Accor has proudly welcomed seven new General Managers to its ranks, with the new appointees representing a mixture of rising stars taking charge for the first time and experienced hoteliers adapting their trade and skills to a new market.
Fifteen-year Accor veteran Neil Scanlan has been named the opening GM at Hotel Chadstone Melbourne – MGallery by Sofitel, which will open to guests for the first time in November 2019. Scanlan was most recently with Colliers International as National Director of Hotels.
Ibis Budget Windsor Brisbane has welcomed Jerome Amor as its new General Manager. Amor has worked in a number of hotel roles in the UK and Australia including Night Manager at Fraser Suites Kensington and Stamford Plaza Brisbane before joining Accor three years ago.
Celebrating her 20th year in hospitality this year, Odette Laska takes up the role as GM of Cairns Harbour Lights Hotel. Laska began in Food & Beverage before moving to Pullman Reef Casino Hotel where she worked her way up to managerial positions before joining Accor to take the new opening in Cairns.
Heading to Western Sydney, Andrew Hills has been named the new GM at Mercure Penrith. Ever the journeyman, Hills has held General Manager roles over a 20-plus-year career with Accor at hotels in Sydney’s Brighton Beach, Sydney CBD, Newcastle, Geelong, Parramatta and back to Sydney City.
Moving to Darwin is Brett Skinner, who recently departed from the GM role at Cooinda Lodge Kakadu and now finds himself leading the Novotel Darwin CBD. Another long-serving Accor veteran, Skinner has held senior roles in departments such as gaming and F&B before moving into General Management. Over the years, he has worked in locations such as Port Hedland and Palm Cove before taking up the role in Kakadu.
At the other end of the country, Natalie Bussenschutt has relocated from the ibis Sydney Airport to the GM role at Novotel Barossa Valley Resort. Joining Accor in 2011, Bussenschutt has worked in senior back-of-house roles including Director of Sales & Marketing at Novotel Canberra and Government Account Manager before also spending time at Accor’s head office in Sydney.
Last but not least, it’s a case of back to the future for Ken Dobbie, who has taken up the post as the new General Manager at ibis Budget Gosford. Beginning his Accor career in a Deputy role at the very same hotel he now leads, Dobbie’s professional journey has taken him to Australian hotels coast-to-coast including senior posts in Western Australia, Gold Coast and Sydney.