Johansens publishing director to be new general manager at Brown's in London

Stuart Johnson, publishing director at Condé Nast Johansens, is returning to his hotelier roots as the new general manager of Brown's hotel in central London.

Johnson will take on his new role in January, ready for the reopening of the luxury hotel in the spring of 2005.

The historic hotel, which was set up in 1837 and bought by Rocco Forte Hotels last year for £51.5m, closed this April for a £15m makeover by Sir Rocco Forte's sister, Olga Polizzi.

When Johnson joined Condé Nast Johansens in September 2000 to head up its Great Britain and Ireland hotel guides, he had already racked up a long and distinguished career in hospitality, notably at the Cliveden and Savoy hotels.

"I am returning to hotel management because of Brown's," Johnson said of his move back. "It's the most celebrated hotel in London and I am delighted to be seeing it through a very exciting period in its history."

Johnson began his hotel career as a management trainee at London's Savoy hotel before moving to Claridge's as assistant banqueting manager.

After two years managing a country house hotel, he returned to London as personnel and purchasing manager at the Connaught.

Cliveden, the stately home hotel in Taplow, Berkshire, was his next port of call, where he served as resident manager between 1986 and 1990. During his tenure, the hotel gained five red AA stars and became the highest-rated Egon Ronay hotel in the UK with a score of 92%.

Johnson then returned to the Savoy for four years to become its youngest-ever hotel manager at the age of 32.

Before moving into the publishing world, Johnson went back to Cliveden to serve as director and general manger between 1994 and 1999.

by Angela Frewin

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