Meet the new general manager for the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Port Douglas
It’s a return to Australia for the new general manager of the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, Port Douglas.
Catherine Townsend moves to helm the sprawling resort in Port Douglas from Penang in Malaysia where she was led the pre-opening of The Mullen Penang, a property within Marriott International’s Autograph Collection.
Other previous experience includes a regional GM role with caterer The Fresh Collective and more than 16 years working overseas as an executive chef, F&B leader and a hotel general manager, including in the Maldives, Vietnam, Bali and Malaysia.
Earlier roles were in Australia, including training as a chef at the Sydney Opera House.
Alongside its 295 rooms, the Sheraton Grand Mirage Port Douglas offers a variety of event spaces, for up to 1,000 cocktail or 850 in theatre.
Pre-opening general manager appointed for QT Parramatta
Gabriel Polias has been appointed as general manager of QT Parramatta set to open later this year.
Polias joins the property in Western Sydney from the Vibe hotel in Darling Harbour, where he was also general manager. He has held previous leadership positions in both Australia and China, including at the Ovolo in Woolloomooloo and Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour.
QT Parramatta is slated to open in 2026 with 265 rooms and a ballroom with capacity for 300, alongside several other dedicated meeting spaces.
MCB appoints new director of marketing and communications
Dylan Reed has joined Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) as its head of marketing and communications.
Reed brings over 20 years of experience in marketing, communications and events to his new role, having previously worked for the City of Melbourne and Visit Victoria, as well as spending more than a decade with communications and activations agency Kreate Australia, including more than seven as CEO. He also co-owned the agency.
Earlier in his career, he spent several years working in London in marketing, communications and events roles.
Trilogy Hotels makes two senior appointments
Independent hotel management company Trilogy Hotels has appointed Benjamin Nesbitt as director of operations and Michael Tscherne as director of market intelligence and performance.
Nesbitt will join Trilogy Hotels on July 1 from Accor, where he has spent the last four and a half years, most recently as precinct general manager for the group at Sydney Olympic Park.
Over the last 20 years, Nesbitt has held a variety of roles across the hotel landscape, working for InterContinental Hotels Group, Stamford Hotels and Resorts, Frasers Hospitality, SKY Hotels and Suites and Meriton Suites.
Meanwhile, Tscherne joined Trilogy Hotels this week. Previous experience includes 20 years with Accor and three with Minor Hotels.
New area general manager for Rydges Hotels and Resorts
Grant Melville has been appointed area general manager for Rydges across its Sydney portfolio and general manager of Rydges World Square.
With 30 years of hotel experience, Melville is a long-time staffer for EVT, which operates the Rydges brand, having been with the company, mostly within the Rydges portfolio, since 2009. His most recent previous role was as general manager of Rydges Sydney Central.
