These industry success stories should either motivate you to do better or make you sad enough to head to the pub earlier than usual. We’d take either option, to be honest.

Outrigger Enterprises Group welcomes Brad Logsdon to their Sales Team

Outrigger Enterprises Group is pleased to announce Brad Logsdon as area director of sales and marketing for the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort. Logsdon is responsible for maximizing overall hotel revenue market share and optimizing profit returns for all markets.

Most recently director of sales and marketing for Marriot (Starwood) Hotels & Resorts, Waikiki Complex, Logsdon held the same position at Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa; Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort; Hilton Anaheim; and Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa.

His earlier and extensive sales and marketing management experience includes Hilton and Doubletree Hotels – Seattle Airport; Tamarron Hilton Resort – Durango; San Diego Hilton Beach & Tennis Resort; and Hilton Sales Worldwide – San Francisco.

A graduate of El Camino College in Los Angeles, Logsdon currently sits on the board for the Arthritis Foundation, Hawaii, and is a past club president for Rotary International.

Helloworld Travel Limited announces new national sales manager

Helloworld Travel Limited is pleased to announce the appointment of Nathaly Naughton to the position of national sales manager – Helloworld Travel Branded Network, based in Sydney.

Naughton has extensive experience as a high achieving global sales leader, with tour operator and agency experience, and was most recently director of sales at Contiki Holidays in Sydney. With a career in the industry spanning 14 years, Naughton has previously worked inkey sales roles at STA from branch sales manager to general manager across the UK, South African and Australian markets.

“I am delighted to be joining Helloworld Travel at this exciting time as the business thrives under its current leadership. I look forward to working closely with the Helloworld team and members to drive sales and ensure continued success,” she said.

Naughton commences on September 19 and will be based in the Helloworld Travel Limited office in North Sydney. This role was recently vacated by Lynda Wallace who was successfully appointed to a new role within the Helloworld Travel Retail division, as national manager network development.

New leader takes over the reigns for FCM in Victoria

The FCM Travel Solutions’ Melbourne team has welcomed Ryan Mitchell, their new state leader to the role of regional general manager for Victoria. The position will oversee FCM’s operational teams in Victoria and has a particular focus on service delivery and development. Mitchell will also be working closely with FCM’s Victorian account management and sales teams.

Mitchell takes on the role after six years working in business development and leadership roles with Corporate Traveller, Flight Centre Travel Group’s SME business travel provider. He is based in FCM’s St Kilda Road office in Melbourne.

Mitchell said he was “looking forward to building on FCM’s operational services in Victoria and would be looking at aspects such as customer satisfaction, staff training and customer focused strategies that would enhance the day to day services offered by FCM in Victoria”.

“FCM Travel Solutions has many opportunities for growth in Victoria,” he said.

Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour appoints new director of sales and marketing

Gavin Maloney has joined Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour as the director of sales and marketing. Maloney brings extensive international experience to the role at Sydney’s high-profile, five-star property having worked for several leading luxury hotel brands across four continents, often in uniquely challenging conditions and highly competitive markets.

Maloney’s hotel experience has taken him from an early food and beverage career, to managing a portfolio of 23 luxury hotels and spas throughout 11 countries in Europe in his role as regional sales director for Starwood Hotels & Resorts which includes highly renowned brands such as W and St Regis.

His hospitality career has taken him from Australia to Asia, the Middle East and Europe and includes three and a half years as director of sales and marketing for Westin and Le Meridien Mina Seyahi, Resort and Marina Dubai; director of sales and marketing for Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, Bangkok, for three years; director of sales and marketing at Sheraton Pattaya Resort (now Intercontinental Pattaya Resort) for two and a half years; and global account manager for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Sydney, for 18 months.

At the Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour, Maloney will be responsible for all sales and marketing activities, developing and implementing rate and occupancy strategies, and driving brand performance and identity, partnerships and commercial affiliations.

Outrigger Enterprises Group welcomes Michelle Wee to their Sales Team

Outrigger Enterprises Group is pleased to announce Michelle Wee as senior sales manager for OHANA Hotels by Outrigger.

Wee is responsible for the development and implementation of a comprehensive sales and marketing strategy and related plans to maximize market share, revenue, and occupancy growth for OHANA Hotels by Outrigger.

Formerly resort sales manager for The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Waikiki Beach, Wee’s hospitality career also includes sales manager for Highgate Hotels – The Pacific Beach Hotel; guest services manager at The Royal Hawaiian, A Luxury Collection Resort; and assistant front office manager at Hilton Waikiki Beach Hotel. Her early industry experience encompasses all aspects of operations.

With a bachelor’s from Hawaii Pacific University in marketing management with a minor in travel industry management, Wee also holds a diploma in marketing management from Oklahoma University in collaboration with Management Development Institute of Singapore in Singapore.

AccorHotels announces new general manager appointments in Australia

Michelle Bradshaw has been appointed General Manager, ibis/Novotel Little Lonsdale Street. The two new-build hotels are expected to open in late 2018. Michelle started with AccorHotels in 2005 and she joined the Accor Vivier National Management Trainee (now AELP) in 2008. After graduating from her traineeship, Michelle joined Novotel Melbourne Glen Waverley as Food & Beverage Manager, and later moved to Sydney as Hotel Operations Manager at Novotel and Ibis Sydney Olympic Park.

Ana Royal has been appointed Hotel Manager, ibis Styles Tamworth. Ana started with AccorHotels in 2006 as a Receptionist at Mercure Wellington, before taking a break and re-joining AccorHotels in 2008 at ibis Wellington. Ana became Front Office Manager in 2014 at ibis Adelaide, then moved into an Operations Manager role at ibis Melbourne Hotel & Apartments in 2015. Ana’s most recent position is Operations Manager at ibis Styles Hobart.

Ashan Abeykoon has been appointed General Manager, ibis Budget Melbourne CBD. Ashan has been with AccorHotels since 2003, starting at Mercure Melbourne Spring Street in Front Office. Ashan has previously held Front Office management positions at both ibis Melbourne and The Grand Hotel Melbourne, before moving into Food & Beverage in 2010, as the Assistant Food & Beverage Manager at Mercure Melbourne Spring Street. From 2016, Ashan assumed the role of Operations Manager at Novotel Wollongong.

Rebecca Davis has been appointed General Manager, ibis Styles Geraldton. Rebecca started with AccorHotels in 2008 on the Accor Graduate Management Program at Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour, where she held numerous supervisory roles in Front Office, Food & Beverage and Housekeeping. In 2010, Rebecca moved to Canberra as Assistant Manager at Novotel Canberra and in 2011, she moved over to Front Office as Assistant Front Office Manager before being promoted to Front Office Manager in 2013.

NEXT Hotels & Resorts are on the move

Next Hotels & Resorts have appointed senior roles across the group in a commitment to continuing growth in Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane and establishing a co-managerial team in Newcastle.

With the departure of general manager, Marcus Dudley, from Sage Hotel Ringwood, Next has appointed James Coleman to the role. Next Hotel Brisbane’s general manager, Justin McConnell, who joined the group in February 2017, has now relocated to Adelaide to step into the general manager role for both properties. As a result, a newly created position as area general manager has seen Craig Syphers appointed to oversee the Queensland assets of Next Hotel Brisbane and Sage Hotel James St located in Fortitude Valley.

Syphers will support the existing general manager, Alice Sampson and joins Next Hotels & Resorts with over three decades of experience covering all aspects of hospitality moving through the ranks of food and beverage, numerous conference and sales positions and leading to six general management roles with the most recent representing the Pan Pacific and Park Royal Brands in Singapore.

Chifley Apartments in Newcastle will also now be co-managed by Jason Morrow and Lauren Scott. They will share the responsibilities of a general manager role, whilst living on-site and overseeing the property 24/7.

Middleton, Manning & Company appointed to represent The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort

Middleton, Manning & Company is now representing The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort, the forthcoming debut of Westin Hotels & Resorts in the Republic of Maldives opening in October, 2018. The Resort is set to herald the Westin brand’s wellness positioning in the Maldivian oasis and we look forward to sharing all of its stunning features over the coming months!

Nestled on a beautiful coral island in the Baa Atoll, a designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve site, The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort will feature 70 villas and suites, 41 on island and 29 overwater. Poised over the sea on stilts and with an area of almost 200 square meters each, the overwater suites are amongst the largest a resort has to offer in the Baa Atoll region.

Assembled by award-winning Milan-based architects PEIA Associati, the resort’s design takes inspiration from the ocean with a visionary approach towards environmental sustainability.