Gerrard McNamara has been appointed as Resort Manager at Raffles Seychelles
Raffles Seychelles welcomes Gerrard McNamara as Resort Manager, at an important moment in the resort’s evolution on the island of Praslin. With a global hospitality career shaped by some of the world’s most respected luxury brands, Gerrard arrives with a leadership style defined by presence, intuition, and a deep commitment to both guest experience and team culture.
His journey began at Longitude 131 in Australia’s Red Centre, an ultra-luxury wilderness lodge where highly personalised service, bespoke guest experiences, and exceptional attention to detail shaped his early understanding of hospitality. From there, his career grew across the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific, and Asia, building experience first in food and beverage and later in full resort operations. Along the way, he held senior roles within renowned hospitality names including Aman Resorts, Four Seasons, Shangri-La, and now Raffles.
Gerrard describes his leadership style as visible, personable, and deeply engaged. He believes in being present within the operation, supporting the team, and staying closely connected to guests throughout their stay. This hands-on approach, often described as “management by wandering around,” reflects his belief that service excellence begins with understanding both the people delivering the experience and the guests receiving it.
What drew him to Raffles Seychelles was the opportunity to be part of a meaningful transformation. Personally, he was inspired by the chance to help shape not only the physical renewal of the resort, but also the next expression of the guest journey. Professionally, the move represents a significant step into a legacy ultra luxury brand with a growing global presence and a strong future.
For Gerrard, Praslin offers a setting unlike any other. With pristine waters, rich marine life, and extraordinary natural beauty, it is a destination that invites both exploration and retreat. He believes this is what makes Raffles Seychelles so distinctive. As a true resort, guests remain immersed in the property for most of their stay, allowing the team to curate a seamless and highly personal journey through dining, wellness, celebrations, and island experiences.
In the near term, his priorities are clear. He is focused on delivering a portfolio of distinctive dining experiences following the completion of the resort uplift, continuing to evolve the guest journey through moments inspired by Seychellois culture and place, and nurturing a team of service-minded colleagues who create warm, memorable, and deeply personal stays. With a strong food and beverage background, he is working closely with the Executive Chef and Food and Beverage Manager to shape venue concepts that feel individual, varied, and meaningful across the resort.
His past roles reflect the calibre and breadth of his experience. They include senior positions at Amanpulo, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, and Langham Gold Coast, destinations known for privacy, complexity, and exceptionally high guest expectations. Through these roles, Gerrard has built a reputation for combining operational discipline with intuitive service and strong team leadership.
Beyond the guest experience, he is deeply committed to talent development. A recent recruitment journey with the International Institute of Hotel Management in India led to more than 100 interviews and the hiring of 18 graduates who will join the resort later this year. For Gerrard, this is about more than recruitment. It is about creating long-term careers in luxury hospitality. He also hopes to build similar partnerships in Seychelles, with a focus on identifying and developing local talent.
He sees the resort’s role within the Praslin community as equally important. As a major employer on the island, Raffles Seychelles is closely connected to the life of the community, and Gerrard is focused on identifying meaningful ways the resort can continue to make a positive impact.
When asked what he hopes guests feel when they leave, Gerrard returns to one simple idea. He wants them to leave feeling that their holiday was truly special because of the way the team made them feel. For him, hospitality is ultimately about creating sensory experiences and memories that endure long after departure.
At Raffles Seychelles, where private pool villas, island beauty, and gracious hospitality come together in harmony, Gerrard McNamara’s arrival marks an important step in the resort’s continued evolution. With his international perspective, people-led leadership style, and thoughtful vision for the future, he brings a strong sense of direction to the next phase of the guest journey on Praslin.