2023 Speakers

Adrian is founder and CEO of Australasia's leading travel, tourism and hospitality full-service digital marketing, media and technology firm, Fastrack Group.

Adrian is a highly experienced and respected travel, tourism and hospitality digital marketing, media and communications expert with over 25 years in the industry. He is also a management consultant and strategist. 

Haley Purdon leads Expedia Lodging Partner Services in New Zealand and Pacific Islands, responsible for developing the strategies for the Group’s lodging supply business in the region.

With more than 12 years’ experience with Expedia Group, she leads the team to establish and develop strong partner relationships with hotel partners, helping to maximise their exposure to the Group’s 200+ travel booking websites. 

Prior to her role as Director of Market Management, Haley held various roles at the company. She started out as a Senior Market Manager for Orbitz Worldwide, where she was responsible for building a team on the ground, developing the brand awareness and expanding its presence to New Zealand and Pacific Islands region.

Haley brings valued knowledge of the online travel landscape to her role. Her passion for leading and developing people is instrumental to the rapid expansion of the NZPI team over the past four years.

Hazel has established a strong career within the hospitality industry, joining Motive Group / Village Accommodation Group at the end of 2019 as Chief Commercial Director, managing all operations and strategy across the 7 properties within the portfolio. Prior to joining, Hazel worked in senior management roles within hospitality in the UK and Ireland, with her previous role being Director of Marketing & eCommerce Australia/New Zealand at Grand Chancellor Hotels.  She has knowledge in a diverse range of hospitality systems and processes, from ecommerce, data integration, revenue, sales, loyalty, brand management and is also a Chartered Marketer through the Marketing Association NZ.

After spending more than 20 years managing in some of Asia’s most exciting hotels for Hyatt International & Ritz-Carlton Hotels in Japan, Bali, China, New Zealand, Saipan and Taiwan, Troy decided to return home to New Zealand in 2013 to start his own hospitality management company – Katalyma Hotels and Hospitality.

Subsequently, Troy and his wife Tomoko became the owners of Whangaparaoa Lodge in mid 2013 and added a second property Kerikeri Park Lodge from the beginning of 2017.

“Owning and running our own business, creating our own path and destiny is a luxury earned from taking risks and working hard” Troy says.

Troy spent the majority of his time in Hotels managing Food & Beverage operations working his way up through the Hotel hierarchy. He started as a Corporate Trainee for Hyatt International, moving through to restaurant management, Banquet and Catering, and divisional and hotel operations management. Troy’s last position was the General Manager of Bulgari Hotels & Resorts – Tokyo Restaurants, which oversaw the Japan operations of the luxury brand’s lifestyle operations.

Additionally, passion for the industry and local community is also very important to Troy. He is a board member of the National Board, Hospitality New Zealand, chairs the Auckland accommodation sector group at branch level, and is an executive committee member of the local Whangaparaoa Business Association.

Michael is a highly motivated and strategically minded hospitality professional who has consistently delivered results through a consultative and collaborative leadership style. Currently serving as the Director of Hotel Operations for SkyCity Group he has extensive experience in both Australia and New Zealand across sales, marketing, guest experience, loyalty, distribution and operations.

With over two decades of extensive industry experience working with some of the globe’s most prestigious leading hotel and hospitality brands, Craig Hooley is Minor Hotels’ Chief Operating Officer for Australia and New Zealand - where it currently boasts a portfolio of over 50 properties under its Oaks Hotels, Resorts & Suites and Avani Hotels & Resorts brands.

Since joining Minor Hotels in 2018, Mr Hooley has guided the brand’s strategic direction, while delivering the day-to-day management of operations with overseeing sales, marketing, all revenue focused strategies and activities, as well as crafting bespoke forward growth plans for the hotelier, and providing leadership across various corporate factions to convey continued business excellence.

Prior to this, Craig Hooley held a number of key leadership positions with major international industry front-runners including recently finishing a successful three-year tenure at Shangri-La International Hotel in Australia and Hong Kong, as well as spending seven and a half years at Mirvac Hotel & Resorts, and seven and half years at the InterContinental Hotels Group both in Australia and United Kingdom. As a recruit straight out of university studying an Engineering degree, Craig started his career in the Royal Australian Navy’s food, beverage and housekeeping operations for ten and a half years.

Mr Hooley is based in Minor Hotels’ head office in Maroochydore on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. He is a long-term member of Tourism Accommodation Australia (TAA).

John Thompson joined Minor Hotels as the Head of Commercial for Australia and New Zealand in November 2018. His role sees him responsible for leading the company’s business growth & commercial strategy, as well as driving key executive projects in these key markets where it currently operates over 60 properties. John is a dyed-in-the-wool commercial hotelier having spent more than 20 years in the hospitality sector holding leadership positions for global hotel brands including Hilton and InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). John has a reputation as a savvy and respected commercial director having also owned and operated a successful consultancy business, where he provided bespoke commercial solutions through consultancy, training and coaching to leading organisations within the hospitality industry.

Julie was appointed Hospitality New Zealand’s Chief Executive Officer in December 2019. Prior to this role, she served as the association’s Chief Operating Officer for 1.5 years. An experienced commercial leader, Julie has a Bachelor of Economics from Australia’s James Cook University and has held various leadership positions within high profile hospitality and tourism companies, such as InterContinental Hotels Group, EVENT Hospitality and Air New Zealand.

With a passion for delivering memorable experiences, Julie's vision is to ensure hospitality is considered a key contributor to the tourism industry. Her mission to raise the profile of Hospitality New Zealand sees her advocating with local and central government on behalf of members and fronting key industry issues as the Voice of Hospitality."

Trent Fraser began his career in 1990 and by 2002, had held several senior management roles in a number of hotels across the Asia Pacific region. Mr. Fraser joined Choice Hotels in 2002, heading up the development side of Choice Hotels’ business and a short time later, was overseeing both Development and Franchise Services. In 2012, Mr. Fraser was appointed CEO of Choice Hotels Asia-Pac.

Mr. Fraser has been at the forefront of property growth for Choice Hotels throughout his 15-year tenure and has developed and implemented strategic, growth-focused business plans, leading to substantial increases in group RevPAR and business delivery.

Mr. Fraser led the launch and implementation of the Econo Lodge brand in Australia and New Zealand in 2009, and in 2013 he launched the upscale Ascend Hotel Collection spanning unique/boutique properties across Australia.

Mr. Fraser lives in Melbourne with his wife Michelle and their three daughters. When he’s not in the office or travelling he enjoys playing golf or getting out to cheer on the mighty St Kilda Football Club. He also serves on the national board of AAoA and is a passionate supporter of Choice Hotels Asia-Pac’s charity partner, Kids Under Cover. 

Michael Belanger is the Vice President Commercial Strategy at GCP Hospitality, which manages a growing portfolio of over 40 properties and 7,500+ keys around the world including the Regent Hong Kong, Four Seasons Bora Bora, Together Co-Living Melbourne, and 14 hostels in New Zealand. Under his guidance, the company is developing commercial best practices and processes for Hotels, Hostels, Serviced Apartments and Student Accommodations.

Prior to joining GCP Hospitality, Michael worked over 15 years with InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) in Canada, Dubai, Singapore, and Hong Kong, with his most recent role at the company’s flagship, InterContinental Hong Kong, as Director of Revenue Management.

Michael graduated in Hospitality Management from l’Institut de Tourisme et d’Hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ) in 2002 and Marketing Management at HÉC Montréal in 2004. He is also a member of HSMAI and involved in the Asia-Pacific Revenue Advisory Board and Chief Revenue Officers initiatives.

With over 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Cícero Guimarães has held key leadership positions with a strong track record of successfully developing and executing strategic initiatives to drive business growth and revenue. Currently a Business Development Manager - ANZ at OTA Insight, Cícero works closely with hoteliers and key stakeholders to understand their needs and develop customized solutions that help them optimize their revenue and increase profitability.

As Trip.com Group’s first NZ-based Market Manager, Naomi established the company’s Auckland office in August 2021, initially from her home on Waiheke Island. With a Hospitality & Tourism career spanning over 20 years, Naomi's hotel distribution journey began in London in 2004, where she first collaborated with online travel agencies (OTAs) from the hotel side. In probably one of the industry’s first international remote employment arrangements, Naomi moved to New Zealand in 2006, while continuing her role as eCommerce Executive for the Royal Lancaster Hotel and K West Hotel & Spa in London. 

Various roles since have included Accommodation Management in Northland and Hamilton, Restaurant Marketing, and leading the Careers Team for Hospitality students at NZMA. Drawing on a deep understanding of the OTA landscape, honed during Naomi’s time at Expedia (where she joined as the second-ever Auckland-based Market Manager in 2012), a major focus for the past 18 months has been to increase local awareness of Trip’s global scale. 

As Trip.com Group is China's largest travel provider, recent weeks have seen Naomi immersed in a realm of captivating data and unique insights from the dynamic source market. The avid traveller and self-confessed data nerd enjoys fostering meaningful relationships with Trip’s accommodation partners, leveraging relevant analytics and market trends

Founder and product manager of Yonder HQ.  Leading tourism businesses are using their chatGPT powered AI chatbots and review management to save time and win more direct bookings.

Kelly Dodd is a strategic leader in the tech-travel industry with over a decade of experience in hospitality. Currently serving as an Area Manager at Expedia Group, Kelly coaches a team of consultants in providing results-driven advice to lodging partners in New Zealand. She is passionate about optimizing revenue,

delivering high-impact business solutions, and simplifying complex strategies for her team and partners. With her strong analytical skills and deep understanding of the industry, Kelly is dedicated to improving the lives of others through her work

Brad’s is a highly accomplished professional with over 35 years of experience in the hotel and tourism sector, specializing in the development of Independent brands. With a proven track record of managing 4 to 5-star hotels in Australia and New Zealand, Brad has established himself as a respected industry expert. 

Throughout his career, Brad has gained extensive knowledge and experience in management and operations, making him a valuable resource in revenue management, particularly in the online environment. His strategic decision-making skills and comprehensive understanding of the industry have consistently contributed to optimizing revenue and enhancing operational efficiency.

Recognized for his exceptional leadership and management abilities, Brad thrives in tackling diverse challenges and consistently achieving outstanding results. He has built strong relationships with stakeholders and is committed to providing exceptional service.

Brad's wealth of knowledge and experience in management and operations positions him as a valuable source of guidance for independent owner operators. His expertise in the industry equips him with valuable insights and strategies to support the success of independent operators in the competitive accommodation & tourism sector.

Tony currently serves as the regional director South Asia for Agilysys, a leading global provider of next-generation, cloud-native SaaS and on-premise software solutions and services for the hospitality industry. In this role, he manages revenue development in all verticals across South Asia and Australia/New Zealand. 

Tony is widely known as a results-focused travel professional with extensive strategic development and service delivery experience within the hospitality industry. Prior to joining Agilysys, he led the sales, marketing and business development teams for large wholesale and online travel companies as well as travel software houses, including Tourico Holidays, Orbitz.com, Peakwork and Albatravel/WHL. As head of Asia Pacific, Orbitz Partner Network, Tony was responsible for more than $200 million in sales while managing over 500 clients across the region. 

Tony’s vast experience with API integrations and distribution channels has also been invaluable in the travel distribution space, where he has been able to grow hotel supply and B2B sales across the APAC region. His extensive experience working alongside key travel partners across Asia Pacific and around the world have provided him with the global vision to connect hotel partners with the most effective technology solutions to help them succeed and grow.

I am currently part of CPG hotels as the Group Director of Revenue, leading the Revenue Management team to drive revenue and maximize the profitability for the Group. I have Industry experience of 14 years with Variety of roles from Housekeeping to FO to F&B, Sales, and Revenue, giving me in depth knowledge from business acquisition to operations in hotels. I work closely with the properties, Owners, and distribution partners to implement the optimized revenue and distribution strategies with clear understanding of the impacts on underlining profits. I believe in dynamic and diverse approach of revenue management where all the revenue generating streams (F&B, Valet, Spa, etc.) in hotels come together to deliver the growth centric results.

Gavin has over 35 years experience in hotel management and operations under his belt. He started his career as an accountant for The Peninsula Group, Hong Kong. In 1983, he was made chief executive of Kingsgate International Corporate Limited, a publicly listed company that owned several hotels in Australia and New Zealand.

He worked for a start-up hotel management company Swiss-Belhotel group in 1990, before taking over the ownership of the company in 1999. Apart from his illustrious career in the hospitality industry, he also runs a number of agricultural companies in his native New Zealand. Gavin holds hold a Bachelor Degree in Accounting from Victoria University of Wellington.

Michelle is Head of Travel for Google Australia. She joined Google in 2011 and has 14 years experience in the travel industry in France, Spain and Australia having previously worked for Amadeus. Michelle is passionate about understanding consumer behaviour and how the travel path to purchase has been impacted by digital transformation.

Paul Hammond is the Business Development Manager, Pacific at STR, a global company who collects performance data from accommodation properties all over the world and provides aggregated reports and insights on market performance for accommodation providers and custom groups, which enables them to make better business decisions. Paul has over 20 years of experience in tourism & hospitality, and previously he worked for almost 10 years in the Online Travel (OTA) industry with global companies Orbitz, part of the Expedia Group, and Booking.com, as well as over 2 years in a major sports project with the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation (GOLDOC) organising committee. Paul has also held several management and sales & marketing roles with numerous Hotels and Hotel Chains internationally and in Australia including Palazzo Versace, Hyatt, and Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG).

Kristy Edwards | Director of Revenue Optimisation, BWH Hotel Group Australasia

Kristy is based in Sydney as the current Director of Revenue Optimisation for BWH Hotel Group Australasia, leading the Revenue Management team to optimise distribution channels, drive revenue performance and educate hotel owners in effectively implementing revenue management strategies. She is a highly experienced and respected revenue analysis expert with nearly 20 years of experience in delivering technology-led solutions across the Australasia hospitality sector. As a strong supporter of revenue enhancement, Kristy works closely with each hotel in the BWH portfolio to support them in making smarter revenue and distribution decisions. With a strong commercial awareness and implementation of successful system projects, she plays an integral role in contributing to BWH hotels surpassing their financial targets.

Adrian is founder and CEO of Australasia's leading travel, tourism and hospitality full-service marketing and communications firm, Fastrack Group.

Adrian is a highly experienced and respected travel, tourism and hospitality digital marketing, media and communications expert with over 25 years in the industry. He is also a management consultant and strategist.