Heckfield Place announces departure of general manager Olivia Richli

Heckfield Place in Hampshire has announced the departure of its general manager, Olivia Richli, after four years at the property.

Richli will depart the 45-bedroom hotel in early January 2022 to return to her home in Sri Lanka. She joined the 438-acre estate in January 2018, ahead of its official opening later that year, having been “plucked from semi-retirement” at her Galle Fort home in Sri Lanka.

She said: “Heckfield is the place where the very best of my life’s experiences and skills came together and made perfect sense. It’s been a privilege to be trusted with such a jewel by our owners, the Chan family, and to be part of an extraordinary team of talented people. I will always treasure these past four years and be so very proud of this time.

“While it’s the most fabulous project of my career to date, my home in a beautiful corner of Sri Lanka is now beckoning me back to the tropics. Heckfield is ready for its next chapter, and I am very happy to be handing over the reins in the new year to an old friend. I cannot wait to see its journey over the next decades and look forward to returning as a guest to one of the most restorative and regenerative hotel experiences in the world.”

A new general manager has been appointed and will be announced “in due course”. The new appointment will oversee the launch of the hotel’s Bothy spa, which is due to open in 2022.