Board of Directors

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, UK and Fiji.  

Previously, David worked in senior corporate and strategic management positions in various locations across Asia, the Middle East and the Pacific where he gained extensive experience in hotel and resort operations.

The Ascott Limited (Ascott) is a Singapore company that has grown to be one of the leading international lodging owner-operators.  Ascott has more than 175,000 operating units and over 70,000 units under development in over 1000 properties.  

The company’s serviced apartment 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!.  

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.

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 property and corporate brand awards for performance and community service

Industry Associations and Boards

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

Martin Ferguson has a long history of public service and work in economic and social policy.

Prior to being elected to Parliament for the seat of Batman in Melbourne in 1996, Martin held senior positions in the union movement.

As General Secretary of the Miscellaneous Workers Union and President of the ACTU he sat on the ACTU National Executive, participating directly in shaping and implementing many of the economic reforms of the Hawke and Keating Governments.

During the Howard Government, Martin served in a range of economic shadow portfolios.

Upon the Rudd Government assuming office in December 2007, Martin was appointed the Minister for Resources and Energy and the Minister for Tourism and acted as the Chair of the Standing Council on Resources and Energy and the Ministerial Council for Tourism.  He held the Resources, Energy and Tourism portfolios until March 2013, when he resigned from the Cabinet.

Since leaving parliament Martin has worked in industry including as an advisor to the Australian Oil and Gas industry association, AEP and SGH Energy.  He also chairs the CO2CRC, is a consultant to the Board of Accommodation Australia, the Australian Hotels Association and the Minerals Council of Australia.

Martin has an honours degree in economics from Sydney University.

Lucas Ramos is Vice President, Operations, Travel & Membership – EMEA & API for Travel + Leisure Co., where he leads operations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Pacific for RCI, the world's largest vacation ownership membership travel ecosystem, and 7Across, one of Australia's leading vacation exchange networks. He is responsible for member services, commercial operations and strategic initiatives, with a focus on operational excellence, digital transformation and sustainable business growth.

With more than 20 years' experience in hospitality, including almost a decade in the vacation ownership industry, Lucas has built a reputation for transforming operations, driving innovation and leading high-performing international teams. He is passionate about leveraging emerging technologies to modernise customer experiences and position the industry for long-term sustainable growth.

Beyond his executive role, Lucas serves as Treasurer of the Asia Pacific Resort Development Organisation (APRDO), supporting the advancement of the vacation ownership industry across the region. He is committed to fostering collaboration between the accommodation and vacation ownership sectors and believes innovation, strong partnerships and customer-centric thinking are key to the future of the industry.

Emma Hynes is Director of Operations – Australasia & Pacific for IHG Hotels & Resorts, responsible for the performance of more than 40 hotels across Australia, including the Luxury & Lifestyle portfolio.

Appointed in 2022, she leads hotel operations with a focus on performance, owner returns and building high-performing teams across a diverse portfolio of brands and markets.

Emma brings more than 20 years’ experience in hospitality and is known for her commercial focus, strategic leadership and ability to deliver results through strong stakeholder partnerships.

She also currently serves as Vice Chair of the National Board of Directors for Accommodation Australia, following four years on the NSW State Advisory Committee, and is an Advisory Board Member (ANZ) for Inspiring Women in Hospitality.

Prior to joining IHG, Emma spent 10 years with TFE Hotels as Regional General Manager, overseeing 30 properties across six brands throughout NSW and ACT. 

Chair of 1834 Hotels Andrew delivers business management experience in the tourism sector specifically hotels, motels & resorts. 1834 Hotels provides a 'white label' management offering which works closely with a number of franchise parties. As a 3rd party management offering, 1834 is uniquely positioned to work closely with owners & stakeholders to maximize their hospitality assets. Through 1834 Andrew has demonstrated track record of maximizing revenue and increasing profit within highly competitive markets. He has been instrumental in acquisitions, growth management, operational goals and personnel relations.

Andrew is a motivated leader with proven ability to manage operations, analyse financial statements and devise key business strategies to stimulate revenue growth.

Andrew also holds a number of industry roles with the broader hospitality and tourism field including Former Chair of the South Australian Tourism Commission, Chair of the Accommodation Association SA, and council member of AHA SA 

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. 

Joanna is a visionary, high calibre, hands on and energetic Hotel General Manager with a career hallmarked by over 33 years of international experience spanning across Australia and Europe. After 14 years in London in a variety of roles including Sales & Marketing and General Manager appointments, Joanna returned to her hometown of Sydney, Australia in 2016.

Currently Joanna is Area General Manager NSW for EVT Hotels & Resorts and the General Manager at Rydges Sydney Airport, Australia’s most booked hotel where she has held this role for the last 9 years.

EVT Entertainment, Ventures, Travel is an ASX Top 200 company with over 9000 employees catering to all segments from luxury to budget, throughout a portfolio of over 85+ owned and managed hotels throughout Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Fiji. Hotel brands include QT Hotels & Resorts, Rydges Hotels & Resorts, Independent Collection, Atura Hotels and LyLo.

Joanna is a member of Accommodation Australia, SKAL Sydney South and SALA.

Her industry recognition has included:

• Winner: 2024 AHA National Awards for Excellence- Employee Excellence in Service Accommodation Division
• Winner: 2024 AA NSW Awards for Excellence - Executive of the Year
• Highly Commended 2003 NSW Accommodation Awards- Hotel Executive of the Year
• Nominee: UK Qantas Australian Business Woman of the Year 2008
• Multiple EVT Hotel Property Awards for performance and service 

Paul Hutton is Area Vice President and Head of Australasia at Hilton. Based in Sydney, he oversees a diverse portfolio of 47 hotels, with 12 hotels in the pipeline across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

As a member of Hilton’s Asia Pacific Executive Committee, Paul plays a pivotal role in advancing the company’s strategic growth ambitions, with a focus on expanding into new markets and introducing Hilton’s world-class brands across luxury, lifestyle and focused service segments.

Paul previously led the Australasia region from 2015 to 2017 before relocating to Singapore as Head of Southeast Asia for Hilton, a role he held for four years. During this time, he oversaw 48 hotels across nine countries, with a robust pipeline of 41 additional properties. 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 hospitality leader with more than four decades of experience at Hilton. His journey began in Switzerland and has taken him across Eastern and Western Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, the UAE, China, Southeast Asia and Australasia.

Born in Switzerland, Paul holds a Diploma in Hotel Administration and Management from the Glion Institute of Higher Education in Switzerland. He is married with three daughters, is an active runner and hiker, and enjoys quality family time as well as planning his next holiday. 

Jason Nuell is Regional Vice President, Australia, New Zealand and Pacific (ANZP) for Marriott International, leading a portfolio of 46 hotels and resorts, with more than 20 properties in the pipeline.

With a tenure of over 20 years at Marriott, Nuell has held senior leadership roles across brand strategy, operations and development. In his previous role as Global Senior Vice President of Premium Brands, he oversaw Marriott Hotels, Sheraton, Westin, Le Méridien, Renaissance, Autograph Collection, Tribute Portfolio, Delta Hotels by Marriott and Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy™.

Across his career, Nuell has worked across 21 hotel brands and led complex initiatives, including the post-Starwood merger revitalisation of Element Hotels and Aloft Hotels. His experience has shaped a focus on guest experience, brand performance, food and beverage excellence, and operational standards.

Nuell played a key role in the development of Moxy and AC Hotels brands, and the global transformation of Sheraton. He has also served as Area Vice President, US Eastern Region, Select Brands, overseeing a significant part of the company’s managed portfolio, sales and profit.

In ANZP, Nuell leads with Marriott’s ‘People First’ culture a key focus across teams, owners and stakeholders. Marriott has ranked among Australia’s top 10 large companies in Great Place To Work for the past three years and is now certified in Fiji and New Zealand also.

Born in Sydney, Nuell began his Marriott career in Queensland in food and beverage and general management before taking on leadership roles in India, China and Europe. 

Barry Robinson serves as President and Managing Director, International Operations, for Travel + Leisure Co., and is a member of the Travel + Leisure Co. global Executive Committee. Robinson oversees markets including Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Indonesia, China, Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, the Middle East and Europe.

Robinson leads the international operations and growth strategy for the largest timeshare operation outside of North America, utilising the Club Wyndham and Accor Vacation Club brands and catering to a collective membership exceeding 100,000 members. The business also operates a number of mixed-use properties in the Asia Pacific region.

Since joining the business in 2003, Robinson has grown the International region to a club asset portfolio in excess of US$1.5 billion with more than 100 hotel and vacation club properties either open or under development. For more than 23 years, Robinson has driven growth for international hospitality brands in Asia, overseeing the acquisitions for Accor Vacation Club in Australia and Resort Frontier (manager of Sundance Resort Club) in Japan for Travel + Leisure Co.

In the Asia Pacific region, he is also President of the Asia Pacific Resort Development Organisation (APRDO), the industry body for vacation ownership in Asia, and Vice President of the Australian Timeshare and Holiday Ownership Council (ATHOC), the industry body for vacation ownership in Australia. For more than 10 years, Robinson has served as a board member of Accommodation Australia, the peak industry body representing tourist accommodation in Australia.

Shelley is a highly respected hospitality executive with more than 30 years' experience across the accommodation, tourism and hospitality sectors in Australia and international markets. Recognised for her ability to deliver exceptional guest experiences, build high-performing teams and drive strong commercial outcomes, she has held a range of senior leadership roles focused on operational excellence, customer experience and business transformation.

Throughout her career, Shelley has successfully led initiatives that enhance business performance, strengthen customer satisfaction and support sustainable growth. Her collaborative leadership style, strategic mindset and commercial acumen have enabled her to deliver results while fostering engaged and capable teams.

A passionate advocate for the accommodation industry, Shelley has served on the Board of the Tasmanian Hospitality Association for more than 11 years and was recently elected Accommodation Division President. In this role, she works closely with industry leaders to help shape strategic priorities, champion the sector and support the ongoing growth of Tasmania’s visitor economy.

Known for her commitment to excellence, Shelley is focused on developing people, strengthening businesses and creating memorable experiences for guests while helping shape the future of the hospitality industry. 

Adrian leads the region's largest and most diverse hotel portfolio, spanning over 420 properties and a team of more than 21,000 across Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Hawaii.

With more than 30 years' experience in hospitality, including 25+ years with Accor, Adrian is known for his hands-on leadership style, deep operational expertise and ability to drive performance. He began his career at Canada's iconic Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, grounding his approach in the fundamentals of service excellence that continue to shape his leadership today.

Adrian has played a pivotal role in shaping Accor's growth across the Pacific, most notably leading the successful integration of Mantra Group into Accor in 2018, bringing more than 140 hotels and 6,500 team members into the network and significantly strengthening Accor's regional position.

His contribution to the tourism industry was formally recognised at the 2025 HM Awards for Hotel and Accommodation Excellence, where Adrian was named HM Magazine Australasian Hotelier of the Year.  The award, voted on by the heads of hotel groups across the region, reflects both his leadership impact and his influence across the hospitality sector.  

Adrian is deeply committed to building high-performing teams and a culture of accountability, innovation and guest-centricity, while strengthening collaboration with owners and partners.

He holds a Bachelor of Business in Catering and Hotel Management and a Master of Marketing from Victoria University and is a graduate of the AICD. Adrian also serves on the boards of the Australian Accommodation Association, Visit Victoria and 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. 

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 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.