made and people rise from grass to grace”, he added.
The evening climaxed with the handing over of the hotel’s ‘golden key’ to the new GM.
Related
Latest
1 hour ago
Borussia Dortmund fought back to beat Atletico Madrid 4-2 in their quarter-final second leg on Tuesday, securing a 5-4 aggregate victory and a first Champions League semi-final since 2013.
1 hour ago
Chief Magistrate Rita Oguguo of a Rivers State Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt has convicted and sentenced two men identified as Lucky Christopher and Friday Lenu to twelve years imprisonment for defiling a 10-year-old girl in Eleme Local Area of the state. Delivering judgment, the Chief Magistrate held that the prosecution was able to…
1 hour ago
Kylian Mbappe struck twice as Paris Saint-Germain battled back to beat 10-man Barcelona 4-1 and book a place in the Champions League semi-finals with a 6-4 aggregate triumph on Tuesday.
1 hour ago
More than 2,000 persons were yesterday, beneficiaries of a one-day free medical outreach organised by the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder for its host community in the Rumuolumeni area of Rivers State. The Navy, in an outreach tagged; "Free Medical Rhapsody" that took place at the Community Secondary School, Nkpor, Rumuolumeni, Obio/Akpor local government area…
2 hours ago
In a groundbreaking development for consumers across Nigeria, Dangote Petroleum Refinery has made a historic announcement by further reducing the price of diesel from ₦1,200 to ₦1,000 per litre. This move comes in the wake of the refinery's recent introduction of diesel at a remarkably discounted rate of ₦1,200 per litre just three weeks ago.…
2 hours ago
Afrobeat singer David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has added another achievement to his musical journey. His hit song “Unavailable” has been certified Gold in France. Released as part of Davido’s fourth studio album, “Timeless” which was released in March 2023, “Unavailable” became a hit globally, with artists like Rihanna calling it her favourite song.…
4 hours ago
Popular Nigerian socialite Pascal Okechukwu, known as Cubana Chief Priest, will be arraigned in court the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for naira abuse. Cubana Chief Priest is facing a three-count charge for allegedly violating the Central Bank Act of 2007. EFCC accused Cubana Chief Priest of spraying and tampering with the naira by…
5 hours ago
Nigeria’s economy is projected to grow to 3.3 per cent this year, while it may recede to 3.0 per cent in 2025. In its latest World Economic Outlook report, ‘Steady but slow: Resilience amid divergence,’ the International Monetary Fund said that Nigeria’s economy is expected to better 2023 growth which was pegged at 2.9 per…
5 hours ago
The electricity crisis in Nigeria has defied various attempts at solving the problem and giving Nigerians the benefits of enjoying stable electricity and a good quality of life for more than half a century. It is no secret that the nation’s power infrastructures were abandoned for several decades, by successive governments notwithstanding the exponential growth…
5 hours ago
The Kaduna State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, set up a 13-man adhoc committee to investigate financial transactions, loans, grants, and project execution under the immediate-past Governor of the State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai. Specifically, Yusuf Mugu, a member representing Kaura constituency, moved the motion on a matter of public importance that the loans borrowed by…
×
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox every day of the week. Stay informed with the Guardian’s leading coverage of Nigerian and world news, business, technology and sports.
0 Comments
We will review and take appropriate action.