New membership and partnership lead at PCOA
Following the retirement of Maxine Tod, the Professional Conference Organisers Association (PCOA) has appointed Kristen Skinner to the new role of membership and partnership lead.
Across more than three decades, Skinner has wide-ranging experience including working across hotels, associations and events. She has worked in sales, marketing and relationship and partnership management.
“Kristen brings a strong relationship‑focused skillset and a clear understanding of member and partner engagement,” said PCOA president, Barry Neame.
GainingEdge appoints new partner
The Melbourne headquartered business events consultancy GainingEdge has appointed Thomas Reiser as partner.
Reiser joins GainingEdge following almost 15 years as executive director of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) and has more than thirty years of leadership experience in association management and business events, including heading up multiple medical associations and working for MCI and association management companies Interel Association Management and Smithbucklin.
“Tom is one of the most respected and accomplished leaders in the international association community,” said GainingEdge CEO, Steen Jakobsen.
“He brings an exceptional combination of strategic vision and operational expertise.
“His experience in building, growing and transforming organisations, combined with his strong global network, will significantly enhance our ability to support clients across the association and business events landscape.”
“Importantly, Tom will strengthen and expand our service portfolio towards international associations, particularly in the area of strategic meetings management, including destination and venue selection. At the same time, he will play a key role in enhancing how we support destinations and venues in better understanding, responding to, targeting and growing their share of the global association meetings market.
“This is a significant opportunity area, and Tom’s expertise positions us strongly to capture it.”
Reiser started with GainingEdge this month and is based in Florida in the United States.
TFE announces several leadership appointments
TFE Hotels has announced four leadership appointments across Australia and New Zealand.
In Australia, Ajay Vaid has been appointed the regional general manager for TFE hotels across Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.
Vaid joins TFE after 25 years with Accor where he was most recently the cluster general manager of The Brighton Hotel Sydney – MGallery Collection, previously known as Novotel Sydney Brighton Beach.
In Adelaide, Nicole Richards has been appointed general manager of Adina Adelaide Treasury and will start in the role next month.
Richards moves over from Mount Lofty House and Estate in the Adelaide Hills, where she has held various increasingly senior roles over the past five years, becoming general manager last October.
In New Zealand, Melissa Gosselin has returned to TFE, as cluster general manager for Adina CityLife Wellington and Travelodge Hotel Wellington.
Gosselin previously spent nearly five years with TFE between 2017 and 2022, managing a hotel in Perth and the Travelodge in Wellington.
Before rejoining TFE, she was general manager at Quest Wellington. She also has extensive hotel experience in the Cook Islands.
Meanwhile in Christchurch, Rick Lee has been selected to lead Adina Heritage Christchurch.
Lee joined TFE from Accor where he was operations manager for Breakfree on Cashel in Christchurch. He has also spent more than eight years working for Marriott International in Asia, spending the majority of his time working in hotels in China.
Multiple appointments at voco Gosford
There are three new local faces on the team at the recently opened voco Gosford.
Rebecca Wheeler is the hotel’s new director of sales and marketing, joining the property from View Sydney, where she was also director of sales and marketing for the North Sydney hotel.
It’s a return to IHG for Wheeler, who previously spent almost five and a half years with the hotel group. She has also worked with brands including Radisson, Rydges Hotels and Resorts and Trippas White Group in sales, marketing and event roles.
Primrose Raffaelli has also joined the voco Gosford team as marketing manager, bringing over 10 years of marketing experience with her, having previously worked for the likes of HotelsCombined, the Australian Red Cross and Pacific Magazines.
And Megan Rowe has become the hotel’s HR manager, bringing local and state government and corporate experience to her new position.
Millennium Hotels appoints Australian sales representative
Pat Monneron has joined Millennium Hotels and Resorts as the brand’s general sales agent (GSA) in Australia.
In his new role, Monneron will work across the business events market, alongside managing entertainment, sport and travel management company business.
He has more than 30 years of experience in the hotel and tourism sector in sales and marketing roles.
“The timing of this role is exciting as market conditions are encouraging for trans-Tasman travel,” said Monneron.
“Geopolitical shifts and a favourable exchange rate are likely to drive increased demand from Australians choosing New Zealand for both leisure and business travel.
“Millennium Hotels and Resorts is exceptionally well-placed to capture that demand, and I’m looking forward to connecting the group with the right corporate partners, TMCs and professional conference organisers to make the most of that opportunity.”
