Leanne Harwood elected President

Leanne Harwood has been elected President of the Accommodation Association, becoming the first woman to hold the position in the 54-year history of the organisation.
 
Ms Harwood is IHG Hotels & Resorts’ SVP Managing Director for Japan, Australasia and the Pacific. She has more than 25 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, including 16 years working around the world with IHG. She has been part of the Accommodation Association’s National Council for two years, and was a Board Member of Tourism Accommodation Australia for two years prior to that. The historic appointment follows the recent member election.
 
Ms Harwood assumed the position on 20 September 2021.
 
Quotes attributable to Accommodation Association incoming President Leanne Harwood:
“I am proud to be stepping in to the role of President at this time of momentous challenge for the industry and change for the Accommodation Association. We are moving into the key stages of the proposed merger with the Australian Hotels Association/Tourism Accommodation Association and we need to ensure progress continues in the right direction to drive the best outcomes for our members. We also have the ongoing fight for more Government support for our sector to get us through the impact of COVID and we need to make sure that we continue to build the profile of our amazing industry, along with the skills of our people and the workforce needed moving forward.”
 
“I am so very proud to be the first female President of the Association. Diversity, equity and inclusion has been one of the most profound changes in the world of hospitality from when I started out more than 25 years ago. In fact when I started I was told that I wouldn’t make it in operational leadership because I would probably leave to have children. I’ve worked hard to drive change from the inside and have chosen to take on increasingly senior leadership roles. In doing so, I hope I’ve played a role in making it easier for future female leaders.”
 
“On behalf of the Council and our members, I would like to acknowledge the significant contribution of Julian Clark during his time as President. He can and should be extremely proud of his impact in progressing the evolution of our Association and awareness of the importance and needs of Australia’s Accommodation sector.”
 
“The Council and I will be working closely with Interim CEO Richard Munro to ensure the needs of our members continue to be met and awareness of the critical need for support for Australia’s accommodation providers continues to pick up speed.”