Mark joined Mantra Group in September 2006 as Group General Manager, Mantra Resorts, Hotels & Apartments. Up until most recently (Jan 2021) his role was Senior Vice President Operations, encompassed full operational responsibility across all four brands under the Accor Hotels Apartments & Leases banner across 140 properties and was a member on the groups’ Pacific Executive Committee. This includes the Art Series,Peppers ,Mantra & BreakFree resort & Hotel portfolios.

Since the acquisition of Mantra Group by Accor Hospitality in May 2018, Mark continued his senior leadership role reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, Accor Pacific up until January 2021 where he has left to establish his own advisory and consulting business (Principal -Hodge & Co ,Tourism & Hospitality management).

With over 30 years in the tourism and hospitality industry, Mark has applied superior leadership and management skills to drive operations ,accelerates growth and boosts profits within the hospitality and tourism sector .He has extensive experience in hotel operations management including a thorough understanding of both strata and typical hotel ownership models. Mark’s background includes leadership roles at the highest levels that include Chief Executive Officer ,Senior Vice President and Group General Manager across singular and multiple corporate and resort style hotels. He is commercially astute with a strategic approach and recognised as a business driver and a trusted board and C-Suite asset .He excels at transforming and shaping operations to deliver agreed business objectives, confidently lead commercially restructures and acquisitions and consistently deliver improvements in employee sentiment, margins and profit.

As one of two Directors of Revenue for TFE Hotels, Amanda is responsible for maximising top line revenues, optimising hotel performance and building knowledge across 35 hotels (Adina Apartment Hotels, Vibe Hotels, Quincy Hotels, Rendezvous, Collection by TFE Hotels and Travelodge Hotels brands) in 14 different markets.   Backed by more than 15 years of experience in the field, along with substantial operational knowledge, Amanda and her team continually strive to generate above market results across the portfolio. 

Amanda’s career in revenue management started in 2007 at Hilton Brisbane. A passionate all-rounder, Amanda has also worked across banquets, conference sales, front office and reservations which has given her a deep understanding of operations, the various hotel and resort revenue streams and solid cost control.  Despite a deep passion for the industry, Amanda believes that the only thing better than revenue management is farming, and she aspires to own and operate her own winery.

Zac is a passionate hotelier with more than 20 years’ experience in the hospitality industry. He has a deep passion for Hotel Operations with a background in improving operational efficiency and is a team player who effectively motivates personnel to provide superior customer service.

Zac joined IHG Hotels and Resorts in 2019 as General Manager of voco Gold Coast. Prior to this, he has held General Manager Positions with Shangri La Hotels & Resorts, Accor & Mirvac Hotels & Resorts.

Carole is the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Classic Leisure Pty Ltd trading as Classic Holidays. Responsible for managing the day to day operations of Resort Management and Member Services which represents some 50,000 members. This includes financial management and administration, supervision of management of the 28 Resorts, Body Corporates and Clubs in Australia and New Zealand, management of service/other agreements in non Classic Group managed properties and management of strategic alliances with other tourism and leisure organisations.

She is also the recipient of the following industry recognitions:

• Life Membership HMAA – Queensland
• ATHOC recognition award - 2007
• ATHOC Hall of Fame 2010
• HMAA A.C.E.S Award – 2011

John 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 and commercial strategy in these key markets where it currently operates over 60 properties as well as driving key executive projects.

John is a dyed-in-the-wool commercial hotelier having has 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.

Scott has an extensive background of over 20 year’s multi brand, International hospitality experience.

As an inaugural scholarship recipient which started his early career in Europe, he has both breadth and depth of experience in the full service sector with the major brands Hyatt, IHG and Hilton. His extensive background includes hotel Finance, Operations and Business Development, through the Pacific, Middle East, and for most of his career Asia, before returning to Australia. These have encompassed preopening, open site refurbishment, and conversion rebranding in corporate and leisure properties in both city and resort destinations.

Scott also sits on the Australian Tourism Export Council (ATEC) North Queensland committee.

Liz Collinson is Senior Vice President Legal and Compliance for Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific, a business division of Travel + Leisure Co (NYSE: TNL) – the world’s leading membership and leisure travel company, with a portfolio of nearly 20 resort, travel club, and lifestyle travel brands. Liz joined the company in June 2017 and leads a legal and compliance team based in Australia, Singapore and China.

Liz has over 30 years’ experience as a hospitality lawyer and is responsible for ensuring compliance with regulatory obligations, mergers and acquisitions, dispute resolution and employment and industrial relations matters across all Asia Pacific jurisdictions. Liz joined Wyndham after almost three years as principal of her own firm.  Prior to that she spent 12 years living in Singapore, with more than 10 years as Senior Vice President Legal and General Counsel of InterContinental Hotels Group Asia Pacific. 

Liz is admitted to practice as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria and has been accredited as a specialist in Property Law.  She is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and an alternate director on the board of the Asia Pacific Resort Development Organisation (APRDO). She is also an executive member of the Travel + Leisure Co. Diversity Review Group, Women in Travel.