Hilton gets new GM

Scotsman William J. Costley (41) has taken over as General Manager, Hilton Colombo from January 19, 2007. Costley hails from Scotland with 24 years experience in the hospitality industry, going back to 1983, when he began his career with Trust House Forte, UK, a hotel chain with 250 hotels. He was the youngest Financial Controller in the country at 22 years!

Costley later joined Jarvis Hotels in Edinburgh as Cluster Financial Controller and then in 1990, he joined the UK Hiltons. He worked in the capacity of Financial Controller in the Hilton Watford, Hilton Regents Park, Hilton Heathrow London and later was promoted as Executive Assistant Manager in the latter from 1995 -1997. In 1997 he moved on to the Langham Hilton in the same capacity until 1999 and then as General Manager of Hilton Parksa Istanbul. From there he went as GM to Hilton Baynunah Tower in the UAE and in 2002 as Cluster GM also in the same property with an additional responsibility of the Corniche Residence also a Hilton International property.

From 2005 until his posting to Colombo, Sri Lanka in January 2007, he remained as Cluster GM of Hilton Hurghada Plaza in Egypt overlooking two other properties - a total of 1500 rooms, 35 food & beverage outlets plus large shopping and concessionaire responsibility.