TFE Hotels announces raft of GM appointments
TFE Hotels has made several key General Manager appointments across its Australian and New Zealand network.
Nigel Maxey, who has been with TFE for six years, has been appointed Hotel General Manager of the newly rebranded 273-room Vibe Hotel Melbourne Docklands, which is slated to open on 8 April.
Christian Price has been appointed General Manager for TFE Hotels’ five brands – The Interlude, Adina Apartment Hotel Melbourne Pentridge, North & Common, Olivine and Chapter Place events – at the redeveloped Pentridge lifestyle precinct.
After almost seven years with TFE, Emma Sutherland has taken on her first Hotel Manager role as the General Manager of Vibe Hotel Sydney Darling Harbour.
Lucy Ockleston has been seconded into a Cluster role in Darwin as Cluster Hotel General Manager responsible for Adina Apartment Hotel Darwin Waterfront / Vibe Hotel Darwin Waterfront and Travelodge Resort Darwin.
TFE Hotels stalwart Sid Bhatia continues his relationship with the hotel company as the new Hotel General Manger at Vibe Hotel Gold Coast.
Diana Quinones-Silva – who has had an impressive 15-year career journey with TFE spanning the Vibe, Adina, and Travelodge brands – has taken up the role of Hotel General Manager at the historic Hotel Kurrajong in Canberra.
Ben Saxton will lead the team at the flagship A by Adina Canberra as Hotel General Manager. He has spent 12 years with TFE working across multiple brands and locations including Canberra, Adelaida, Sydney and Germany.
Andrew Edwards has been appointed as the new General Manager at Quincy Hotel Melbourne, following a 12-month stint in the GM chair at Adina Southbank; while Jolanta Prusek – who has spent seven years across multiple TFE brands and locations – will head the team at Adina Apartment Hotel Surry Hills.
TFE Hotels’ Senior Director of Operations ANZ, Tish Nyar, said it was fantastic to see several of his team making significant moves into larger more complex properties.
“Their development over the past few years in strategic management and proving their abilities in managing complex challenging operational issues has placed them in the optimal position to take on these new positions,” Nyar said.
“I am looking forward to seeing what they will bring to their new operations in the years to come.”
General Manager appointment at Cairns Harbourside Hotel
Hotel and tourism executive, Glen Macdonald, has been appointed General Manager of Cairns Harbourside Hotel, which recently relaunched as a self-managed, independent hotel after two decades of global management.
Previously as General Manager and then CEO of Fitzroy Island Resort for over 12 years, Macdonald significantly enhancing the resort’s performance through innovative management and marketing.
He has also worked in management roles at Sheraton Port Douglas and with major hospitality groups in Darwin and North Queensland.
“I was fortunate enough to lead the team at Fitzroy Island Resort as it established a new direction after I joined in 2011, and I am looking forward to being part of the fresh new vision for Cairns Harbourside Hotel,” said Macdonald.
A long-term resident of Cairns and having served as a Board member of the Association of Marine Park Tourism Operators, Macdonald is well placed to deliver the future direction for Cairns Harbourside Hotel.
Housekeeping lead joins The Langham, Melbourne
The Langham, Melbourne has welcomed Joanie Ning as its new Executive Housekeeper.
Ning brings over three decades of experience in the hospitality industry, 20 years of which she has specialised in Housekeeping management.
She previously held the position of Executive Housekeeper at One and Only Wolgan Valley Resort Blue Mountains, and has worked with renowned brands such as Sheraton, The Westin, The Royale Chulan, The Datai Langkawi and more.
“I am thrilled to be joining The Langham Hospitality Group,” said Ning.
“As one of Melbourne’s most iconic establishments, I am truly excited to work alongside such dedicated professionals to uphold and exceed the impeccable standards for which The Langham, Melbourne is renowned.
Ning will report directly to The Langham, Melbourne General Manager, Karl Marshall.
THSA welcomes two new Partners to grow APAC business
Hotel advisory and asset management company, Tourism and Hospitality Services AustralAsia (THSA) has welcomed two experienced industry professionals as Partners in the business.
Mina Li – formerly Director of Investments and Asset Management at Pro-invest Group – brings over 15 years of experience and success as an expert advisor in development planning and feasibility, investment and asset management advisory for hotel and hospitality assets in Asia Pacific.
At Pro-invest Group, she led the acquisition and due diligence process of hotel transactions and set up the asset management arm of its operating hotel portfolio. Li also has extensive experience working in Hong Kong for leading hospitality advisory firm Horwath HTL, where she undertook hundreds of hotel financial feasibilities in 24 countries across Asia Pacific and provided advisory on operating assets over AU$2.3 billion.
Ruwan Peiris joins THSA, bringing a wealth of experience as a senior hotel executive with major multinational corporations such as Accor, Marriott, Nikko and IHG in the Asia Pacific region. He has worked across luxury to mid-scale hotels, convention centres, golf courses, restaurants and spas, elevating revenue and delivering sustainable financial outcomes.
The two new Partners will bring the THSA team to eight professionals, who have collectively completed over 800 assignments in six continents.
“The opportunities in 2024 and beyond across the Asia Pacific region are extraordinary, but so are the challenges, and with Ruwan and Mina joining the THSA team, I believe we can help hotels and their owners enhance their reputation, potential and profit,” said THSA Managing Director, Rodger Powell.
“There are interesting trends that require careful navigation. Global brands are expanding dramatically, but guest demands are for more individuality and localism. The industry has changed enough to enable both globalism and localism to work in the same package, as long as the hotel has the right advice and strategy.”