Mark joined Mantra Group in September 2006 as Group General Manager, Mantra Resorts, Hotels & Apartments. His current role, Executive Director of Operations, encompasses full operational responsibility across all three brands under the Mantra Group banner across 128 properties.

With over 30 years in the tourism and hospitality industry, Mark has extensive experience in hotel operations management including a thorough understanding of both strata and typical hotel ownership models. Mark’s background includes leadership roles as Group General Manager and Chief Executive Officer in corporate and resort style hotels.

As the Accor Vice President for QLD & NT, Matt has overall responsibility for 32 hotels and resorts with a total of 4,688 rooms and an employee base of over 4,600, therefore have a responsibility to ensure strategies within the region are adequately supported and challenged.

With a diverse career background and 25 years in hospitality, Matt has a broad understanding of our industry including experience across corporate, leisure and remote destinations and therefore am equipped with the knowledge, confidence and experience to assist in our region prospering.   

Critical to his role is the knowledge gained through being a representative on the Accor Australian Executive Committee. This provides Matt with a wider industry insight and the challenges encountered not only within Queensland, however also from an Australian and Asia Pacific perspective.

Laura has a business background in membership organisations in Australia and Britain. Laura has a Master of Business administration from Griffith University and a Bachelor of Arts from University of Southern Queensland and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Laura is the Chair of the Surfers Paradise Alliance; Board member and Chair of the QTIC Associations Council and Deputy President of the Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce.

With 36 years experience in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Nick actively enjoys engaging and contributing to the shaping of our industry, to benefit all stakeholders. 

Having owned and managed Comfort Resort Blue Pacific, with his wife Cath, for the past 18 years and having worked in Airline, Coach, Accommodation and Restaurant businesses has given Nick a very broad industry knowledge. Nick has experience in Company and Industry Boards and currently a Director, Company Secretary and Audit Chair on the Mackay Tourism Ltd Board, a position held on and off for 14 years. Nick is also a State Co-op Leader, representing the Qld Franchisees, with Choice Hotels Asia-Pac.  

I have been an owner-operator for 19 years, developing a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by owner-operators, and how to overcome them, to build thriving businesses in a highly competitive environment.

Prior to buying our first motel business, I was a senior manager in the banking and finance industry.

AAOA Queensland Advisory Board Member 2016-current

Best Western Australasia (BWA) Director 2017-current, and 2008-2016
BWA Vice-President 2015-2016
BWA Audit and Risk Committee Chairman 2014-2016

MFA Asset Management Pty Ltd Director 2017-current
Niche Hotel Products Pty Ltd Director 2017-current
MFA Funds Management Pty Ltd Director 2013-current

Clearmatch Pty Ltd Director 1999-current

With more than 20 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, Warren Cullum possesses a comprehensive background in hotel and restaurant management. Warren has served as a Regional Director of Operations – QLD, VIC and Fiji for Wyndham Hotel Group since 2017. Prior to this, he was the group’s Area Manager for Queensland. Warren oversees more than 19 properties within the portfolio under four brands including boutique hotels, inner city hotels, resorts, MICE resorts, timeshare resorts, mixed-use and franchised hotels. A member of Wyndham’s South East Asia and Pacific Rim senior leadership team, Warren is passionate about customer experience and team engagement.

With a career in the Hospitality and Accommodation industry spanning over 30 years and experience gained in both the domestic and international markets, Craig has been fortunate to work with and learn from some of the industry’s most successful and renowned operators.  

Craig has served as Vice President of the Australian Hotel Association National Accommodation Division on two separate occasions and was a representative to the inaugural National Accommodation Council, before returning full time overseas to a role in the Republic of Maldives managing resort islands. Followed by securing the role as Advisor to the Board of SIMDI Company one of that country’s oldest and largest tourism operators with interests in Resort Islands, Health services, Beverage import and distribution and numerous other related interests.

After returning to Australia and holding various roles, Craig is now General Manager of Alex Perry Hotel and Apartments in Fortitude Valley.