New Senior Management Appointments For Accor In New Zealand

Garth Simmons

　　Accor, the largest hotel group in the Asia Pacific, has announced a number of new executive appointments in New Zealand and the South Pacific following the rapid expansion of the Group in the region.

　　Accor has promoted Simon McGrath from Vice President of Australian operations to the Chief Operating Officer of the Pacific, adding New Zealand and Fiji to his responsibilities.

　　Experienced hotelier, Garth Simmons has been appointed to the role of Vice President for Accor New Zealand. With more than five years experience working at Accor, Garth has held several senior positions including General Manager for a number of Australian properties and for the past four years as Regional General Manager for NSW and ACT hotel operations.

　　Garth will manage a network 36 hotels in New Zealand and four in Fiji.

　　His appointment follows the announcement that former Vice President, New Zealand and Fiji, Paul Richardson, had been appointed as Chief Operating Officer, Greater China. Paul will be based in Shanghai where he will take responsibility for Accor’s network of over 120 hotels across China, with a further 60 hotels scheduled to open over the next three years.

　　The new executive appointments come at a time of record growth for Accor in Australia and New Zealand following the addition of 43 Mirvac hotels to the Group’s portfolio.

　　Accor’s President and Chief Operating Officer for Asia-Pacific, Michael Issenberg, said that with so many inter-connections across the Pacific region, it made sense to consolidate the region under one management structure, while installing a highly experienced manager to oversee day to day operations in New Zealand and Fiji.

　　“The Pacific has been a dynamic region for Accor in recent years, with the group becoming the largest hotel network in New Zealand, complementing our leadership position in Australia,” said Mr Issenberg.

　　“Paul played a key role in helping Accor double its New Zealand hotel network in just three years. We believe that his professionalism, enthusiasm and commitment will help build on the considerable advances we have already made in China,” he said.