Simon A. Fricker Joins the GABA Advisory Board
Swiss hotelier brings more than 25 years of international luxury hospitality leadership to GABA
GABA is pleased to welcome Simon A. Fricker to its Advisory Board. A Swiss-born international hotelier and General Manager of the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica, Fricker has spent more than 25 years leading luxury and lifestyle properties across three continents.
Fricker is known for his innovative approach to Food & Beverage and for a distinctive Swiss management style. He builds knowledge from the ground up within hotel and resort teams, which allows them to run smoothly and deliver exceptional guest service.
A career built across three continents
Fricker trained in culinary arts before earning a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management at Schweizerische Hotelfachschule Luzern in Switzerland. He started his career as Restaurant Manager at the Westin Copley Place in Boston. He then held leadership roles at the Baur au Lac in Zurich, The St. Regis New York, and The Peninsula New York. As Hotel Manager of Ian Schrager’s Gramercy Park Hotel in New York, he was part of a defining chapter in the rise of boutique luxury lifestyle hotels.
He went on to help open Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas and Mandarin Oriental Miami, both recognized with Forbes Five-Star awards, and reshaped their Food & Beverage programs. He later led the launch of Le Méridien Chicago-Oakbrook Center, named Marriott’s 2016 Hotel of the Year. He also played a central role in establishing NOBU Hotel Riyadh, a member of The Leading Hotels of the World.
In 2020, Fricker founded Concorde Hospitality, a hospitality consulting firm. Late that year he also became Managing Director of Resorts & Residences by Cuisinart in Anguilla, where he guided the property’s rebranding as Aurora Resort & Golf Club. The resort reopened under its new name in 2021. After returning to Dallas in 2022, he advised on a range of national and international projects. In 2024, he was appointed General Manager of the iconic Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica, owned by BDT & MSD.
A transatlantic perspective for the GABA community
Fricker’s career reflects the international outlook at the heart of GABA. He has deep roots in European hospitality and decades of leadership in the United States and abroad. He brings a transatlantic perspective, a strong network in the luxury and lifestyle sector, and firsthand experience building teams and guest experiences across cultures. His appointment also strengthens GABA’s ties to Southern California’s hospitality community.