Boasting over 35 years of experience in hospitality and asset management, David joined Quest as the Chief Operations Officer in July 2019 before being promoted to Managing Director of The Ascott Limited for Australia and New Zealand in February 2021.

David is responsible for overseeing Ascott’s managed operations throughout Australia and New Zealand, in addition to ongoing global leadership of business format franchise brand, Quest Apartment Hotels, which has over 170+ hotels throughout Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.

The Ascott Limited (Ascott) is a Singapore company that has grown to be one of the leading international lodging owner-operators. Ascott's portfolio spans over 200 cities across over 30 countries in Asia Pacific, Central Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the USA.

Ascott has more than 90,000 operating units and over 65,000 units under development, making a total of more than 150,000 units in over 900 properties.

The company’s serviced apartment, coliving and hotel brands include Ascott The Residence, The Crest Collection, Somerset, Quest, Citadines, lyf, Préférence, Vertu, Harris, Citadines Connect, Fox, Yello, Fox Lite and POP!. 

Previously, David worked in senior corporate and strategic management positions in various locations across Asia, the Middle East and the Pacific. He held senior leadership roles with InterContinental Hotels Group and Hyatt International, where he gained extensive experience in hotel and resort operations.

• These roles provided David with a broad range of experiences, and today his expertise spans operational capability and excellence, asset management, wealth creation, strategic alignment, concept development and cultural change.

David graduated from the University of Newcastle, Australia, with an MBA and is certified in Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management from Cornell University and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).

He is currently the Chair for Accommodation Australia and an Advisory Board member for the Tourism and Transport Forum (Australia).

Awards

• Australasian Hotelier of the Year, HM awards - Hotel and Accommodation Excellence 2022
• Datoship awarded by the HRH Sultan of the State of Pahang, Malaysia, 2010
• Multiple Hyatt property awards for performance, service, and industrial accolades

Industry Associations and Boards

• Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) – Victoria
• Accommodation Australia
• Tourism and Transport Forum - Australia

Emma Hynes is Director of Operations – Australasia & Pacific for IHG Hotels & Resorts.

Appointed in 2022, Emma is responsible for the performance of IHG’s 30+ premium and essentials branded hotels across Australasia & Pacific, including the Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo, voco, Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express brands.

Emma has more than 20 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, building a reputation for driving outcomes for key stakeholders as a strategically driven, financially focused, genuine people leader who believes in building authentic relationships to empower, entrust, and encourage leaders and colleagues.

Prior to her role with IHG Emma spent 10 years at TFE Hotels as the Regional General Manager, overseeing 30 properties across 6 brands throughout NSW & ACT.

Prior to being appointed to the National board, Emma has sat on the NSW State Advisory committee for the past 4 years. She has completed education in Strategic thinking, Hotel Real Estate and Asset Management and is a qualified project manager.
 

Bruce Copland is a professional company director and hotelier who has worked in the hotel, hospitality, tourism and related consulting business since 1969.  He has many years of accommodation hotel experience in the international arena spanning the United Kingdom, Europe, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Mexico, and for almost 40 years in Australia.

Bruce first migrated to Australia in 1986 to work for Western Resorts in WA as Group Development Manager. He has since held other senior group management positions with Quality Pacific, Country Comfort, Austotel and was CEO of Toga Hospitality until June 2007.  During his tenure at Toga both Vibe Hotels and Travelodge were coupled to the already successful Medina brand and the first Adina Hotels were opened in Europe.

Bruce continues to serve on boards within the TFE Hotels group as an independent non-executive Director.  Bruce is also a Director of McKenzie Scott & Associates, providing management consulting services to a wide variety of companies across Australia.

Bruce is the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee overseeing all remuneration, accounting and compliance issues for the Association.

After graduating Hotel School in the UK in 1992, Tracy joined Hyatt International where she cut her teeth at London’s Hyatt Carlton Tower Hotel.  Staying within the Hyatt, Tracy transferred to Australia in 1996, spending three years at Park Hyatt Sydney, before moving south to join the pre-opening team at the celebrated Park Hyatt Melbourne.

In 2003 Tracy took on her first General Manager role for Aman Resorts running Amankila - nestled on the east coast of Bali, Indonesia. One of the world’s premier luxury independent resorts, here Atherton directed a world-class accommodation, wellness, dining, and events program. Under Tracy’s management, Amankila received a host of accolades, including being named #2 hotel in the world by Condé Nast Traveller in 2005.  This is also where Tracy found her mentor – Adrian Zecha and fell in love with the independent hotel model.

After nine years with Aman Resorts, Tracy returned to Australia in 2013 to manage the opening of Canberra’s Hotel Hotel.  Within the opening year the property was named “Australia’s best boutique hotel” by Gourmet Traveller in 2014 and again in 2015.

In 2016, Tracy joined Jackalope Hotels as Group General Manager, overseeing the opening of Jackalope’s debut property on the Mornington Peninsula.

Within 6 months of opening Jackalope won the following awards from Gourmet Traveller:
Best Hotel in Australia
Best Regional Australia
Best New Hotel

In addition and unique to Australian hotels both restaurants under her control received chefs hats year after year.

After 8 years with Jackalope Hotels Tracy has taken on a new role as Executive General Manager of a new hospitality development called Melbourne Place which is scheduled to open in Autumn 2024.

As a unique board member Tracy is proud to represent the independent hotel model.

Andrew Cairns is the Executive General Manager – Crown Hotels Perth and has been in this role since June 2015. He made the transition to Perth from Melbourne, where he held the role of General Manager – Crown Towers Melbourne for the prior seven years.

As part of the Executive team for Crown Perth, he has responsibility for the operational and strategic planning of the Crown Perth Hotels portfolio, comprising Crown Towers Perth, Crown Metropol Perth and Crown Promenade, as well as collaborating across the Crown Resorts national hospitality structure.

Andrew has over twenty-five years’ experience, both domestically and internationally, with a lifelong passion for the tourism and hospitality industry.

Throughout his career, he has gained an extensive knowledge of operational, personnel and marketing strategies to ensure the success and effectiveness of various business entities. In his executive capacity, he has worked collaboratively to develop company brand values to enhance the guest and employee experience and drive positive business returns.

Andrew holds the board position of Accommodation Division President for the AHA WA, as well as Board Director for Business Events Perth.

The Lancemore Group is one of Australia’s preeminent Boutique and White Label Management Groups.  They operate seven iconic boutique hotels and three white label management hotels, with a few more in the pipeline.  Never a group to be boxed, the Lancemore Group also run a James Halliday 5* winery (Lindenderry Wines) and a facilities management division.

Lancemore properties regularly feature in best-of-the-best hotel lists.  Indeed, Lancemore is one of the most awarded hotel companies in Australia being represented strongly in Conde Nast Traveler Readers Awards, HM Awards, Gourmet Traveller Hotel Guide, Luxury Travel Gold List and Tripadvisor Top 25 hotels in Australia to name a few.  With a core strength in Food & Beverage, many of the Lancemore Group’s restaurants are critically acclaimed and are mainstay’s in the Australian Good Food Guide, whilst Lindenderry Wines is a multi-award winning winery and cellar door.

Julian has been CEO of Lancemore since 2008, when the group had just 3 hotels and none of the above awards.  In addition to his CEO role Julian is a current board member and past President of the Accommodation Association of Australia, Australia’s peak hotel industry body.  Julian has also been on the board of several State and National associations as has been a past board member of Melbourne Convention Bureau, Victorian Tourism Industry Council and the International Association of Conference Centres.  Julian was proud to be named Australasian Hotelier of the Year in the 2021 HM Awards.  Prior to his career at Lancemore, Julian held Strategy management roles at Westpac, Royal & Sun Alliance and Betfair.com.  Julian holds a BA/BComm from Melbourne University and Georgetown University.

Paul Hutton is Asia Pacific Area Vice President and Head of Australasia at Hilton. Based in Sydney, he oversees a diverse portfolio of 29 hotels with 16 hotels in the pipeline across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

As part of Hilton’s Asia Pacific Executive Committee, Paul leads Hilton’s expansion plans that focus on strategic and organic growth to place the right brands in the right locations with the right partners.

This marks a return to the Australasia region for Paul which he led from 2015 to 2017, before relocating to Singapore to take on the role of Head of Southeast Asia for Hilton, which he held for four years. During this time Paul oversaw 48 hotels across nine markets, with 41 hotels in the pipeline. He launched Hilton’s luxury Waldorf Astoria brand with its first hotel in Thailand and brought the focused service Hilton Garden Inn brand into Malaysia.

Paul is a seasoned industry veteran and has a long and illustrious history with Hilton. His 40-year career with the company started in Switzerland and since then he has worked across Eastern and Western Europe, Middle East, North Africa, UAE, China, South East Asia, and Australasia.

Born in Switzerland, Paul holds a Dip. Hotel Administration & Management from The GLION Institute & Hotel School, Switzerland. He is married with three daughters, is an active runner and hiker and enjoys quality family time as well as planning for the next holiday.

Jason Nuell is the Area Vice President, Australia, New Zealand and Pacific for Marriott International. He leads the area’s porftfolio of 46 hotels and resorts, with more than 20 properties in the pipeline.

Prior to this role, Nuell was the Global Senior Vice President of Premium Brands at Marriott International where he lead Marriott Hotels, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, Delta Hotels by Marriott, Renaissance Hotels, Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts, Westin Hotels & Resorts, Autograph Collection Hotels, Tribute Portfolio and Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy™. There Jason was instrumental in the development of new brands such as Moxy and AC Hotels, we well as the global transformation of the Sheraton brand.

With an impressive career in Marriott International spanning over more than 20 years, Nuell also served as Area Vice President, US Eastern Region, Select Brands for the managed portfolio, which represents a significant portion of the company’s sales and profit.

Throughout his career, Jason has worked across 21 hotel brands and spearheaded a wide variety of complex, brand and organization-wide initiatives and strategies, including the post-Starwood merger revitalization of Element Hotels and Aloft Hotels. Through this experience, Jason has developed a deep passion for developing a wide range of guest experiences.

A natural leader, Jason has played a key role in developing new operating standards, ensuring food and beverage excellence, and strengthening overall brand performance. Additionally, during his tenure at Marriott International, Jason also held the role of Vice President of Brand Operations, Design & Development, Distinctive Brands across the premium and select segment.

Born in Sydney, Australia Nuell started out in Marriott International’s Queensland properties in Food and Beverage roles and GM roles before moving around the globe taking up leadership positions in India, China, and Europe, with a decade long tenure at Marriott headquarters in Bethesda. After many years abroad, Nuell now resides back in his home country of Australia with his wife and children.

Nuell will lead Marriott International in ANZP in delivering the company’s ‘People First’ culture across their teams, the owner community, and stakeholders. “We want our people to be inspired by what’s possible and discover their own future, and there’s no better example of this than my own personal journey with Marriott” says Jason Nuell.  “My career with Marriott over 20 years has seen me grow my skills and venture into new disciplines. I’ve moved around the world, learning and carving out a career path that has now led me back home to Australia”, says Jason Nuell.

Barry Robinson is the President and Managing Director, International Operations for Wyndham Destinations, a division of Travel + Leisure Co. In his role, he oversees the largest timeshare development operation outside of North America. Based in Singapore, Barry leads the company’s operations across Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Indonesia, China, Japan, Thailand, and the Philippines.

Barry is a driving force behind the international growth of Club Wyndham South Pacific and Club Wyndham Asia. His leadership was instrumental in the acquisition of Resort Frontier Co. Ltd, which has 16 properties in Japan. Under his stewardship, the asset portfolio of Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific has exceeded AU$1 billion, with approximately 70 hotel and vacation club properties and some 3,000 employees. Additionally, Wyndham Destinations Asia Pacific serves as a preferred hotel management partner for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts in the Asia Pacific region.

He is President of the Asia Pacific Resort Development Organisation (APRDO), where he advocates for the timeshare industry in the region. He also serves as Vice President of the Australian Timeshare and Holiday Ownership Council (ATHOC).

Barry was recognised as Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2022 GNEX Vacation Industry Awards and Asia Pacific Hotelier of the Year award at the 2022 HM Awards.

Wayne Taranto was appointed as Chief Operating Officer for Ovolo Group in Australia in early 2023 and has been with the company for three years. Based in Sydney, Wayne is responsible for all Operations for the Australia Hotels. With over 30 years’ experience as a respected leader in the vibrant Australian hospitality industry.

Wayne’s areas of expertise are in the inception and execution of luxury brand operations and innovative culinary & beverage conceptual development and delivery, extremely valuable as Ovolo expands in Australia. With proven success in the strategic roll out of past brands, his ability to foster a thriving team environment with a focus on pride, consistency and attention to detail is welcome, cementing the growth and success of this award-winning collection.

“With a diverse portfolio of venues, restaurants, bars, hotels, and entertainment precincts in multiple countries, I’m excited to bring my unique approach to guest experiences and  service to Ovolo. The group shows no sign of slowing down and I’m confident that my passion for exemplary presentation, service and consistency, will keep us on the front foot,” say Wayne. “Ovolo have been acknowledged in the industry as leaders, most recently receiving the accolade Hotel Brand of the Year at the 2022 HM Awards. I’m thrilled to be leading the Australian operations during the next phase of our growth strategy.’’ 

With an extensive background in hospitality, Wayne honed his skills at Event Hospitality & Entertainment operating Rydges Hotels & Resorts’ Australian east coast properties. He furthered his hotel expertise as Food & Beverage Director and Brand Operations Manager for Pullman with Accor Hotels, whilst managing hotels in the Sydney Olympic Park precinct, Circular Quay and Sydney’s first five-star hotel, The Sofitel Wentworth. Wayne then joined Crown Group to lead the hotel division, where he established SKYE Hotel
& Suites. Prior to joining Ovolo Group, Wayne was CEO of d’Albora managing seven Marinas on the east coast of Australia with extensive retail and food & beverage operations.

“To have a Rockstar like Wayne lead Ovolo in Australia during a period of expansion and change will help lift what is already an award-winning hotel group to the next level,” said Dave Baswal, CEO Ovolo Group Australia. “Alongside our current team Wayne will bring a new dimension and assist in ensuring Ovolo continues to deliver pride in doing things the right way and connecting with our guest emotionally through design, art, music and exceptional yet personal service.”

Starting his hotel career in Canada at the iconic Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, Adrian has 30 years’ experience in hotel operations including 25 years with Accor.

Adrian has held various Senior Leadership positions within Accor. In 2018, he led the integration of Accor’s acquisition of the Mantra Group, bringing more than 140 hotels and 6,500 team members to the group.

As Chief Operating Officer - Pacific, he now head’s Accor’s operations across the Pacific region with almost 400 hotels and ancillary businesses with 21,000 team members in Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Hawaii.

Adrian holds a B.Bus in Catering and Hotel Management and a Masters of Marketing from VU. He is a Board Member of the Australian Accommodation Association, and a long standing board member of the Melbourne Convention Bureau.
 

Geoff is a career hotelier.  In mid-2017 he was a founding member of Crystalbrook Collection Hotels & Resorts, a multi award-winning hotel development and management company, with Australia's newest portfolio of distinctive upscale & sustainability focussed hotels.  Geoff was initially engaged as Group Director-Hotels before being appointed Chief Executive Officer in early 2019.

Originally from Melbourne, where he completed a Degree in Bachelor of Business majoring in Catering & Hotel Management, Geoff plays a key role driving the development of the Crystalbrook Collection.  There are now seven Crystalbrook hotels to date, close to 900 team members and a billion dollars of assets.  He is also responsible for future acquisitions, (a second Sydney hotel was announced in December 2022), the strategic growth plan and direction of the Group, as well as elevating Crystalbrook’s dedication to sustainability, under the ethos of Responsible Luxury.

Prior to Crystalbrook Collection, Geoff held key leadership positions in General Manager, Regional and corporate roles throughout Asia Pacific, originally with the Southern Pacific group and then Accor, Hilton International and Event Hospitality & Entertainment.  In 2012 he was recognised at the HM Awards for Excellence as General Manager of the Year Australia.

During his 38 year career he has held various hospitality related board positions and continues to be an advocate for the industry in its post COVID recovery.

A dynamic and strategic leader with experience as an Executive and Non-Executive Director. A skilled communicator with a background in media, communications, government relations, public policy and corporate affairs. A history of working in the transport, infrastructure, tourism, travel, aviation, automotive and education sectors.

James joined Accommodation Australia as their new CEO in September 2024 and looks forward to nurturing and building on the strong relationships already created with key stakeholders, both in government and accommodation industry leaders. 

Prior to his role with the AA, Mr Goodwin was the CEO of the Australian Airports Association (AAA) for more than four years and before that was Chief Executive of Australia’s leading vehicle safety advocate, the ANCAP Safety from 2015 to 2020.  James has held senior government relations, communications and stakeholder relations roles at industry associations and government agencies following a career as a journalist, including in the Federal Parliamentary Press Gallery.

He has served on a number of Boards and is currently Chair of St John Ambulance ACT and a Board Director with the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) Solutions.