Guy Heywood has been appointed to the role of chief operating officer with Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas. He joins Six Senses from his previous role as the chief operating officer for Alila Hotels and Resorts, a position he held for the past eight years.

With over 30 years of experience within the international hotel and tourism industry, Heywood started his journey in Australia as the restaurant and lounge manager at InterContinental Sydney. He then moved on to The Regent Sydney, followed by Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi and Four Seasons Hotel Singapore in a similar capacity.

In 1997, Heywood joined Aman Resorts as general manager of Amankila in Bali, and quickly rose through the ranks to become the area manager for Amanresorts Indonesia, based at Amanusa. He then moved to Jackson Hole, Wyoming to act as country manager of Amanresorts Americas and Caribbean, based at Amangani.

When Australia beckoned again after so many years away, Heywood moved back to be the group general manager of Voyages Hotels and Resorts in Cairns, looking after the renowned properties of Lizard Island on the Great Barrier Reef, Longitude 131° at at Uluru-Kata Tjuta, and El Questro In The Kimberley, among many others.

Heywood who has a hotel diploma from Cornell University and is always on a quest for meaningful experiences via travel adventures, whether racing 165 miles (270 kilometers) on a mountain bike across Bhutan or climbing to the top of Table Mountain in Cape Town. An advocate for exercise and a competitive triathlete, he needs to run, swim or bike ride most days.

On being appointed to his new role with Six Senses, he commented, “The company has set new standards for thoughtful luxury, guest experience and environmental practices. This role is the ideal culmination of my past experiences all amalgamated into one.”