Greater Sydney Area
Senior hotel general manager with over two decades experience. Demonstrated success in sales, marketing, and branding; accommodation, food and beverage operations; refurbishment management; revenue management and distribution; event management; strata title and body corporate management; and regional tourism. Broad experience in boutique and medium size properties, in city and regional locations, all in the superior end of the hotel market. Overseen multi-unit operations, openings as well as refurbishments of hotels and associated businesses. A strong communicator, results focused manager, providing the clarity, drive and vision needed to increase revenue opportunities, and drive bottom line growth within today’s highly competitive market. A people person at heart, understanding that to achieve great results you need to build and maintain a phenomenal team that are customer, quality and results driven strategy.
Currently (2018 – 21) offering hospitality consultancy advice in areas of sales and marketing, event management, creatives, Profit and Loss analysis and management, best practices of wage optimisation and general operational and license concerns to a smaller Australian hotel group and also two Darling Harbour bistros and bars. Responsible for all COVID 19 initiatives in line with NSW Government Guidelines for the Darling Harbour venues.
Hotel named Best Refurbished Superior Hotel Sydney in AHA 2019 Awards. Maintained each year GOP percentages from 42% - 51% including a full year of refurbishment in 2017 and early 2018. Revenue increase year on year throughout tenure of 7%+. Project managed refurbishment of hotel with key stakeholders, owners, asset managers, designers, builders and contractors. Planned complete accommodation and public areas including restaurants, lobby bar and function rooms refurbishment scope of works. Lead the team to a successful transition from Rockford Hotels Group franchise with Asset Management Team to an Accor managed property with the installation of new systems and training, cultural shift and reporting over the New Year period 2017 – 18 onwards and through the refurbishment of public realm areas including food and beverage, function rooms, lobby and reception. Ensured focus on key market segments, corporate, future conference, ICC business groups and public distribution to develop hotel in line with new product expectations of all stakeholders. Increased F&B total revenue in 2017 against 2016 through hotel refurbishment period and lack of MICE business availability through enhancing offerings in other areas of the hotel and ensuring strong visibility within the market. Successfully re-negotiated staff Enterprise Agreement (Award) for a period of 4 years 2015 - 2019 thus providing a stable payroll system which provided a stronger more stable system for wage optimisation and control. Created Talent and Culture position, in place of departmental managers HR responsibilities to better provide resources, WH&S, training and development for all staff. Restructured S&M team with focus on both direct sales and to better meet market media changes especially in relation to social media opportunities. Increased level of environmental best practice to reach Bronze level Planet 21 ISO 14001 in 2017.
Regional Manager Rockford Hotels Tropical North Queensland Palm Cove Business Director (Esplanade Holdings) Joint venture with Rockford Hotels 2006 – 2011 including regional management of two resorts, revenue management, sales and marketing, event sales, operational director of 4 major hospitality businesses, strata title management, real estate licence, Palm Cove Tourism Board and Body Corporate liaison.
General Manager of Novotel Century Sydney located in Darling Harbour 2004 to 2006. Opening team as Director of Sales and Marketing prior to Sydney 2000 Olympics. Promoted to EAM in 2003 along with DOSM responsibilities. Responsible for all budgets, forecasts, revenues and operations of the hotel. Restructured team in relation to sales, housekeeping and financing. Strategically planned changes to room distribution channels to increase revenue from markets that were more profitable i.e.: convention, conference, leisure direct and corporate markets. Developed Enterprise Bargaining Agreement in conjunction with employees to better cater for hotel’s operational needs whilst maintaining stricter controls on wage cost. Upgraded Hotel Restaurant to be able to provide a better free flow of traffic for breakfast. Involved in local authorities and associations to leverage relationships and business opportunities to the hotel. Introduced stronger OH&S practices to minimize potential risk. Remarketed Hotel with new Rockford branding to domestic and international markets.