STR

Choice Hotels Asia-Pac — Senior Director, Strategy, Sales, & Marketing

Kari has over 20 years marketing experience in the Franchise, tourism, leisure and accommodation industries. In her role at Choice Hotels Asia-Pac, Kari oversees the sales and marketing functions, with a focus on digital channels, growing existing and developing new revenue streams, and continuing to drive direct business for Choice Hotels franchisee network, comprising of approximately 170 properties. Prior to joining Choice Hotels Asia Pac, Kari was General Manager – Marketing for the Belgravia Health and Leisure Group overseeing the marketing strategy and function across four verticals and eight brands (and 160+ facilities). Kari actively championed Belgravia’s digital strategy across the organization. Kari also held the role of General Manager – Marketing, Strategy and Sales at BIG4 Holiday Parks for nine years, a national marketing franchise network comprising of approximately 180 properties, where she was responsible for all marketing functions with a focus on brand and driving digital sales channels, growing existing and developing new revenue streams and maximizing customer retention. Kari’s track record and rapport with franchisees saw her appointed Acting CEO of BIG4 for six months.
Kari has a Masters of Tourism Marketing and Bachelor of Arts from Monash University, has been a co-chair of the Future Leaders Committee for the Caravan Industry Association of Australia and is a guest lecturer for the Masters of Tourism Marketing program at Monash University. And currently sits on the Accommodation Association of Australia’s State Advisory Council (Victoria).

Australian Revenue Management Association — Acting CEO

Georgina Williams is a seasoned leader with decades of experience in the hospitality industry. She is currently serving as Acting Chief Executive Officer, Australian Revenue Management Association (ARMA) and formerly held the position of Head of Commercial and Industry Partnerships for ARMA.
Prior to her roles at ARMA, Georgina held prominent positions at Elanor Investors Group, Pegasus Hospitality, BWH Hotel Group, and SilverNeedle Hospitality Group. As Head of Commercial for Hotels, Tourism, and Leisure at Elanor Investors Group, she demonstrated her ability to drive revenue growth and develop strategic alliances.
Further, Georgina’s impact extends to industry-wide initiatives. She played a crucial role in orchestrating the phenomenally successful Tourism Employee Awards by ARMA, underscoring her dedication to advancing the sector. With her passion for the industry and commitment to excellence, Georgina continues to make a significant impact in the hospitality sector.

Fastrack Digital — Group Managing Director

Adrian is the founder and Group Managing Director of Australasia's leading travel, tourism and lifestyle full-service digital marketing and media agency, Fastrack Digital in APAC. Adrian is considered a leader in direct booking strategy and digital growth. He has worked with some of Australia, New Zealand and Asia's leading hotel and travel brands on improving their direct bookings. He has been responsible in some cases of doubling their direct bookings and revenue.

The Ritz-Carlton Perth & Courtyard by Marriott, Murdoch, Perth — Director of Revenue

The Hotel Photographer

Mauro Risch is an award-winning photographer specializing in conceptual still life shots and lifestyle. Involved into the world of Photography since the age of 13, he loves the chance of telling stories through the images he creates. A lot of warm and vibrant colours are the unmistakable elements of his style. He became a member of Melbourne Advertising And Design Club (MADC) in 2007 and a member of Australia Commercial And Media Photographers (ACMP) in 2008, establishing his base in the Studio at Aileen Ave, Melbourne, Australia. Hotels & Resorts have become a major subject in his photographic life, shooting for the hospitality industry in Asia-Pacific and in South America.

me&u — Senior Account Manager | WA

A ‘hospo lifer’, Ben Kershaw spent the first 20 years of his career working in 5-star hotels across operations and F&B. His search for tech that could enhance the guest experience while supporting profitability led him to jump ship and join me&u in 2022. Ben now works with 150 venues across WA and QLD, leveraging data and tech to create thriving hospitality businesses.

Warders Hotel — Director of Hospitality- Warders / Emily Taylor / Garde Hotel Group.

Tourism Western Australia — Managing Director

Anneke Brown is a passionate tourism industry professional, having spent the past 25 years in the hospitality and tourism industry, both in Australia and overseas. Calling Western Australia home, Anneke has a strong desire to see the State takes it’s deserved place on the global stage for tourism excellence.

Whilst completing her Bachelor of Commerce degree, Anneke worked in hospitality at the Subiaco Hotel. With her love of travel, Anneke joined Flight Centre as a Travel Agent in Sydney during the 2000 Olympics. From there, Anneke moved to Bali and became the Reservation Manager of the central reservations office supporting 5 resorts across Aman resorts Indonesia.

In 2001 Anneke took on the role of global Director of Training with Aman Resorts, and was part of the project team for 8 resort openings in Cambodia, India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Caribbean.  In Australia Anneke has held management roles in Margaret River, and in central Australia as the Resort Manager of Longitude 131 at Uluru. In 2010 Anneke moved back to Perth and became the WA General Manager of an Australian Registered Training Organisation, delivering hospitality training across the Pilbara. In 2014 Anneke joined the Old Treasury Buildings refurbishment project and took on the role of General Manager of the award-winning COMO The Treasury hotel from 2015 - 2020.

Anneke’s passion for Western Australia and the tourism industry led her to forming Anneke Brown Consulting in 2020, specialising in hospitality and tourism projects.  Bringing international standards to hotel design and operations, along with excellence in training and education, the business provides solutions to local and international organisations with the desire to elevate their offering.

Anneke holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Western Australia, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a founding member and former Chair of Women in Tourism and Hospitality WA, Board Member of the Rottnest Island Authority and a former Commissioner on the Board of Tourism WA.

Accor Hotels WA — Senior Director of Revenue

Margaret River Holiday Cottages — Hotel Owner

The Gerald Apartment Hotel, Geraldton — General Manager

Gemma Clark is a seasoned hospitality professional with a passion for curating unparalleled guest experiences. Currently serving as the General Manager at The Gerald Apartment Hotel in Geraldton, Gemma brings a wealth of expertise and a dedication to providing memorable, personable service that transforms every stay into the ultimate home away from home.

With a solid background as the award winner of AHAWA Hotel Executive Manager in 2023, Gemma has honed her skills in customer service, people management, and administration. Her resourcefulness and experience enable her to orchestrate optimal resource utilization, ensuring that operational needs are not just met but exceeded.

BWH Hotels — Managing Director Australasia

Conference Organiser, Maximum Occupancy, Managing Director, Fastrack Group — Conference Organiser

IHG — Area Director of Sales and Marketing

WA Government — Deputy Premier; Treasurer; Minister for Transport; Tourism

Rita Saffioti was elected to State Parliament in 2008 for the electorate of West Swan, and became a Shadow Minister in 2013.

In 2017, Rita was appointed Minister for Transport and Planning in the McGowan Government.

Following the re-election of the Labor Government in March 2021, Rita was reappointed as the Minister for Transport and Planning, while also being named as the Minister for Ports.

Oversight of the Transport, Planning and Ports portfolios gives Rita the opportunity to take an integrated approach to transport and land use planning, and responsibility of delivering the Governments major METRONET project.

There are now a range of major road and rail projects across the state that are either underway or completed.

This year alone she is overseeing the construction of major METRONET projects, almost 40 major road projects.

Rita’s priority is to see the State of Western Australia thrive through planning reform and a first class transport network.

Some of her proudest achievements include returning railcar manufacturing to Western Australia, starting construction on the METRONET Morley-Ellenbrook Line and securing record funding from the Commonwealth to upgrade regional roads.

After finishing her schooling at Kelmscott Senior High School, Rita gained a Bachelor of Business at Curtin University before moving to Canberra to work at the Department of Finance and then returning to Western Australia to work at the Department of Treasury.

In 1997 Rita commenced working for then Opposition Leader Geoff Gallop as an economic adviser, continuing this role into Government before ultimately becoming Chief of Staff to Premier Alan Carpenter.

Rita has three young children, a 11 -year-old and nine-year-old twins. When not at Parliament, Rita can usually be found with her family at the footy cheering on her team, the Fremantle Dockers.Saff

Lighthouse — Business Development Manager ANZ & Pacific

BIG4 Holiday Parks — CEO

Accomplished marketing strategist Sean Jenner was appointed Chief Executive Officer of BIG4 Holiday Parks in July 2021 to steer its network of more than 200 holiday parks and partners through its post-pandemic business recovery and beyond. Sean has more than two decades’ marketing and commercial experience, previously holding senior positions at some of Australia’s and the world’s leading brands including Nike, Virgin, Starbucks and Myer, while based in Australia and Europe. Most recently, Sean was Head of Marketing at SWEAT, a highly successful global technology start-up in the health and fitness sector.

Sean’s expertise and passion for digital transformation has come to the fore in his leadership of the development and execution of BIG4 Holiday Parks’ new digital strategy, aimed at aggressively expanding the brand’s digital footprint across the country as well as strengthening its overall brand. A key enabler of this transformation is for BIG4.com.au to be the leading portal for Australian holiday parks. A major component of the digital strategy and BIG4’s evolution has been the expansion and improvement of its website (BIG4.com.au) to better meet the needs of customers and trends towards ease, choice and user experience.

During his first two years as CEO, the company has achieved 30% growth in online revenue, brought 40+ new parks into the BIG4 network and launched the brand’s largest ever brand campaign.

Sean is based in Melbourne, married and a father of two young boys. He is an avid runner, movie lover and wine enthusiast.

Horwath HTL — Manager, Perth

Martyna is a seasoned hospitality industry professional with over 15 years of experience spanning across Poland and Australia. As a Manager at Horwath HTL in the Perth office, she represents the company in Western Australia while undertaking assignments and conducting market research across Australia, New Zealand, and the North Pacific region. Specializing in feasibility assessment, branding and positioning strategy, operator selection processes, and expert witness assistance, Martyna ensures projects are strategically aligned with market conditions to maximize their future potential.

With a focus on in-market research, supply and demand analysis, and concept development, Martyna collaborates directly with investors and owners to drive project success. Her expertise extends to conducting operator search and selection processes, further enhancing project viability.

Martyna's journey includes diverse roles encompassing event management, sales and revenue management, business development, and client relations within independent hotels and global hotel brand companies before joining Horwath HTL. Over the last five years with Horwath HTL, initially based in Sydney and later relocating to Perth, Martyna has continuously demonstrated her dedication to the sustainable hotel market development.

Beyond her professional commitments, Martyna contributes to academia as a casual lecturer at Torrens University and Kaplan Business School, where she lectures subjects, such as hotel investment and destination and visitor management. Martyna holds a Masters in International Hotel Management from the Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School and is currently pursuing a Master of Philosophy at Torrens University, focusing on destination competitiveness models.

Otelier — VP of Sales, APAC

Joey is a seasoned sales and revenue management professional with over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry. She has worked with global international and regional chains like FRHI, Four Seasons, Meritus, Stamford and Banyan Tree as well as hospitality technology firms like TravelClick/Amadeus, IDeaS, Rainmaker and Cendyn. Joey is currently based in Singapore but her career has led her to places such as Australia, China, Dubai and Thailand. As VP of Sales for Otelier, she is involved in all aspects of growing the company’s footprint in Asia Pacific with a focus on sales and marketing and account management. Joey is also currently serving as President on the board of HSMAI Singapore.

Google — Industry Manager, Travel

Swiss Belhotel International — Chairman and President at Swiss-Belhotel International

Revinate — Country Director - Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific

Alloggio — Founder & CEO

Australian Revenue Management Association — CEO

REVINATE — General Manager, APAC

Revinate — Senior Sales Manager, APAC

Joel Lee is passionate about driving revenue growth and enhancing guest experiences through cutting-edge technology solutions. Currently serving as the Senior Sales Manager, APAC at Revinate, Joel proactively connects with hoteliers across the region, assisting them in boosting their revenue.

Data Expert & Consultant

STR — Business Development Manager, Pacific

Paul Hammond is the Business Development Manager, Pacific at STR, a global company who collects performance data from accommodation properties all over the world and provides aggregated reports and insights on market performance for accommodation providers and custom groups, which enables them to make better business decisions.

Paul has over 30 years of experience in tourism & hospitality in a variety of management and sales & marketing roles with numerous Hotels and Hotel Chains nationally and internationally with independent hotels such as Palazzo Versace and global chains including Hyatt and Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG). Paul has also had extensive experience in the Online Travel (OTA) industry with global companies Orbitz, part of the Expedia Group, and Booking.com, as well as major sports projects including the Nagano Winter Olympics in Japan and the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC) organising committee.

STR — Account Manager - Pacific

Jo has over 20 + years of experience in tourism & hospitality, and more than 10 years in the Corporate Travel industry with global company FCM, part of the Flight Centre Travel Group. With a passion for analysis, and with more than 2 years under her belt with STR CoStar Group, she works to increase the engagement in hospitality data intelligence and provide clarity to decision making for hospitality, research and investment companies across the region. She supports global hotel groups and large property portfolio’s across the Pacific. Jo frequently presents the latest trends and updates at industry events.

STR, part of the CoStar Group, is a global company who tracks supply and demand data for the hotel industry and provides valuable market share analysis, aggregated reports and insights on performance for accommodation providers, investment companies and agencies, tourism bodies and custom groups, which enables them to make better business decisions.

Ted Horner & Associates Pty Ltd — Managing Director

In 1989, he established E Horner & Associates Pty Ltd a Consulting Practice specializing in Technology Consulting to the Hospitality Industry and he is now widely respected as Australia's leading consultant in this area.

In 1996 created Australia’s first dedicated Hotel Technology Exhibition which ran for more than 10 years before it was sold to a UK based conference vendor

In 2002 he was a founding member of HTNG ( Hotel Technology Next Generation ) a not for profit body which was established in the US to promote open systems integrations between vendors in the industry and today he is an Executive Advisor to HTNG In 2022 HTNG became part of the American Lodging Hotel Association

In 2004 he was the first non US person to be elected to the HITEC Technology Hall of Fame for his contribution to the advancement of technology in the hospitality industry .

In 2012 created a new conference called Teds Technology Summit which is designed to educate senior decision makers on latest technology trends and it has now become Australia’s leading hotel technology conference

In 2014 was elected to the International Board of Directors of Hotel Technology Financial Professionals (HFTP ) who run the largest hotel technology exhibition/conference in the world (HITEC ) and he served on this board for 3 years

He has done consulting assignments in the following countries over the last 33 years
Australia , New Zealand , Singapore , Indonesia , Sri Lanka , USA , Malaysia , Dubai, Papua New Guinea, and Fiji

La Vie Hotels & Resorts — Group Director of Commercial

Selina — Chief Operating Officer

BWH Hotels — Director of Revenue Optimisation

Kristy is based in Sydney as the current Director of Revenue Optimisation for BWH Hotel Group Australasia, leading the Revenue Management team to optimise distribution channels, drive revenue performance and educate hotel owners in effectively implementing revenue management strategies. She is a highly experienced and respected revenue analysis expert with nearly 20 years of experience in delivering technology-led solutions across the Australasia hospitality sector. As a strong supporter of revenue enhancement, Kristy works closely with each hotel in the BWH portfolio to support them in making smarter revenue and distribution decisions. With a strong commercial awareness and implementation of successful system projects, she plays an integral role in contributing to BWH hotels surpassing their financial targets.

Fastrack Digital — Digital Marketing Specialist

Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia — CEO

Fastrack Digital — Digital Marketing Manager

Fastrack Digital — Lead SEO Specialist

Launch Us — Founder & Director

Encore — Senior Director, Strategic Partnerships Asia Pacific

Business Events Sydney — Strategic Partnerships Manager

Shiji Review Pro — Director of Sales Asia Pacific

As a Sales Director at Shiji Group, Avril’s passion is supporting the hospitality industry to deliver exceptional guest experiences. Responsible for developing the sales and growth of Shiji in Australia & New Zealand, Avril works with accommodation and tourism brands to help them gain and act upon the unique insights provided via ReviewPro’s Guest Experience Platform. Avril has more than 20 years experience in hospitality and travel in Australia and Europe, including strategic roles at TripAdvisor, Orbitz, and Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.

Ananas Consulting — Managing Director

Michael Smith, Managing Director of Ananas Consulting, brings over 25 years of experience in management and leadership within global hotel companies. Known for his entrepreneurial flair and financial acumen, Michael excels in building strong relationships with clients, employees, and industry leaders. His passion for creating unparalleled experiences for all stakeholders is evident in his commitment to excellence and delivering exceptional results. At Ananas Consulting, Michael leverages his extensive expertise to oversee projects meticulously, driving success and growth in the hospitality industry.

Trilogy Hotels — Chief Commercial Officer

Accor Plus — CEO

Renae Trimble, a seasoned professional in the hospitality industry, was appointed CEO of Accor Plus, Asia Pacific, in February 2023. With a remarkable career spanning over 25 years, Renae has dedicated over 15 years of her expertise to Accor, showcasing a deep understanding of the company's operations and values.

In her role as CEO, Renae is responsible for overseeing the growth and development of Accor Plus across Asia Pacific, ensuring the programme continues to provide valuable benefits and experiences for its 435,000 members. Spanning more than 20 countries and including more than 1,000 participating hotels, the Accor Plus loyalty programme is designed to give members access to incredible experiences, bonus night stays, and discounted dining and accommodation options, wherever they travel across the Asia Pacific region.

Before taking on the CEO position of Accor Plus, Renae spent 5 years leading the Commercial Division for Accor Pacific where she was charged with driving commercial performance, strategy, loyalty, distribution and revenue for the hotel group. Prior to this,
Renae held numerous senior executive roles at Accor, in regional operations and with Accor’s central team – including Sales, Loyalty, Digital and Marketing.

During her time at Accor, Renae played an integral role in two major acquisition integrations during her time at Accor Hotels – with the integration of Mirvac in 2012 and Mantra in 2019. In addition, Renae led the launch of Accor’s leading lifestyle loyalty programme, ALL (Accor Live Limitless), which provides members with incredible experiences that go beyond the hotel stay and enable them to enjoy experiences, encounters and events that money simply can’t buy.

Trip.com — Head of Oceania

Park Hyatt Sydney — Director of Revenue Management

TikTok — Client Partner

Accor — Director of Revenue - Apartments and Realty

Lynn is currently Director of Revenue for Accor, working with A&R. She has been with Accor/ Mantra since 2016, during this time she has overseen properties across the country including 4 years looking after WA.

Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney — Director of Sales & Marketing

Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney — Hotel Manager

Owsin is a seasoned hotel professional with over 32 years’ experience primarily in F&B and is currently the Hotel Manager at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Sydney. He has worked across two Globally recognised hotel chains in Asia- Pacific besides the Radisson Hotel Group he has worked with the various hotels within the Taj Group of hotels. During his career in F&B he has launched restaurants in the hotel environment, initiated concepts in pre-openings and managed the big Indian weddings.Oswin has been a guest lecturer at hospitality institutes and was the Chairperson of the industry advisory committee at the Kenvale college. He is currently a part of the industry group contributing towards developing the new Cert III in Tourism (Visitor Economy) for Tafe NSW in conjunction with NSW department of education initiative of its “Launch Your Career” project.

Lylo — Managing Director

Salter Brothers Hospitality — Portfolio Manager

Wesley has almost 20 years’ experience in the hotels sectors, with extensive experience working in locations across Australia and throughout the Pacific Region.

Wesley commenced with Salter Brothers in 2022 as a Senior Manager within the Capital Transactions team, transitioning into the Portfolio Manager for the Retreat Fund which includes 13 boutique luxury assets located in Queensland, NSW and SA. Prior to joining Salter Brothers, Wesley had 2 years with Elanor as the Director of Investment for the Hotels and Tourism Group and 14 years at CBRE where he was the National Director of the Hotels Valuation business.

ACI HR Solutions — Founder & CEO

Andrew Chan, MBA is the Founder and CEO of ACI HR Solutions ( Asia Pacific's largest recruitment agency dedicated to the travel and hospitality sector He is responsible for the company's overall operations and strategic direction. He has worked in many facets of the industry, commencing his career as a Travel Agent in
Australia and subsequently joining the airline industry, working with Cathay Pacific Airways and Singapore Airlines in customer service and business development roles.

Andrew furthered his experience by entering the hospitality sector, working for brands such as Stamford Hotels Resorts and the Carlton Hotel Group, and later joining Hospitality Marketing Concepts ( as their Director of Business Development, overseeing all sales and marketing activities in Australia, New Zealand and Asia In 2005 Andrew took his wealth of industry experience into the world of Executive Search and was appointed CEO of a major recruitment firm before founding ACI in October 2012. He has since established himself as one of the leading human capital experts in the travel, tourism and hospitality sector.

Hotel Etico Australia — Co-Founder & CEO

National Media — Chief Executive Officer

Hotel X — General Manager

Jeremy Colahan, General Manager, Hotel X a Vignette Collection. With over 20 years’ experience in Hospitality across Australia, Jeremy has found his comfort zone in uncomfortable environments. His career took off with several highly-anticipated pre-openings for international brands new to market, including introducing the Four Points by Sheraton into the Brisbane market, and The Westin into Perth. Hotel X is now in its third year, since opening in a pandemic, and continuing exceptional growth.

Tourism Australia — Executive General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Government and Industry

Macquarie University + Centre for Applied Artificial Intelligence — Founder & Director

Prof. Dr. Amin Beheshti is a Full Professor of Data Science at Macquarie University, and Adjunct Professor of Computer Science at UNSW Sydney, Australia. Amin is the founder and director of the Centre for Applied Artificial Intelligence, the head of the Data Science Lab, and the founder of the Big Data Society at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. Amin completed his PhD and Postdoc in Computer Science and Engineering at UNSW Sydney, and holds a Master's and Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, both with First Class Honours. Before starting his PhD in 2009, Amin had over a decade of industry experience as a founder and CEO, consultant, and Solution Architect in national and international organizations. Alongside his teaching activities, Amin has made significant contributions to research projects and successfully secured 40+ research projects (Over $32 million in Research Funding). Amin received prestigious awards, including Excellence Award (Macquarie University, 2023), Excellence in Research Innovation, Partnership Entrepreneurship (Macquarie University, 2022), National Security Impact Award (D2D CRC, 2016 and 2017), Recognition Award (D2D CRC, 2016 and 2017), Australian Postgraduate Award (APA 2009-2012), and several Best Paper awards. In 2021, due to his outstanding performance, Amin was promoted from Senior Lecturer to Full Professor at Macquarie University. As a distinguished researcher in Data and AI Science, Amin has been invited to serve as a Keynote Speaker, General-Chair, PC-Chair, Organisation-Chair, and program committee member of top international conferences. He is also a leading author of several authored books in data, social, and process analytics, co-authored with other high-profile researchers.

Australian Revenue Management Association — Senior Revenue Manager

Nicole Hollmann is a seasoned revenue management specialist whose career spans various roles across the globe. Nicole has demonstrated expertise in driving revenue growth and optimising rate management strategies for members. Her tenure in Sydney has been marked by significant contributions at notable establishments such as Novotel Sydney International Airport and Best Western Australasia, where she leveraged her deep industry knowledge to enhance revenue performance and maximise profitability. Nicole’s skill set includes advanced capabilities in revenue and rate management, underpinned by a strategic approach to market dynamics and pricing models.
Nicole honed her skills in the United Kingdom and Germany, serving as a Cluster Revenue Manager for Hilton Worldwide in London and a Revenue Manager for Novotel Munich Messe. These international roles enriched her perspective and equipped her with a global understanding of the hospitality industry’s financial drivers. Her earlier position as a Service Delivery Specialist with Lighthouse (formerly OTA Insight) in Sydney further diversified her expertise.

Ovolo Hotels — Director of Food And Beverage - Australia

SiteMinder — Senior Director Corporate Travel

For 13 years, Mike Kinloch has developed an intimate understanding of both the challenges and opportunities facing hoteliers around the world. From his days leading the Pacific commercial arm for SiteMinder, the world’s leading hotel revenue platform, to his current position growing corporate travel business for hotels, Mike has become a trusted partner to hoteliers looking to navigate an ever-dynamic landscape through best practice in distribution and revenue management.

Ovolo Hotels — CEO

Young Hotel Leaders | Novotel Geelong — President | General Manager

W Hotels — Director of Marketing - W Brisbane

Stacey is a global award-winning hospitality marketing specialist with 14 years experience working in luxury/ lifestyle hotels and resorts across UK, Europe, Maldives & Australia. She is a passionate brand builder and foodie who has developed over 50 restaurant and bar brands across the world. (Including co-owning and operating a rooftop bar in Mayfair).

She has been recognised within the industry as a 'Future Leader' and '30 under 30' at the Restaurant Marketer & Innovation, European Summit and also won the 'Marriott European Marketing & Brand Leadership Award' for results driven across a portfolio of 65 x Marriott International Hotels and 9 brands in the UK. More recently she was announced as the '2023 Marriott International APEC Elite PR & Communications Leader Of The Year' of which I went onto receive the 'Global Elite Award for PR & Communications Leader of the Year'. Stacey also recenlty won the '2023 QHA Awards for Excellence - Best Marketed Hotel'.

For the past 3 years Stacey has been Director of Marketing at W Brisbane where she has delivered record breaking commercial results, year-on year.

Crystalbrook Collection — Group Director, People and Culture

As a Senior HR Executive, my focus is to develop HR strategy that positively impacts culture, performance and capability.

Throughout my career I have had the pleasure of leading cultural and operational transformation for dynamic organisations including Pan Pacific Hotels Group, Trippas White Group, Sodexho and Compass Group UK/Ireland. In each company, I worked collaboratively to refine the HR approach and organisational culture so that people felt visible, included and valued, and so that important processes were automated, integrated and standardised for optimal efficiency.

With a commercial mind-set, and significant experience across all HR functions I enjoy both designing strategy and partnering operationally to support employees at all levels. I believe in the power of diversity and am passionate about building inclusive, respectful and engaged cultures that maximise talent opportunities from all sectors of the community.

25hours Hotel Sydney — General Manager

With over 20 years of experience in the hotel industry Silvia Kypriotis began her career in 2004 with Stamford Hotels & Resorts. Joining Accor in 2010 where she has held various key positions, including Reservations Manager, Rooms Division Manager, Talent & Culture Manager, Executive Assistant Manager, Hotel Manager, and General Manager across eight Accor hotels. In 2021, Silvia received the prestigious HM Australian General Manager of the Year award. Transitioning Accor's Lifestyle Collection - Ennismore, where she is General Manager, leading the pre-opening for 25hours The Olympia, located in Paddington.

JACK Hospitality — Co-Founder

Catherine is the Co Founder and director JACK hospitality Consulting. A highly accomplished and commercially focused hospitality operations professional with an impressive track record spanning over 30 years. HER expertise encompasses a diverse range of hospitality operations including contract catering, venues, hotels, events, restaurants, stadia, travel hubs, and high street retail.

One of her key strengths is her ability to design and deliver products and services that optimise service efficiency and enhance the overall customer experience. Her extensive experience in this area has enabled HER to consistently exceed operational expectations and ensure high-quality service delivery.

Hospitality International Australia Pty Ltd — Owner

Day Seven — Founder / Creative Director

Horwath HTL — Managing Director

Katalyma Hotels & Hospitality — Managing Director

Bachcare — Managing Director - NZ

Hospitality NZ — Chief Executive

Masters of Arts (Hons) in Political Science (University of Auckland).

Steve is of Ngāpuhi descent with strong familial connections to Whangārei and the Far North.

He has most recently been Managing Director at Daylight, a strategic consultancy specialising in major events, tourism and business events for the betterment of local communities, visitors and businesses.

He was previously General Manager Destination at Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (now Tataki Auckland Unlimited), the region's cultural and economic growth agency, where he had oversight of tourism marketing, destination management, major events, business events and international education.

Steve oversaw the development of Auckland’s major events portfolio, including the Cricket World Cup, 36th America’s Cup, FIFA Women’s World Cup and Rugby World Cup. He also led the Auckland Convention Bureau to grow Auckland as a premium destination for business events in domestic and international markets.

Steve has previously worked in the New Zealand Government as a strategist advising the government on a range of portfolios, including tourism.

He is also past-Chair of Business Events Industry Aotearoa and current co-Chair of the Tourism Data Leadership Group.

Steve's vision is to lead a collaborative organisation which engages efficiently and effectively on behalf of the membership, delivers meaningful action through the insights of members, and continues to support, attract and develop capability for the sector.

Business Events Industry Aotearoa — Chief Executive

Scenic Hotel Group — CEO

Motive Group — CEO

Expedia — Director, Market Management

Brook Serene — Managing Director

Bruce caught the hotel bug while washing dishes at a local hotel as a part-time job while still at school. The other side of the pot-wash bench seemed so much more glamorous!
After studying hotel management he took on a trainee manager position with Hyatt, focussing on Food and Beverage services. Following this, a brief stint with IHG before embarking on his OE. Bruce travelled extensively through the USA before basing himself in England for seven years, working for Forte, Marriot, and Thistle hotels, ranging in size from 50 to 800 rooms. An opportunity to work at the world-renowned Huka Lodge brought him back to New Zealand. This was followed up with his first general manager stint at Wharekauhau Country Estate, another luxury lodge. An opening at The George took him back to city life, and nearly 20 years later he has steered the company to considerable success along with adding other hotels to the management company. In addition to his role with Brook Serene, Bruce was also regional chair of the Christchurch hotel sector from 2010 – 2015, President of Skål Christchurch from 2016 – 2019, and is currently on the Skål International Board, representing Oceania.

Terry Ngan & Associates Ltd — Director

Tourism New Zealand — GM - International

U Hotel Group — CEO & Founder

Suresh Subramaniam is the CEO/Founder of U Hotel Group, a boutique hotel company in New Zealand with 6 hotels, motels and sleeperies and manages 30 short term accommodation rentals in New Zealand. With extensive experience in hotel management across various countries, including Singapore, Switzerland, Scotland, the USA, New Zealand, Australia, India, and Thailand, Suresh has built a respected brand in the small accommodation sector.

His passion for hospitality began at Les Roches Swiss Hotel Management School and continued with a Bachelor’s degree from the Scottish Hotel School at the University of Strathclyde. Suresh’s career started at Breakers Resort in Palm Beach, Florida, where he gained expertise in revenue management, distribution, sales, and marketing.

Before 2018, he held General Manager positions with international brands like Grand Central Group and Accor, including managing the Novotel Bangkok Platinum in Thailand. He also served as Brand Manager for Novotel in multiple countries, which inspired him to establish the U Hotel Group in Wellington.

Now based in Wellington with his wife and business partner, Katrina, and their two children, Suresh focuses on development of his own brands + affiliate brands as well as empowering independent hotel and motel owners through his industry knowledge.

Google — Industry Manager, Travel at Google

Mia leads the Travel and Tourism portfolio at Google New Zealand. She is passionate about the interconnection of effective storytelling, consumer behaviour and technology. Specifically, how travel providers and tourism organisations can be more effective in connecting with the considered traveller through insights, creative, technology and a digital customer experience.

Hind Management & Sudima Hotels — Chief People Officer

Phillipa Gimmillaro brings over two decades of hospitality industry expertise to her role as Chief People Officer at Hind Management Group. Since 2017, she has led initiatives in people, culture, health, and safety for over 700 employees across nine locations.

In addition to championing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, Phillipa developed the group’s Code of Conduct, including a Modern Slavery Statement, to align with ethical and sustainable practices. She also established scholarship and internship programs for minority groups and people with disabilities to gain practical work experience in hospitality, with the most recent Māori and Pacific youth scholarship launching in February 2025. In 2024, Hind Management achieved a 93% retention rate for permanent employees under her leadership, far exceeding the hospitality industry’s average retention rate of 23%. Her leadership through the pandemic, including pivoting from hotel operations to managed quarantine facilities, earned her New Zealand HR Director of the Year (2023) and recognition on HRD Magazine’s 2024 HR Hot List.

Phillipa is a Chartered Member of HRNZ, holds Professional Accreditation in Workplace Inclusion (2024), and has an Advanced Diploma in Travel, Tourism, and Business. She also serves on an Industry Advisory Board and is pursuing an MBA through the Australian Institute of Business.

Phillipa’s vision is to build a sustainable, thriving workforce, reflected in her leadership of Hind Management’s celebrated mentoring and development programs

Tourism Talent — Senior Associate

Kelly is a Senior Associate at Tourism Talent, specializing in recruitment for hotels, resorts, and accommodation. With almost two decades in the hospitality industry, including leadership roles at Expedia Group and Starwood Hotels, she brings a wealth of experience in strategic revenue growth and data-driven consultancy. Originally from the USA, Kelly now calls New Zealand home and is passionate about enhancing both individuals and businesses in the sector. A strategic thinker and self-proclaimed "data nerd," she excels at driving results through deep industry insights and genuine connections. Outside work, Kelly enjoys exploring the world with her husband and two children.

The Hotel Britomart — Sustainability and Procurement Coordinator

Clarity Hospitality Software Solutions Ltd — Owner/CEO

Swiss-Belhotel International — Vice President - Operations & Development, Australia, New Zealand, Pacific

Degree qualified international hotelier with over 38 years experience in hotel management, including 27 years as General Manager. Experience across 5 hotel management companies, Sheraton 8 years, Millennium and Copthorne 5 years, Accor 9 years, IHG 14 Years and Swiss-BelHotel International, across 3 regional roles, 18 hotel locations, in 5 countries.

IHG Hotels & Resorts — Country Manager New Zealand

Sofitel Queenstown Hotel & Spa — General Manager

Jeremy has been passionately involved in the Hotel Industry since finishing school, starting in the industry as a porter in one of Sydney’s well-loved 5 star hotels. After completing his degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management with Southern Cross University, his career has taken him across Asia-Pacific working in a diverse range of hotels – from big cities to country towns, corporate hotels to leisure resorts and from islands to deserts. Over this time, he has learned the value and power of strong relationships – with guests, community, team, stakeholders and industry - and that together in partnership we can make some truly beautiful things happen.

After spending 20 years travelling the Pacific and abroad – his family has settled in Queenstown, a place they have called home for the past 7 years and have formed a very special bond with. Whilst the scenery and quality of life is outstanding there – it is the community and their passion for their town, the industry and the land that has inspired them to call this place home.

Sarin Hotels — Commercial Director

Rajeev Sharma is a hospitality leader with over 28 years of experience in hotel pre-openings, revenue management, market expansion, and destination promotion. As the Commercial Director at Sarin Hotels, he drives business growth, brand positioning, and operational efficiency across multiple properties.

Rajeev has successfully led hotel launches, revenue optimization strategies, and international tourism collaborations, working with global travel agencies, ITO’s, Tourism New Zealand and regional tourism boards. His expertise includes dynamic pricing, digital transformation, and AI-driven guest experiences, helping hotels adapt to evolving industry challenges.

A recognized industry innovator and mentor, Rajeev is passionate about developing future leaders, implementing data-driven strategies, and transforming hospitality operations. His insights into market trends, corporate partnerships, and technology adoption make him a leading voice on the current challenges and opportunities in the hospitality industry.

Amadeus — Director of Sales - New Zealand & South Pacific

Cordis Hotel Auckland — Assistant Director of Human Resources

With over a decade of operations experience, Carol leads the largest hotel in New Zealand’s people & culture, learning & development and sustainability initiatives. Her achievements in employee development, retention, and fostering a strong workplace culture led to her winning HRD’s HR Manager of the Year award in 2024.

LyLo Auckland — General Manager

Tataki Auckland Unlimited — Head of Auckland Convention Bureau

SkyCity Entertainment Group — Director of Hotel Operations

Australian Revenue Management Association — Advisory Board

Grand Millennium Auckland — General Manager

Holiday Accommodation Parks Association of New Zealand — CEO

Hotel Council Aotearoa — Strategic Director

Duetto — Director of Hospitality Solutions, APAC

Jeong Pyon joined Duetto in April 2022 as Director of Hospitality Solutions. In this role within the Sales division, Jeong helps hotels leverage Duetto's suite of solutions to achieve their revenue objectives.
A graduate of the Glion Institute of Higher Education with a degree in Hospitality Finance and Revenue Management, Jeong has extensive experience in various revenue management roles across the hospitality industry. His career spans Marriott's corporate office in Bethesda, a boutique Relais & Châteaux property, airport hotels, resorts, casino hotels, convention hotels, hotel openings, and Forbes 5-star hotels across North America and APAC.
Jeong is also a seasoned speaker, sharing his expertise in revenue management, industry trends, and revenue optimization at Duetto Revenue Strategy Seminars and industry events like the Australia Revenue Management Summit.

Minister for Tourism and Hospitality (New Zealand) — Minister for Tourism and Hospitality (New Zealand)

Cordis Auckland — Managing Director

With over 30 year of experience in hotels, Craig has managed properties across Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, and Australia & New Zealand. , in the Upper upscale and Luxury categories. With a background in both Operations and Business Development, customers experience, leadership and business development are his passions. Returning to New Zealand in December 2023 after a 17-year absence, he is Managing Director of Cordis, Auckland, part of the Langham Hospitality Group.

JW Marriott Auckland — Human Resources Director

Befficienz Consulting — Founder, Managing Director

Starting his journey in fine dining when he was just 16 years old, and with over 15 years of management and project management experience across hospitality, travel, tourism, and education sectors, Nicolas Aillaud brings a wealth of expertise to Befficienz. Holding an MBA in Tourism & Hospitality Management and a Bachelor of Business, Nicolas has worked in six countries, including Aotearoa New Zealand, leading significant projects.
Nicolas excels in optimising workflows, driving efficiency, and collaborating closely with clients to co-create tailored solutions that enhance quality and profitability. His hands-on approach focuses on trust, communication, and continuous improvement, making him a true partner in driving business success.

Pacific STR — Sales

Experienced digital marketing and revenue professional with a demonstrated history of working in the hospitality industry. Specializing in revenue management, digital marketing, and market intelligence. Currently supporting the hospitality sector at STR and CoStar, providing data-driven insights that help hotels, investors, and industry stakeholders optimize performance and strategic decision-making.
Expertise includes yield management, revenue analysis and hotel management, with a focus on leveraging benchmarking data, market trends, and competitive intelligence to drive revenue growth. Committed to helping independent and chain hotels develop effective pricing, distribution, and marketing strategies that maximize profitability and market positioning.

A passionate advocate for tourism, destinations, and immersive travel experiences, with a deep understanding of hospitality analytics and industry dynamics. Dedicated to empowering hoteliers with actionable insights, helping businesses enhance visibility, optimize channel distribution, and capitalize on market opportunities in an evolving landscape.

Accor — Talent & Culture Manager

A seasoned HR professional with over 19 years of experience, 16 of those in hospitality, Jai McNaughton has dedicated her career to shaping workplace culture and driving people-focused initiatives.

She began her hospitality journey with Mirvac in 2008, supporting all Mirvac hotels in Western Australia. Over four years, Jai provided strategic HR support, leadership coaching, policy implementation, health and safety compliance, recruitment, and training coordination across multiple hotels. Her ability to drive cultural transformation and foster engaged teams became a hallmark of her career.

Jai then took on the role of pre-opening HR Manager for Fraser Suites Perth, where she played a key role in building a strong workplace culture from the ground up. For the past 7.5 years, she has been a key Senior Talent & Culture leader within Accor WA, contributing to one of the world’s largest hospitality groups and continuing her mission of creating exceptional workplaces.

A specialist in culture transformation, strategic business planning, leadership development, employee engagement, and organizational behaviour, Jai is highly regarded for fostering high-performing teams and driving meaningful workplace change.

A passionate advocate for inclusion and diversity, Jai sits on the boards of Hospitality Disability Network WA and Women in Tourism and Hospitality WA, championing equity and accessibility in the industry. She is also deeply committed to eliminating family and domestic violence, embedding advocacy into her work to create safer, more supportive workplaces.

Jai’s leadership extends beyond HR—mentoring future leaders, implementing innovative workplace initiatives, and spearheading progressive policies. Through initiatives like partnering with Share the Dignity, she ensures tangible support for team members and guests alike.

When not shaping workplace culture, Jai is a single mum to an 8-year-old daughter, and a firm believer in the power of hospitality to transform lives and careers.

Quay Perth — Director of Sales

With over 19 years of experience in hospitality sales and marketing, Paula Navarro is a dynamic leader known for her ability to drive growth, lead high-performing teams, and deliver outstanding guest and client experiences.

As Director of Sales at Quay Perth Hotel, Paula oversees both sales and marketing strategy—bringing a hands-on, people-focused approach to every facet of the business.

She is extremely passionate about customer service and building lasting client relationships, with a track record of success in hotel pre-openings, business development, public relations, and marketing. Paula is committed to elevating brand presence while staying focused on measurable, results-driven outcomes.

Quay Perth — Events Sales Executive

Kezia Purnomo is a highly experienced Events Sales Executive at Quay Perth, specialising in corporate functions and private events. With over four years at Quay Perth, she has honed her expertise in event planning, sales, and marketing, delivering seamless and memorable experiences for clients, including the City of Perth’s City of Light launch and events for McDermott, BHP, Rio Tinto, and Chevron.

Her background includes extensive social media marketing experience from her time at Pan Pacific Perth and as a freelancer, where she managed content creation, brand promotion, and digital marketing strategies. She leverages this expertise to enhance event visibility and engagement.

Passionate about hospitality, Kezia combines strategic thinking, creativity, and a client-first approach to curate exceptional events. With a strong attention to detail and a commitment to excellence, she ensures every event she manages is both impactful and seamlessly executed.

Hospitality Disability Network WA — Disability Employment Manager

Minister for Tourism, Western Australia

Hon. Reece Whitby MLA is the Western Australian Minister for Police; Road Safety; Tourism; Great Southern and Member for Baldivis.

He has overseen government departments responsible for protecting Western Australia’s environment between December 2021 and March 2025, as well as overseeing the State’s energy transition as Energy Minister between December 2024 and March 2025. In this time, Reece was also responsible as Climate Action Minister for coordinating the State’s response to climate change while establishing a whole-of-government approach to reduce emissions.

He was Western Australia’s first Minister to attend a United Nations Climate Change Conference, addressing audiences at COP27 and meeting Ministerial counterparts from across the globe.

As the Minister for Environment, was responsible for delivering Plan for Our Parks. Six-and-a-half million hectares of national and marine parks and reserves were created under the plan, increasing the State’s conservation estate by 28 per cent. Reece also Reece is tasked with implementing WA’s nation-leading Plan for Plastics and the McGowan Government’s historic decision to end native logging from 2024.

He also oversaw reforms in response to the Perth Casino Royal Commission and the review of WA’s liquor laws as Racing and Gaming Minister

Reece was first appointed to Cabinet in the McGowan Labor Government in 2021, as the Minister for Emergency Services; Racing and Gaming; Small Business; and Volunteering.

He became the first local member for the new electorate of Baldivis in March 2017.

Prior to his election, Reece had a long-standing career in journalism, working at Seven News for two decades. He started as a cadet reporter at a country newspaper before joining the ABC, followed by a stint at Channel Nine. He often reported on battlers standing up for a fair go, which sparked his interest in politics.

Reece grew up on the outskirts of Perth, working in the family business from a young age. He has a passion for creating better, fairer communities and understands the importance of quality schools, transport, hospitals, and facilities for all Western Australians.

Reece and wife Natalie have four children – Faith, Sam, Luke and Hope.

Optus Stadium Perth — Chief Executive Officer

Mike McKenna joined VenuesLive in November 2016 as Chief Executive Officer of Optus Stadium in Perth. As Chief Executive Officer, Mike leads a team of professionals who are responsible for operating the venue, on behalf of the Western Australian State Government, attracting and delivering world class sport and entertainment experiences for a local, national and international audience.

Optus Stadium has been a multi-award winner in its first years of operations including for catering, tourism and business events. Optus Stadium was awarded the Prix Versailles as the Most Beautiful Sports Venue in the World by UNESCO in a marketing coup that has increased the profile of the venue.
Over the first four years of operations the venue has received Customer Satisfaction scores averaging 94.5% in surveys conducted by the Western Australian State Government.

Prior to joining VenuesLive Mike spent more than eleven years on the Executive Leadership Team with Cricket Australia. In this role, Mike was responsible for helping turn Cricket Australia from an operationally focused business to a fan focused organisation with the growth of the game as the goal.
During this time, in various roles, Mike had responsibility for Commercial Revenue Generation, Marketing and Brand, Digital Communications, International Cricket Event Management, Venue Operations, Domestic Cricket competitions and Integrity. Mike was responsible for the development of the Big Bash League competitions for men and women and the first six years of operations.

Mike previously held roles as General Manager Commercial Operations with the Essendon Football Club, National Marketing Manager for professional services firm Arthur Andersen and a variety of Sales and Marketing roles with Black and Decker and Carter Holt Harvey.

Mike is also a Board Member of the Tourism Council of Western Australia, the peak body representing tourism businesses, industries and regions in the state.

Pan Pacific Perth — General Manager

Rens Breur is a distinguished figure in the global hospitality industry, bringing over three decades of leadership and innovation to his current role as General Manager of Pan Pacific Perth. Appointed in March 2025, his tenure coincides with a transformative $50 million refurbishment of the hotel, marking a significant new chapter for one of Perth’s most iconic properties.

Rens’s career is marked by a series of prominent leadership roles across renowned hotel brands worldwide. His experience spans continents, having held senior positions in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. Notably, he has served with esteemed establishments such as Relais & Châteaux, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Langham Hotels, and the Accor/Sofitel Group. In Australia, he has been a key figure in the hospitality landscape, with leadership roles at The Langham Melbourne, Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach, and as part of the launch team for Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour in 2017.

Prior to his current appointment, Rens was the Managing Director of Hotel Operations & Development at Fine Hotels in The Netherlands, overseeing a portfolio of six properties with extensive food and beverage and MICE operations.

At Pan Pacific Perth, Breur’s leadership is pivotal as the hotel unveils its comprehensive transformation, which includes reimagined guestrooms, the city’s largest hotel event space, and a commitment to sustainable luxury. His vision emphasizes delivering meaningful hospitality and service excellence, aligning with contemporary guest expectations.

Beyond his professional achievements, Breur is known for his dynamic and human-centric approach to hotel management, reflecting a deep commitment to excellence, authenticity, and the transformative power of thoughtful service.

Under his guidance, Pan Pacific Perth is poised to set new standards in luxury hospitality, blending innovative design with heartfelt service to create memorable experiences for guests.

Quay Perth Hotel — Director of Sales

With over 19 years of experience in hospitality sales and marketing, Paula Navarro is a dynamic leader known for her ability to drive growth, lead high-performing teams, and deliver outstanding guest and client experiences.

As Director of Sales at Quay Perth Hotel, Paula oversees both sales and marketing strategy—bringing a hands-on, people-focused approach to every facet of the business.

She is extremely passionate about customer service and building lasting client relationships, with a track record of success in hotel pre-openings, business development, public relations, and marketing. Paula is committed to elevating brand presence while staying focused on measurable, results-driven outcomes.

Olimpia Twiggs — Business Development Manager WA/NT

Salter Brothers Hospitality — Chief Development Officer

Quay Perth — Events Sales Executive

Kezia Purnomo is a highly experienced Events Sales Executive at Quay Perth, specialising in corporate functions and private events. With over four years at Quay Perth, she has honed her expertise in event planning, sales, and marketing, delivering seamless and memorable experiences for clients, including the City of Perth’s City of Light launch and events for McDermott, BHP, Rio Tinto, and Chevron.

Her background includes extensive social media marketing experience from her time at Pan Pacific Perth and as a freelancer, where she managed content creation, brand promotion, and digital marketing strategies. She leverages this expertise to enhance event visibility and engagement.

Passionate about hospitality, Kezia combines strategic thinking, creativity, and a client-first approach to curate exceptional events. With a strong attention to detail and a commitment to excellence, she ensures every event she manages is both impactful and seamlessly executed.

Corporate Traveller — General Manager

AMADEUS — Senior Director of Sales, Enterprise - Australia

Mike is a hotelier at heart, and this helps develop and deliver successful technology, business intelligence and digital marketing strategies for hotel clients. Being in the hospitality industry for over 30 years and held senior sales and operational positions for independent and international hotel chains, Mike specializes in the hospitality industry which allows Mike to combine this background with the digital advancements that influence how business is done today. Mike’s depth of experience includes launching over 250+ hotel websites, 800+ hotel brand distribution strategies, 150+ digital marketing strategies.

Mike is responsible for the enterprise sales activity between Amadeus Hospitality and our key ANZ Corporate Accounts. Responsible for prospecting, driving revenue and overall client satisfaction by managing key relationships and ensuring the client derives value from Amadeus Hospitality solutions.

RoomPriceGenie — Senior Business Development Manager - APAC

Andy Collins is the Senior Business Development Manager for APAC at RoomPriceGenie, helping hotels boost revenue with smart, automated pricing tools. Based in Sydney, he brings years of hospitality experience, having worked in hotels as well as hotel technology and OTA's. Andy’s all about making pricing simple and effective for accommodation providers across the region.

Hospitality Strategist | Commercial Leader | APAC Expert

Mel Gan is an accomplished hospitality executive with over 30 years of global experience
leading commercial strategy, operations, and asset optimization across Asia Pacific and
beyond. A trusted advisor to hotel owners, investors, and executive boards, Mel has held
senior leadership roles at Hilton and WorldHotels, where she most recently served as
Chief Commercial Officer with oversight of multi-property portfolios spanning more than
25 countries.

Mel specializes in aligning commercial, operational, and asset strategies to unlock
growth and long-term value. With a strong foundation in on-property operations and a
deep understanding of luxury, boutique, and lifestyle hospitality, she is known for her
pragmatic leadership, driving cross-functional collaboration, and ability to build highperforming
teams.

Her expertise lies in aligning commercial performance with owner objectives—leading
hotel openings, repositioning assets, identifying new assets, and driving consistent
revenue and market share growth across diverse markets and ownership models.

She holds education credentials from Harvard Business School and Cornell University’s
School of Hotel Administration, reflecting her commitment to lifelong learning and
leadership development. Mel currently advises hospitality ventures and serves on
commercial advisory boards, driving strategic transformation and next-generation
hospitality performance.

Mel is also a Commercial Advisory Board Member for HSMAI Asia Pacific and a former
Special Advisor to the CEO of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), where she
contributed to the continued development of the tourism industry and strategic
collaboration across the region. A passionate advocate for innovation, leadership
development, and customer-centric transformation, she frequently speaks on topics
such as performance turnaround, future trends and strategic growth in hospitality.

Mel brings a rare blend of strategic insight and operational depth to every conversation—
making her a trusted advisor, mentor, and thought leader.

Rev Star Group — Manager of Sales & Customer Growth

Sarah Casey is the Manager of Sales & Customer Growth at Revstar Group, with over 20 years of expertise in the hospitality and business events industries across Perth and Melbourne.

Her experience includes leadership roles such as Director of Business Development at Business Events Perth, Director of Sales at The Esplanade Hotel Fremantle by Rydges and Regional Sales Manager at RACV Resorts.

Sarah is a firm advocate for the significant role that events play in driving the success of hotels.

Quest East Perth — Director of Sales

Bright Black Marketing — Owner

Expedia — Market Manager - WA

Xavier Sala is Expedia Group’s Market Manager for Perth. Xavier has over 15 Years’ experience in Hotel across Barcelona and Perth. From operations to specializing in Revenue Management.

In his current role with the Expedia Group, Xavier works alongside Expedia Group Brands and external stakeholders, including Accommodation Partners, and tourism organizations to optimize market opportunities.

With over 10 Years’ experience in the Perth Market, and 10 years with Expedia Group in Western Australia, Xavier has a wealth of knowledge on both sides of the game with experience and insights on the various markets across the state and Australia as well as their supply and demand trends.

Event & Conference Co. — Director

Fraser Marketing International — Director

Novotel Perth Langley East Perth — Director of Revenue

Luke Kotai brings 16 years of Revenue Management experience with Accor, combining strategic insight with hands-on operational expertise. He is currently the Director of Revenue at Novotel Perth Langley, a role he’s held since July 2023. Previously, Luke was Portfolio Director of Revenue based in North Queensland, overseeing a diverse mix of properties for the Accor in Queensland and Victoria. Known for his practical approach and deep industry knowledge, Luke is passionate about driving hotel performance and developing a high-performing team.

Aussie Holidays Stays — Owner

Vermilion Oil and Gas — Aviation Coordinator

Hi, I’m Deanna, and I’m proud to serve as the Aviation Coordinator for Vermilion Oil and Gas. In this dynamic role, I manage the onboarding and travel logistics for our crew and contractors heading to our offshore platform on the North West Shelf of Western Australia. It’s a fast-paced environment where no two days are the same—especially when juggling cyclones, medivacs, and last-minute demobilisations.

My journey into aviation and oil & gas began in a very different world: hospitality. Like many of you, I started at the front lines—working in reservations, front desk reception, and even dabbling in corporate sales. My early days were with the Hospitality Inns chain at the Town House Hotel, under the mentorship of Rod and Gloria Walsh, back when we operated under the Flag Inns banner.

After stepping away from the workforce to raise four children under the age of four (yes, really!), I re-entered through a familiar door—travel. I joined Flight Centre as a travel agent, eventually transitioning into corporate travel. That path led me to Bristow Helicopters, where I supported oil and gas clients and helped establish their in-house travel agency.

During my time at Bristow, I was seconded to several major players in the industry—BHP, Santos, Apache, Jadestone, and eventually Vermilion. When Vermilion changed helicopter providers four years ago, I made the move with them and have been part of their team ever since.
Outside of work, I’m a proud mum of four and a brand-new grandmother. I’m also a devoted dog lover and an enthusiastic collector of bromeliads—my little slice of nature at home.

What keeps me passionate about this industry is its ever-evolving nature. While technology and AI continue to reshape how we book and manage travel, I firmly believe the human touch will always be essential—especially in hospitality. After all, it’s people who turn a place into a home away from home.
And who knows—if I’d been born in a different era, maybe I’d be an influencer, jet-setting to exotic hotels and sharing reviews from the far corners of the world!

Business Events Perth — Director Business Developmen - Associations

State of Social | Coffee & Tea — Managiing Director

Meg Coffey is an internationally recognised social media and digital marketing strategist, hailing from Texas and now proudly based in Australia. Known as the 'Texstralian,' Meg combines her exceptional work ethic, calculated risk-taking, and remarkable communication skills to lead the way in digital empowerment.

With a deep understanding of how digital marketing works in today's business landscape, Meg's expertise extends far beyond the hospitality and tourism sectors she works with thru her agency Coffey & Tea. She specializes in transforming the fear of social media into confidence and excitement about leveraging technology for tangible results.

Starting with SMPerth in 2013, Meg established WA’s first social media resource and community. It’s where marketing novices and experts alike came for digital and social marketing news, workshops, masterclasses and get-togethers. And in 2018 it became the launch pad for State of Social.

Meg actively contributes to the digital marketing community as a sought-after speaker, lecturer, and panellist. Her thought leadership has led to judging industry awards and being recognized as one of Australia's Top 50 Small Business Leaders in 2017. Notably, Meg is also a finalist for Campaign Brief's prestigious Ad Person of the Year award multiple times.

Pan Pacific Perth — Executive Chef

lacollective — CEO

Luxury Escapes — Co-Founder + CEO

Adam Schwab has built Luxury Escapes into one of Australia’s most successful and loved businesses. Luxury Escapes is expected to turn over $1 billion this year and has more than 600 team members across four continents.

Adam started life as a corporate lawyer specialising in mergers & acquisitions at one of Australia’s largest legal firms before becoming a founding what would become Luxury Escapes with school friend, Jeremy Same in 2010.
Luxury Escapes: Luxury Escapes was named the fastest growing company in Australia by BRW in 2013 and by the Australian Financial Review in 2017. It was also ranked #1 in Deloitte’s Technology Fast 50 while Adam was the Young CEO of the Year in 2015 and was nominated for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2014 (Southern Region).

Since 2004, Adam has been a financial journalist and business commentator specialising in corporate governance, economics and start-ups for The Australian Financial Review, Sydney Morning Herald and BRW.

ODIN360 — Managing Director

The Langham — Regional Director of Marketing, Pacific

Accommodation Australia (Vic) — General Manager

Title Hospitality — Director

Gatehouse Hospitality — Managing Director

Fastrack Digital — Digital Marketing Specialist

Heyward Group — CEO & Founder

Michael Heyward is the CEO and Founder of Emekeli Research, a company which was set up in 2024 to advance the profession of Revenue Management in Meetings and Events for Hotels by establishing industry standards for measuring performance and providing benchmarking on these metrics. Michael has over 30 years of experience in Hotel Operations and Revenue Management, across Europe, Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, at the leading edge of the development of Revenue Management as a discipline in Hotels. The drive to innovate and challenging the way we work continues.

Pan Pacific Hotels Group — Country General Manager, Oceania

David Tonkin is Country General Manager, Oceania at Pan Pacific Hotels Group, responsible for overseeing the operations, commercial performance and strategic direction of the group’s Australian hotel portfolio. David joined Pan Pacific Hotels Group in September 2015, bringing with him a wealth of hospitality experience, accumulated throughout Australia and the Middle East. Prior to joining Pan Pacific Hotels Group, David worked with Wyndham Vacation Resorts Asia Pacific, overseeing the management of the company's assets in Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia. David also enjoyed a long tenure with EVT’s Rydges Hotels & Resorts.

YHA Australia — CEO

Urban Rest — Chief Commercial Officer

Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) — CEO

Ovolo South Yarra — F&B General Manager

I’m Jaqui Rosenstengel, the Food & Beverage General Manager at Ovolo South Yarra. In my current role, I oversee all food and beverage operations across the hotel, including events and Lona Misa, our one-hatted vegan restaurant. I joined Ovolo South Yarra as part of the pre-opening team 4.5 years ago and have since built 16 years of food and beverage experience across Melbourne hotels.

I’m passionate about the industry, love bringing people together to create lasting memories and believe it’s essential to stay ahead of new trends in our fast and ever-evolving hospitality industry.

Revstar Group — Group Director of Revenue

With 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Miranda is a seasoned professional and Group Director of Revenue for Revstar Group. Throughout her career, she has built a deep understanding of revenue management and operations, having worked across nearly every market in Australia, as well as in international destinations like Singapore, French Polynesia, and The Philippines. As well as being a wife and mother of two, she is also soccer enthusiast and travel buff who counts Zimbabwe as her second home.

BIG4 Holiday Parks of Australia — Head of Marketing

Tash Prendergast is a seasoned marketing leader with a passion for building brands that connect meaningfully with customers. As Head of Marketing at BIG4 Holiday Parks, Australia’s leading holiday park network, Tash spearheads a dynamic team of marketing professionals dedicated to delivering integrated campaigns that elevate customer experience and drive commercial success. With a strong track record in strategic marketing, Tash has led BIG4 to expand its digital and social presence. Her leadership drove initiatives like the “GO BIG” campaign, boosting brand awareness and bookings while cementing BIG4’s status as Australia’s most recalled holiday park brand. Tash combines creativity and collaboration with data-driven, customer-focused strategies that build vibrant communities and deliver measurable impact.

The Royce Hotel — Hotel Manager

Accor — Vice President Operations Leases Australia and HMA Victoria

Sunday Lunch — Founder

Mia Barry is the founder of Sunday Lunch, a creative studio specialising in food, drink and travel that's shaped how some of Australia's celebrated venues and boutique brands tell their stories. Mia brings creative vision and strategic precision to every project – from viral social content to internationally acclaimed brand identities and PR campaigns that reach millions globally – with an audience-first approach that translates online buzz into real-world commercial outcomes.

eeger — General Manager

Emilie Howe is a passionate advocate for Australia's visitor economy, with a career spanning leadership roles in tourism, training, and workforce development. Originally from Tasmania and now based in Sydney, Emilie brings a deep understanding of regional tourism and the evolving needs of the sector.

As the inaugural CEO of Visitor Experience Training (VXT) in Tasmania, Emilie spearheaded initiatives to elevate service standards through targeted training and stakeholder collaboration. Today, she serves as General Manager of eeger, a national online platform dedicated to jobs, careers, training, and industry information for the tourism, hospitality, and travel sectors. Under her leadership, eeger has become a central hub for workforce development, connecting job seekers with employers and promoting lifelong careers in the visitor economy.

Emilie’s insights are shaped by her extensive travels across Australia, her hands-on experience within the tourism and hospitality sectors, and her active involvement in shaping industry standards—most notably through her role as a judge for the Tasmanian and NSW Tourism Awards. Her commitment to industry-led solutions is reflected in her work fostering collaboration, elevating workforce capabilities, and championing regional voices in national conversations.

Meriton Suites Melbourne — Hotel General Manager

Andrew Edwards is an accomplished hotelier with over 13 years of leadership experience across some of Australia’s most dynamic and high-performing hotels. Currently the General Manager of Meriton Suites Melbourne, Andrew leads with a strong focus on people, operational excellence, and financial performance — driving success through genuine connection, energy, and purpose. Prior to joining Meriton Suites, Andrew spent 12 remarkable years with TFE Hotels, where he held leadership roles across the Rendezvous and Adina brands before taking the helm at Quincy Hotel Melbourne. Throughout his tenure, he earned a reputation for his passion, professionalism, and ability to build engaged, high-performing teams that consistently delivered outstanding results. Under his leadership, Quincy became the first hotel in Victoria to achieve Climate Active Carbon Neutral Building certification — a testament to his commitment to sustainability and innovation. Known for his collaborative leadership style and deep understanding of the Melbourne market, Andrew blends commercial acumen with an unwavering dedication to creating exceptional guest experiences and empowering his teams to succeed.

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre — Chief Sles & Customer Experience Officer

Melbourne & Olympic Parks — Director of Customer Experience and Special Projects

Gatehouse Hospitality — Executive Director- Strategic Advisory

Sonia Vickers is Executive Director, Strategic Advisory at Gatehouse Hospitality. Sonia is a seasoned hotel management professional with an expertise in total revenue management across leading hotel brands and boutique groups. In her current role, she oversees multiple hotel asset management contracts throughout Australia and is uniquely placed in offering valuable insights into the challenges faced by hotel owners. Before joining Gatehouse, Sonia held senior management positions at IHG, TFE Hotels, and Accor. Sonia holds an MBA in Hospitality Finance from Les Roches Switzerland, a Swiss Hospitality Degree from ICHM Adelaide, and an Executive Certificate in Strategy and Innovation from MIT Sloan School of Management.

Magellan Travel Group & Helloworld Business — General Manager

Platinum Travel Group — CEO