Chris Kemlo joins The Calile as GM
TFE Hotels has appointed experienced hotelier, Chris Kemlo, as General Manager of The Calile Hotel in Brisbane.
Kemlo joins the hotel, which is now in its fifth year, with more than 18 years’ industry experience under his belt, half of which has been spent at Crown Resorts, including in leadership positions at Crown Resorts in Melbourne and, more recently, Crown Towers Sydney.
“I have been lucky enough to work with some amazing luxury brands and hotel openings however, when this opportunity came up, I had to jump at the chance,” said Kemlo.
“Not only is Queensland a beautiful place to bring up a young family, but The Calile is a stunning property with a team that are equally passionate about representing the brand.
“My job will be to take a guest approach, people approach and a business approach to make sure we have the right systems and operational processes in place. This, in turn, will further enhance the already highly regarded guest experience and take us to the next level.”
Kemlo’s contributions to the preopening Sofitel Queenstown and the Crown Melbourne and Crown Sydney hotels, were instrumental in the establishment of these luxury properties.
TFE Hotels Group Chief Operating Officer, Chris Sedgwick, said his exceptional leadership skills, attention to detail and service, along with his commercial acumen, were a strong fit for The Calile.
“It takes a dedicated team to continually deliver elevated guest experiences across rooms, conferencing, events and F&B,” said Sedgwick.
“And Chris’ experience in the luxury sector is certainly a welcome addition to the team.”
BWH Hotels bolsters development team
BWH Hotels is expanding its Brand Development team with the addition of two experienced hospitality industry professionals.
Shellia Chang has been appointed as BWH Hotels Australasia’s Development Manager joining the growing Development team, and Shaishav Mehta has recently been appointed as Development Executive of BWH Hotels Australasia.
Change brings a wealth of experience in distribution, sales and marketing with prominent names in the hospitality sector, while Botstrong’s experience in hospitality operations spans a range of well known hotel chains.
“Since my appointment with BWH Hotels last year, I’ve seen the global brand and the development team go from strength to strength,” said BWH Hotels Australasia’s Managing Director, Rod Munro.
“With Shellia and Shaishav now part of this impressive team, the expansion opportunities for BWH Hotels continue to escalate. I’m confident with this strengthened group of professionals our brand will continue to achieve distinctive recognition as we maintain our strategic approach.”
The latest appointments come as BWH Hotels prepares for a raft of announcements in the months ahead, the company revealed.
Fresh leadership for The Porter House Hotel
The Porter House Hotel – MGallery has introduced an entirely new Executive Leadership Team
Mitchell Turner takes up the role of General Manager, joining from Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour, where he was Director of Luxury Experience (Hotel Manager).
His previous hospitality experience includes roles at Radisson Blu Plaza Sydney, Sofitel Sydney Wentworth and IHG Hotels and Resorts.
Farzana Khan has been appointed Talent and Culture Manager; Tin Mie Mie Kyaw is the new Financial Controller; Simran Anand is Director of Revenue; and Adriana Poh-Rush is Director of Sales and Marketing.
“We are excited to begin this chapter with a diverse team, bringing their valuable experience, skills and personality to the brand,” a representative for the team said.
Sales and Marketing lead joins Cairns Harbourside
The newly rebranded Cairns Harbourside Hotel in tropical north Queensland has appointed experienced sales and marketing professional Kristy Williams as Director of Sales and Marketing.
Williams has previously worked as a sales and marketing manager at Cairns Hilton and Doubletree Cairns and with Accor representing the Pullman International Cairns and Novotel Cairns Oasis.
Prior to her move to Cairns, Williams established a successful career with the Hilton Hotels group, holding senior sales positions in Sydney, Dubai, and across the UK.
“Kristy brings a wealth of experience to the role, and she is really excited about establishing an independent hotel in the marketplace,” said Cairns Harbourside Hotel General Manager, Glen Macdonald.
“We have had great feedback since rebranding the hotel. With our commitment to delivering a hotel with a distinctive tropical Cairns character we believe we can tap into a growing trend for visitors seeking accommodation that captures the destination’s DNA.
“With the new brand image and the plans for upgrading the hotel, we look forward to delivering a very authentic Tropical Queensland experience through interior design, the food we offer at our restaurant, and warm and relaxed service.”