SPEAKERS
Chief Executive Officer
RMS Cloud
Adam Seskis
Adam is a strategic, results-driven executive with a distinguished career leading global technology-enabled services organizations across the B2B sector. With deep operational expertise, strong financial acumen, and full P&L responsibility, he has built a reputation for driving meaningful transformation and sustainable growth at scale.
Over the course of his career, Adam has led strategy and transformation programs for global organizations with revenues exceeding $1 billion, while also steering M&A activity and performance improvement initiatives for private equity sponsors. His ability to align organizational vision with measurable outcomes has made him a trusted leader across complex, multi-region environments — managing large international teams spanning diverse cultures, markets, and time zones.
Recognized by peers, employees, and clients alike, Adam is known for his domain expertise and unwavering commitment to delivering genuine value – both to the clients his organizations serve and to the shareholders who invest in them. He leads with a clear focus on fairness, efficiency, and productivity, and brings a steady hand to change management in even the most dynamic business environments.
After 14 years living and working in New York, Adam now splits his time between Melbourne, Australia and New York, bringing a truly global perspective to everything he does.
Industry Veteran & Owner
Tinwald Farm
Adrian Currie
Adrian held numerous senior leadership roles at Booking Holdings for almost 20 years. This included CFO and MD APAC roles at Booking.com, Chair at Agoda and RocketMiles, and SVP Group Strategy. In 2021, he “retired” to dedicate most of his time to Tinwald Farm in New Zealand with his wife, Amanda, and shape its journey to regenerative farming and EOV accreditation from the Savory Institute in the US. In addition, he continues to advise and invest in a few travel and hospitality businesses in NZ and overseas. Prior to BKNG, Adrian spent 12 years with EY Corporate Finance. He has an MBA from London Business School.
Chief Executive Officer
& Managing Director
Mint Payments
Alex Teoh
Owner
Tinwald Farm
Amanda Currie
Amanda Currie is a farmer and food producer based in Central Otago, New Zealand. She and her team steward Tinwald Farm, a regenerative farming and vineyard property where food, landscape, and care for the land are inseparable.
A central focus of Amanda’s work is the restoration of soil health through rebuilding microbial communities—the unseen life that underpins resilient landscapes, nutritious food, and distinctive flavour. Through on-farm composting, microbial inoculants, and biological monitoring, she works to return balance and vitality to the land.
With a background in economics and public policy, Amanda brings a systems perspective to tourism, exploring how authenticity, provenance, and care for place create meaningful visitor experiences that endure beyond the journey.
Co-founder
SocialSeal
Angelica Handover
Angelica is the co-founder of SocialSeal, a startup that helps travel brands see what travelers are searching for and resonating with on video platforms across different countries and languages.
A growth marketer and data geek for over 10 years, Angelica has lived through the rise of apps at M&C Saatchi Performance, hopped on the Klook rocket ship to scale it into today’s unicorn, and grew Google’s consumer cloud storage through partner marketing.
Chef, Author, TV Personality, Consultant
Audra Morrice
Audra Morrice is a celebrated chef, author, TV personality, MasterChef Singapore and Asia Judge, MasterChef Australia finalist and a culinary ambassador. Of Chinese-Indian-Singaporean heritage, she is renowned for showcasing culture through food. Audra has headlined numerous international dining events, hosted culinary shows including Tasty Conversations and was the Creator, Executive Producer and Host of Eat Roam Relish: Sarawak Malaysia, a gastronomy series on SBS Food (Australia), Asian Food Network (Asia) Canal+ and Ananey (Eastern Europe/ Middle East), and Corus (Canada) created for Sarawak Tourism Board. She is passionate about the preservation of cultural cuisine and an advocate for Sustainable Gastronomic Tourism. An ASEAN-Australia Centre advisory board member, she engages extensively in international cultural diplomacy and mentors young chefs and entrepreneurs. She is currently the International Culinary Ambassador for Avocados Australia, cementing her strong advocacy of Australian produce and supports local Australian artisanal producers in their endeavours to expand internationally. Her cookbooks My Kitchen, Your Table and Cook & Feast reflect her philosophy of connection through food.
Co-founder & Chief Revenue Officer
Fabulate
Ben Gunn
As Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Fabulate, Ben is part of the founding team behind a company built to power the creator-led economy. Fabulate partners with leading platforms, agencies, and brands to deliver campaigns that connect audiences through authentic, creator-driven storytelling.
With more than 20 years of experience in digital media and commercial leadership, Ben has held senior roles across Australia’s largest publishers, including Nine Entertainment Co. and Fairfax Media, where he led national trading, partnerships, and sales transformation. His background in both media and technology gives him a unique perspective on how content, distribution, and commercial models continue to evolve.
At Fabulate, Ben leads global revenue, partnerships, and commercial strategy. He works with media owners, platforms, and brands to help them transition from traditional publisher-centric approaches to scalable creator-led ecosystems.
Driven by a passion for innovation and a deep understanding of the shifts reshaping the industry, Ben is an advocate for new-world media thinking where creators act as the creative agency, the media owner, and the distribution channel all at once.
Chief People & Corporate
Affairs Officer
Skyline Enterprises
Brooke Campbell
Brooke Campbell is the Chief People & Corporate Affairs Officer at Skyline Enterprises, responsible for people, corporate affairs and sustainability. With a background spanning manufacturing, software consultancy and the entertainment sector, Brooke brings a broad, commercially grounded perspective to leadership and organisational strategy.
Chief Executive Officer
OneReg
Clint Cardozo
Chief Executive Officer
Tourplan
Craig Gray
Currently serving as CEO, Craig brings over three decades of expertise in the travel and tourism technology industry, supported by a commerce degree. Since joining Tourplan in 1991, Craig’s in-depth understanding of Tourplan solutions and travel technology has been instrumental in driving our growth.
In his capacity as CEO and a board member, Craig steers Tourplan’s global strategy, emphasising the cultivation of vital client relationships, team ethos and collaboration, and a commitment to pioneering technological advancements within the tourism sector.
Chief Information Officer
AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand
Dan Waugh
How amazing it is to live at a time when so much change is happening, and to be part of that change, working with incredible humans to reshape our future.
I’ve worked in technology for 20 years, but it excites me now more than ever. As CIO for AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand, I’m extremely fortunate to help people conquer their fears and do things they never thought they could. For such a physical and visceral experience, I love the challenge of integrating technology to enhance our customers’ experiences and free our crew up to be creative, deliver, and succeed.
More recently, I’ve been leading a startup, EpicShot, a tourism content capture and distribution platform, partnering with operators to showcase their incredible experiences.
I’m still learning every day, but I’m excited about the road ahead and how tourism and New Zealand are positioned to succeed.
Deputy General Counsel
Airbnb
Darrell Chan
‘Lawyering for a 21st century company looks very different from what we were taught in law school. It requires lawyers being entrenched in the business, standing shoulder to shoulder with the teams, and having a deep understanding of the issues that challenge the company – I call this guerrilla lawyering’. So says deputy general counsel and Asia Pacific legal team lead of Airbnb Darrell Chan, who himself is a prime example of the sort of modern in-house lawyer he is describing. Indeed, after serving as a private practice lawyer at the start of his career with Drew & Napier and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, he took what he called ‘a road less travelled’ by taking on a purely commercial role with fashion retail group F J Benjamin before becoming the general counsel of the company – he thrived in this role for a number of years, eventually leaving in 2012. A senior legal role with BASF was then followed by head of legal positions with Expedia and Discovery Communications before moving on to Airbnb in 2018; clearly Chan has had an extremely varied career with in terms of the roles he has taken on and the sectors in which his companies have operated. Now well established at Airbnb, Chan has been at the centre of some blockbuster transactions, of which he provides some more detail: ‘Airbnb has been closely working with the Japanese government over the past 3 years to implement the new law around short-term rentals, which came into effect in June 2018. The Japanese government has formally introduced this new form of short term rental accommodation to support its growth in tourist arrivals ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics’. He has also been at the forefront of a number of initiatives within the team, including a focus on career and leadership development, work-life balance and enhancing the speed and clarity of advice given. This fits in with his overall philosophy of in-house legal work. ‘Contrary to the flowery legalese taught in law school’, he explains, ‘communication has to be crisp, clear and concise with almost military precision’.
Senior Director, APAC
Expedia Group
Darren Karshagen
As Expedia Group’s Senior Director, Hotel Market Partnerships for APAC, Darren leads a team across the region which help Partners reach their business goals and be successful on Expedia Group’s vast marketplace.
Since joining Expedia Group in 2011, Darren has held various roles in Africa and Oceania, developing extensive experience across emerging and established markets within online distribution and travel categories.
Prior to Expedia Group, he worked in the hospitality industry and, together with his wife, owned and managed a boutique hotel and wedding venue. Darren and his family love travelling and exploring new destinations, with a large passion for wildlife safaris.
Chief Executive Officer & Co-founder
Serko
Darrin Grafton
Chief Executive Officer
RealNZ
Dave Beeche
Dave Beeche is the Chief Executive Officer of RealNZ, one of New Zealand’s leading experiential tourism and conservation companies. Appointed in 2023, Dave brings extensive leadership experience across both global sporting events and multi-site tourism operations.
Prior to joining RealNZ, Dave served as CEO of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Aotearoa New Zealand, delivering one of the largest sporting events in the world. He has also held senior leadership roles across the tourism and events sectors and was one of the founders of the Queenstown Marathon.
At RealNZ, Dave leads a diverse portfolio of iconic South Island experiences, including Milford and Doubtful Sound cruises, the TSS Earnslaw, Cardrona and Treble Cone ski areas, and Rakiura/Stewart Island operations. A purpose-driven leader with a strong commitment to conservation, Dave is passionate about connecting people with nature and building sustainable, future-focused businesses.
A keen outdoorsman with deep roots in the South Island, Dave is dedicated to helping shape a resilient, innovative tourism industry that supports both communities and the environment.
General Manager Asia Pacific
Veovo
David Tse
Veovo is a product and technology company that specialises in airport operations and customer experiences.
Veovo’s vision is that airports just work smoothly – no queues, delays, or bottlenecks, and where the passenger experience is one of delight and enjoyment, not boredom or frustration.
Currently, Veovo enables over 140 of the world’s best airports to join up data, predictions, and decisions to optimise the airport in an integrated way, across landside & airside, across time horizons, across airport functions and across airport partners. Veovo helps airports map a pathway to Total Airport Management – where airport staff and their partners can understand the impact of every decision on the wider airport, and enable them to take a cohesive, holistic, data-driven approach to their operations.
David has been the General Manager Asia Pacific for Veovo since 2023, driving the company’s APAC strategy to advance airports towards Total Airport Management, efficient operations, and brilliant passenger experiences. David comes from a career in innovation, digital technology, and commerce, at senior leadership and Board governance levels, and is a strong advocate for the transformative power of data-driven decision-making in the aviation sector.
In his spare time, he can be found looking for outdoor or travel adventures with his family, is a passionate cyclist, golfer, and hiker, and loves to listen to music and dabble in the kitchen.
Co-owner & Managing Director
Kiwi Water Park
Emily Rutherford
Managing Director
IBIS Technology
Erik Bradshaw
Erik Bradshaw founded IBIS Technology in 1998, long before online bookings and specialised digital platforms became standard in the tourism industry. Guided by his vision for a simpler, more connected future, IBIS has grown to become New Zealand’s leading provider of tourism reservation systems, now expanding rapidly across Australia.
Erik’s leadership is grounded in honesty, integrity, and a relentless drive to simplify complex operational challenges. Under his direction, IBIS has evolved into a comprehensive platform supporting an exceptionally diverse range of tourism experiences—from high‑adrenaline adventures such as bungy jumping, skydiving, and jet boating, to Milford Sound cruises, eco‑ziplining, kayaking, water transport services, and wellness operations including thermal pools and spas.
Today, IBIS continues to innovate, consistently delivering new features and capabilities that anticipate the needs of both modern tourism operators and the industry’s future.
Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer
Slice
Farouk Ismail
Sector Lead, Travel &
Vertical Search APAC
Google
Hermione Joye
Hermione is a leader with 15 years’ experience in sales, marketing, strategy and business development in the technology & travel sector.
Hermione leads the APAC Travel team for Google’s Large Customer Sales business, working with leading online travel agents, airlines, hotel chains & vacation rental companies to develop digital business strategy & products for Asian consumers. Additionally she oversees the APAC Vertical search team, who help clients adopt our more technical solutions such as Hotel Ads, and work with our Product & Engineering team to build products for our region. Prior to this, Hermione worked in Google’s Sydney office managing major Retail clients.
Before her time at Google, she worked in the TV industry for 4 years, working for 7media West running the Key Accounts team. When she launched her career she started in Creative Advertising working initially for M&C Saatchi and then TBWA in Sydney.
Hermione was educated in Sydney Australia, completing a degree in Economics & Social Sciences from Sydney University and was awarded the Young Citizen of the Year (2009) by the Woollahra Mulinciptilty.
Hermione now lives in Singapore, and has done so for six & a half years. She is a mum to three young children and a Red Kelpie, and is an incredibly passionate traveler.
Chief Executive Officer & Co-founder
Chomp
Irik Anderson
Head of Homes & Hotels, Australia
& New Zealand, Airbnb
James Ho
James Ho leads Airbnb’s Homes & Hotels business across Australia and New Zealand, overseeing marketplace growth across professional hosts, independent operators and hotel partners in one of Airbnb’s most dynamic regions.
He is responsible for commercial performance, supply strategy and ecosystem development across diverse accommodation assets — from distributed homes to boutique and branded hotels — operating at the intersection of platform technology and operator economics.
With more than 17 years of experience scaling consumer and marketplace businesses, James has held senior roles across strategy, finance and commercial operations at Qantas, LinkedIn and Apple. Prior to Airbnb, he was General Manager for Australia and New Zealand at Hipcamp, where he led regional expansion for the outdoor stays marketplace.
James holds an MBA from AGSM, Chicago Booth and degrees in Advanced Physics and Aeronautical Engineering from the University of Sydney.
Chief Executive Officer
Intrepid Travel
James Thornton
James is the Chief Executive Officer of Intrepid Travel with responsibility for setting the strategic direction and vision of the global purpose led business. Since joining Intrepid nearly two decades ago, James has expertly led the company through his fair share of highs and lows – from B Corp certification to a period of record growth, followed by successfully navigating the business through the pandemic and securing its record capital raise. In 2024, he led the business to its strongest year of results in its history. Hailing from the UK, James is a passionate football (soccer) fan and marathon runner.
Reflecting his passion for Africa and the outdoors, James’ top Intrepid trip is Remarkable Rwanda & Gorillas of Uganda.
Senior Director, Retail, APAC
Lightspeed
Jamie Armitage
Jamie Armitage is Senior Director of Retail, APAC at Lightspeed, where she leads go-to-market strategy and teams across sales, partnerships and customer growth. She is focused on helping retailers scale with confidence by combining powerful technology with deep local market expertise.
Jamie began her career in the not-for-profit sector, driven by a desire to make a meaningful impact, before moving into the fast-paced world of technology to broaden her global exposure. She joined Vend in its early stages and has since spent over a decade building and leading high-performing teams across the technology sector.
Her passion for small business is deeply personal—having grown up in a family of hospitality owners, she understands firsthand the realities of running a business and is driven to help others thrive in an ever-evolving landscape.
President & Chief Growth Officer
Big Red Group (BRG)
John Boris
John Boris is President & Chief Growth Officer for Big Red Group (BRG) which powers Australia and New Zealand’s largest experience network and owns and operates experience marketplaces and platforms including RedBalloon, Adrenaline, Experience OZ, Everything NZ and Local Agent.
John brings over 25 years of global experience in executive roles. He has a proven track record of driving profitable growth, building market-leading brands, fostering strong corporate cultures, and driving shareholder value.
Prior to joining Big Red Group, John was SVP & Chief Growth Officer for TripAdvisor, CEO of IfOnly (acquired by Mastercard), CMO of Shutterfly (acquired by Apollo Global Management), and EVP & Managing Director of Lonely Planet.
John also serves as an Independent NED for Webjet, Executive Chairman of Cranky Health, and an Independent board member of Feastables Inc, founded by Jimmy Donaldson (Mr Beast).
Founder & Executive Director
Magic Memories
John Wikstrom
General Manager
Ngāi Tahu Tourism
Jolanda Cave
Jolanda Cave is the General Manager of Ngāi Tahu Tourism, one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest and most diverse tourism operators, with a portfolio of iconic visitor experiences across the country.
Ngāi Tahu Tourism businesses include Shotover Jet, Dart River Adventures, Hollyford Wilderness Experiences, Franz Josef Glacier Guides, Dark Sky Project, All Blacks Experience, Hukafalls Jet, National Kiwi Hatchery and the Agrodome — each delivering distinctive, place-based experiences that connect visitors to the land, culture, and stories of Aotearoa.
Ngāi Tahu Tourism is proudly owned by Ngāi Tahu, the largest iwi by population in Te Waipounamu, with more than 80,000 registered members. This whānau-owned structure underpins a long-term, values-led approach to tourism, focused on guardianship, authenticity, and creating enduring experiences for future generations.
Jolanda joined the Ngāi Tahu Tourism whānau in 2016, initially leading Shotover Jet before progressing to General Manager of Jet Boat Operations, and ultimately into her current role overseeing the full portfolio of businesses. Today, she provides strategic leadership across a wide range of attractions, audiences, and operating environments.
She brings deep expertise in building organisational capability, embedding safety as a foundation for exceptional experiences, and leading teams through change in a complex and evolving tourism landscape.
Prior to Ngāi Tahu Tourism, Jolanda held senior leadership roles at Tourism Holdings Ltd, including General Manager of Kiwi Experience, as well as roles across the inbound, outbound, and cruise sectors.
Jolanda is widely recognised for her passion for tourism and her ability to balance commercial performance with purpose, culture, and care — qualities that are central to building truly iconic tourism experiences.
Chief Executive Officer
Cook Islands Tourism Corporation
Karla Eggelton
Chief Executive Officer, Webjet
& Technology Queenstown Trustee
Katrina Barry
Katrina Barry brings over 20 years of leadership experience spanning the travel, fintech, e-commerce, and hospitality sectors. She is currently the Group CEO and Managing Director of Webjet Group.
Prior to this role, Katrina served as a Director of Webjet Limited (prior to its demerger) from 2022. Her previous executive positions include Global CEO of me&u, where she led the company through to its successful merger in late 2023, and Managing Director of Contiki Holidays and Trafalgar Tours Australasia. She also held key roles within the Virgin Group, including co-founding and launching Virgin Active across Australia and Asia. Katrina began her career at McKinsey & Company and has been recognised in the Deloitte FastTech 50 Female Leadership Awards and inclusion on the Women in Travel Power List.
She currently serves on the boards of the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) and PetSure Australia.
Chief Commercial Officer,
Premium, Midscale & Economy –
Middle East, Africa, Turkey &
Asia Pacific, Accor
Kerry Healy
Kerry Healy is the Chief Commercial Officer for Accor’s Premium, Midscale & Economy division in the Middle East, Africa, Turkey & Asia Pacific. Kerry oversees the commercial function for this diverse region which comprises close to 900 hotels under iconic brands such as Pullman, Mövenpick, Swissôtel Novotel, Mercure and ibis. Based in Singapore, Kerry leverages her wealth of business acumen and over 25 years of hospitality experience to ensure all functions of the organisation are aligned to meet the Group’s strategic commercial objectives.
Kerry is an outstanding leader and a skilled negotiator who has a deep understanding of distribution, customer relationship management, partnerships and operations. With strong international experience across four continents, her commercial insight and wide connections play a key role in aligning Accor’s commercial strategy and driving increased revenue in an increasingly complex environment.
Kerry has a long history of managing teams to excellence through change, building trust and designing exciting robust strategies. She fosters a customer centric organisational culture based on quality, respect and trust.
With expertise spanning multiple continents, Kerry has held senior management positions in the UK, Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Rim.
Partner
Altered Capital
Laura Manson
Laura is a Partner at Altered Capital, committed to partnering with best-in-class founders and companies to unlock their growth potential. Laura brings a unique combination of investment banking, corporate strategy and private equity experience.
She is responsible for identifying and evaluating high-potential investment opportunities that align with Altered Capital’s values and investment thesis, as well as supporting portfolio companies on their growth journeys.
Laura has an LLB (First Class Honours) and a BCom (Finance) from the University of Otago, and is also a CFA charterholder.
Board Member
NZ Māori Tourism
Lee Ann Muntz
Lee Ann Muntz is a Director and founder of Aotearoa Experience Limited which offer consultancy services, bespoke tours and events, with a particular focus on Māori arts and cultural experiences along with the beautiful scenery and attractions of Aotearoa.
Born in Australia and raised in Turangi, the former bank worker fell into the tourism industry through her love for people, sport and kapa haka. Since launching Aotearoa Experience, Lee Ann has gone on to serve as the Chairperson for Tainui Waka Tourism Inc and as a Board member for AIO (Americans for Indian Opportunity), which is focused on advancing the cultural, political and economic rights of Indigenous Peoples in the United States and around the world.
She has also been an active presence in her community and undertaken various roles affiliated with her children’s schooling – treasurer of Pōhara Marae, trustee for Ngāti Koroki Kahukura Trust and Board member for Ngā Taiātea Wharekura to name a few.
When the proud kuia (grandmother) and māmā (mother) of four isn’t hosting manuhiri (visitors) or serving her communities she enjoys travelling and relaxing with friends and whānau.
Head of New Zealand
Airwallex
Lowry Gladwell
Lowry Gladwell has been at the forefront of some of New Zealand’s most iconic companies, with deep experience across payments, fintech, and global growth—expertise that’s particularly relevant to the travel and tourism sector.
Having played a key role in Vend’s journey to its successful exit in 2021 and leading Xero’s embedded finance strategy, Lowry brings a strong understanding of how businesses manage cross-border payments, foreign exchange, and complex cash flows.
Now, as Head of New Zealand at Airwallex, Lowry focuses on helping tech, travel and tourism operators scale globally—simplifying international payments, reducing FX costs, and enabling seamless customer experiences worldwide—while building Airwallex’s local presence and team.
Co-chairman, Shashi Group /
Founder & Managing Director,
Techne Infiniti Ventures
Manish Gupta
Manish co-founded Techne Infiniti Ventures and serves as the Managing Director. Techne is a venture fund focused on investing in next generation hospitality technology startups and platforms globally. Manish also co-founded Shashi Group and serves as its Co-Chairman. Shashi owns and operates one of the most premium hospitality asset-portfolio in Silicon Valley.
Manish has worked extensively in the technology industry before venturing into hospitality & investments. He has experience as a founder & CEO, and has led & structured joint ventures, acquisitions, partnerships, sales, operations, and Investments across technology and hospitality industries. He has led over a billion dollars of deals and has structured debt and equity transactions with some of the leading private equity funds, hedge funds and pension funds.
Prior to Shashi, Manish was the founder & CEO of Panache Services. Manish built Panache from an idea into a profitable global technology company. Previously, as EVP Operations at Zamba, Manish helped transform it from a niche technology player into a leading integrated CRM and data analytics solutions provider. Manish also worked with KPMG and led the CRM solutions for North America. Manish started out writing artificial intelligence & expert systems code for microprocessors.
Manish has a BS in Computer Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Karnataka and an MBA in Global Service Operations Management from William E. Simon School of Business, University of Rochester, New York.
Vice President, Global Marketing
Klook
Marcus Yong
As Vice President of Global Marketing at Klook, Marcus has been privileged to contribute to their mission of transforming travel experiences since joining the company as employee #51 in 2016. Working alongside a dedicated team, they’ve navigated the company through 6 successful funding rounds, including a recent $100 million investment led by Vitruvian Partners . These milestones have enabled them to enhance our platform and better serve travelers worldwide.
In 2023, Marcus and his team spearheaded the launch of Klook’s Kreator Program, building a community of over 20,000 content creators across 16 markets within a year. This initiative has positioned Klook at the forefront of social commerce in the travel industry.
Prior to Klook, Marcus led digital marketing efforts at Scoot, enhancing global digital acquisition and managing social media across seven markets. He began his career at the Singapore Economic Development Board, focusing on digital brand and channel management for North America.
Founder
First Table
Mat Weir
Chief Executive Officer
Destination Queenstown
Mat Woods
Mat is currently the Chief Executive at Destination Queenstown (DQ). Prior to joining DQ, he was head of sales & services at Cardrona Alpine Resort (CARL) and Treble Cone and was involved in the acquisition of Treble Cone, securing the rights to develop into the SOHO Basin. Mat moved from CARL to join the parent company RealNZ as GM of Experience Whakatipu to oversee the Queenstown operation of the TSS Earnslaw, Walter Peak, Jet Boating and Water Taxis. He is currently a Director on Regional Tourism NZ.
Partner
Velocity Ventures
Nicholas Cocks
Nick is an entrepreneur turned professional investor.
Nick started his career in 1985 as an accountant with Arthur Andersen & Co’s Corporate Recovery practice in Sydney, Australia. He left the profession in December 1989 to join his fathers’ concrete business in Adelaide, Australia and assisted with the sale of the company to Adelaide Brighton Cement. Six months later he turned his attention to Southeast Asia and has lived and worked in the region since, firstly building Readymix – a concrete, quarrying and cement manufacturing business spanning Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and Singapore and, more latterly, leading Ready Ventures – a family office that has invested in a portfolio of early stage companies and is a partner of Velocity Ventures – Southeast Asia’s leading travel and hospitality focused VC.
Nick is a Partner of Velocity Ventures and sits on the Investment Committee. He is also a Director of portfolio companies CarbonClick and Lumitics. He is a Director of Readymix Brunei and Butra Heidelberg Cement Brunei. He is also the Lead Non-executive Director of SGX listed MTQ Corporation and chairs the Remuneration and Nomination Committee. He is a past Singapore Chairman and regional board member of the Young Presidents Organization and was Chairman of the Australian Chamber of Commerce, Singapore.
Nick holds a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from Australian National University and resides in Singapore. He is married to Stephanie and has 3 adult children.
Chief Executive
Air New Zealand
Nikhil Ravishankar
Nikhil Ravishankar was appointed Chief Executive of Air New Zealand in October 2025 and leads the airline’s 11,600 team members across Aotearoa New Zealand and the globe. Since joining the airline in 2021 as Chief Digital Officer, Nikhil has overseen the airline’s COVID restart programme, major advances in the airline’s technology backbone, loyalty programme and customer platforms, driving greater innovation and resilience through a period of significant industry disruption and change.
Prior to Air New Zealand, Nikhil was Chief Digital Officer at Vector Limited, where he led the company’s digital and information technology transformation and co-led Vector’s smart metering business. Earlier in his career he spent six years with global professional services company, Accenture, across Hong Kong, Australia, and in New Zealand as Managing Director. Nikhil has also held senior technology and transformation roles at Spark New Zealand.
Nikhil holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from the University of Auckland. He is an advisory board member for the University’s Centre of Digital Enterprise (CODE) and has previously served on the boards of New Zealand Asian Leaders, Foundation Ventures, and The Auckland Blues Foundation, as well as the AUT AUTEUR Influencer Network.
Chief Executive Officer
Agoda
Omri Morgenshtern
Omri Morgenshtern is the Chief Executive Officer of Agoda, part of Booking Holdings (Nasdaq: BKNG). He was appointed in July 2022. In his former role as COO, Omri was instrumental in driving global operations, Product, Partner Services, and the Customer Experience Group.
Omri joined Agoda in 2014 as Senior Product Owner, Algorithms and Learning Systems, and was later promoted first to Vice President of Product Development, then to Chief Product Officer and Chief Operating Officer in 2018.
He was co-founder & CEO of Qlika, an award-winning UpWest Labs start-up specializing in online marketing optimization, which was acquired by Booking Holdings Inc. in 2014.
Omri received an M.S. Magna Cum Laude in Physics from Tel Aviv University and B.S. Cum Laude in Physics, Computer Science and Mathematics from The Hebrew University.
Chief Executive Officer
NZSki
Paul Anderson
Chief Executive Officer
Fiji Airways
Paul Scurrah
Executive Director
InvestSouth
Prue Halstead
Prue is the Executive Officer at Invest South, collaborating closely with investee company management teams to support the execution of their strategic direction. Through deeply embedded regional relationships and national networks, she helps local businesses become more resilient and investment-ready, unlocking both commercial performance and lasting regional impact.
Prue brings extensive experience in business development, marketing, and general management across various industries, both in New Zealand and overseas. She holds a BA Hons from the University of Otago and an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington. She is an Executive Committee member of Angel Association New Zealand and a founding board member of both Mainland Angel Investors and COIN South. She is a director of SBS Bank and SBS Wealth.
Founder
Snow Machine
Quentin Nolan
Quentin Nolan is a veteran travel entrepreneur with 20+ years of success. At 21 he founded Mountainwatch Travel, now sending 20,000+ skiers annually to resorts across the globe. He co-owns Hakuba Hospitality Group and is the creator of Snow Machine, a music and snow festival with events in Japan and New Zealand. Quentin has long felt like something is missing in the industry – connection-led and feeling-first travel which ARRIVAL aims to fulfil.
Chief Executive Officer
Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA)
Rebecca Ingram
Rebecca Ingram is the Chief Executive at Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA).
Rebecca Ingram leads Tourism Industry Aotearoa, the organisation that represents New Zealand’s tourism sector — 1,200 businesses, every corner of the country, every part of the visitor journey. Her job is to make sure tourism gets the policy settings, investment, and long-term thinking it deserves as one of New Zealand’s most significant export industries.
She came to TIA after seven years at Tourism New Zealand on the Executive team. Before that, she held senior leadership roles at Spark and Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. She believes tourism is one of New Zealand’s greatest strategic assets.
Chief Executive Officer
Tourism New Zealand
René de Monchy
René was appointed Chief Executive of Tourism New Zealand in April 2021. He has over 20 years’ global experience in consumer-led businesses, including in local and international marketing roles for Fonterra, Heineken and Asia Pacific Breweries in Singapore.
He was previously Tourism New Zealand’s Director Commercial where he led the team based in our international offices responsible for identifying key markets and audiences for travel to New Zealand. René also led the development of Tourism New Zealand’s aviation strategy to guide partnerships with international airlines.
He is passionate about the tourism sector and active in tourism industry engagement, undertaking regular speaking engagements and panel discussions. He is currently a Board or panel member for
Tourism Industry Aotearoa, New Zealand Screen Production Grant Significant Economic Benefits Verification Panel, New Zealand Story Board, New Zealand China Council and Qualmark New Zealand Limited.
Chief Executive Officer
Loaded
Richard McLeod
Rich McLeod is a hospitality veteran turned tech CEO. For over 15 years, Rich navigated the ups and downs of owning and operating hospitality businesses. Starting with a single venue, his hospitality group developed Loaded as the cornerstone operating platform for their own network of 12 diverse bars, pubs, and restaurants across New Zealand. Loaded is a specialised hospitality back office platform and has since scaled to empower more than 10,000 hospitality owners and managers across New Zealand, Australia and the UK to run more profitable businesses.
Board Member, Tourism Tasmania /
Founder, former Chief Executive &
Chairman, Viator Inc.
Rod Cuthbert
Chair – Technology Queenstown,
North Ridge Partners, Web Travel Group
Roger Sharp
Roger is a 30+ year veteran tech Chair, advisor and investor with a focus on travel technology. He played key roles in the privatisations of Air New Zealand and Qantas and has advised multiple airlines and airports. Roger was previously CEO of ABN AMRO Asia and Global Head of Technology for ABN AMRO Bank. He subsequently chaired, built and sold ASX-listed travel.com.au (owner of last minute.com.au), chaired Webjet until its spin-off in 2024, and was Deputy Chair of Tourism New Zealand. He currently chairs ASX-listed Web Travel Group, a leading global B2B hotels company.
Roger is also the founder of Asia Pacific tech investment bank North Ridge Partners where he leads the firm’s travel tech practise. During COVID-19, he launched Technology Queenstown (TQ), a not-for-profit responsible for building $1bn in annual tech sector GDP to diversify the Queenstown economy.
Assistant Vice President of
International Markets, APAC
Trip.com Group
Ru Yi
As the Assistant Vice President of International Markets, Ms Ru Yi formulates strategic goals and drives organisational growth of Trip.com’s hotel business units across Asia, including Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand, among others. Ms Ru oversees the International Hotel Business Units’ operations in these markets – with the objectives of strengthening brand equity, identifying new growth opportunities and partnerships, and fostering strategic relationships with stakeholders. A founding member of Trip.com Singapore, Ms Ru was the Regional General Manager and the Country Head of the International Hotel Business Unit (Singapore) before being promoted to her current position. Ms Ru has a wealth of experience and expertise in the hospitality sector. Prior to joining Trip.com Group in 2013, she had assumed key appointments at Resorts World Sentosa, Sentosa Leisure Group and Far East Organization. A forward-thinking strategic leader with a strong business acumen, Ms Ru is frequently invited to speak at industry and trade events. Ms Ru graduated with a Bachelor in Business Management from Singapore Management University, and also holds an Executive MBA from SMU. A proud mum of two girls, Ms Ru enjoys reading and jogging.
Chief Executive Officer
& Managing Director
SiteMinder
Sankar Narayan
For more than 20 years, Sankar Narayan has delivered change management, operational rigour and business growth across the travel, technology, media and telecommunications sectors, with particular expertise in company transformations and business strategy to achieve strong shareholder outcomes. Following several senior management roles at Virgin Australia, Fairfax Media and Foxtel, and having also worked at Vodafone Australia, Boston Consulting Group and Schlumberger prior, in 2015 Sankar joined Xero where he went on to serve in the dual capacity of Chief Operating and Financial Officer.
Today, Sankar leads SiteMinder’s internationalised software and multilingual teams across 20 locations globally, and which see more than 80% of revenue sourced from outside the company’s home market of Australasia.
Sankar holds a Masters in Business Administration with Honours from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago and a Masters in Electrical Engineering from the State University of New York. He is a Certified Practising Accountant and a Fellow of CPA (Australia), and has been a regular contributor to Forbes.com on the crucial topics of strategy, disruption and managing high growth businesses.
Chief Executive Officer
Technology Queenstown
Sarah Russell
Sarah is the CEO of Technology Queenstown, a not-for-profit focused on diversifying the regional economy by building a robust technology sector, initially anchored by a travel-tech cluster.
Sarah has more than 25 years’ international experience in financial services and technology. In 2018 she co-founded an AI software company based in Australia. Prior to this, she had an international career in financial services where she held senior leadership roles in corporate strategy, technology, and operations at Commonwealth Bank of Australia. Sarah holds a Master of Commerce degree in Economics from University of Canterbury.
Chief Executive Officer
Queenstown Airport
Shane O’Hare
Shane joined QAC as CEO in September 2025. He brings more than 40 years of global aviation and tourism experience to Queenstown Airport. He has held a range of senior aviation roles, including at Melbourne Airport, Launceston Airport, Qantas, Etihad Airways, and Royal Jet Air. He also founded Seair Pacific, a general aviation operator based at Great Barrier Reef.
Shane was most recently CEO of Launceston Airport, Australia, where he successfully led the organisation’s post-pandemic recovery and business development. Shane holds an MBA from Bond University and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Shane is committed to the Southern Lakes region and to guiding Queenstown Airport through its next transformative chapter.
Global Chief Operating Officer
Web Travel Group
Shelley Beasley
With over 30 years’ of global experience across a diverse range of companies in the travel and travel technology industry in multiple geographies, Shelley brings extensive strategic, commercial, technical and operational experience to her role of Web Travel Group’s Global Chief Operating Officer.
Shelley has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Richmond and a Graduate Diploma in Business, International Strategy and Leadership from the University of Auckland. She is also a graduate of the AICD (Australian institute of Company Directors) and serves as a non-executive Director on Webjet Group Limited’s Board.
Shelley is responsible for the company’s global service delivery, people and culture, operational efficiency, technology and security agendas across the Group.
Co-Chief Executive Officer
Planit
Simona Turin
Simona Turin is a globally experienced technology leader and entrepreneur. She is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Planit, the travel tech company building the intelligence layer for in-destination experiences. Her career spans four continents and includes 15 years on Wall Street, executive leadership at Xero, Air New Zealand, and Spark, military service as a combat sergeant and board positions at Fidelity Life, Hectre, Loaded and multiple SaaS companies. Simona brings a uniquely diverse perspective to discussions on technology, leadership, travel, and building customer-centric businesses at scale.
Managing Director
LyLo
Tim Alpe
Tim Alpe is the Managing Director of LyLo, a fast‑growing lifestyle budget accommodation brand within the EVT Hotels & Resorts portfolio. LyLo delivers an innovative social travel experience through design‑led pod and private room accommodation, blending community spaces with affordability and comfort for modern travellers. Since its launch in 2022, the brand has established successful properties in Auckland, Queenstown and Christchurch (New Zealand) and Brisbane (Australia), with additional sites planned in Gold Coast, Fremantle and beyond.
Under Tim’s leadership, LyLo has redefined the budget hospitality segment by focusing on vibrant communal environments, flexible sleeping formats and a strong sense of community that appeals to a diverse mix of travellers including young adventurers, digital nomads, sports groups and families. His strategic vision has guided the brand’s expansion across Australasia and positioned LyLo for continued growth in key urban and lifestyle markets.
Tim’s experience in hospitality and travel underscores a passion for creating accessible, memorable experiences that resonate with today’s global traveller.
Founder & Principal
GEN8
Tim Sharp
Chief Executive Officer
Intouch Elevate
Tim Thodey
Head of Aviation
Neoke
Timmo Rol
Timmo Rol leads the aviation strategy at Neoke, where he’s spearheading the go-to-market for Neoke’s digital identity and wallet solution designed to streamline the airport experience. With over 20 years navigating the travel technology landscape across Europe and Asia Pacific, Timmo brings a rare perspective that bridges airlines, corporate travel platforms, and the emerging digital identity space. His current work at Neoke focuses on building strategic partnerships with airports, airlines and distribution partners while establishing practical business models for adoption that actually make sense for an industry that’s still working out how to innovate for passengers.
Before joining Neoke, Timmo held leadership roles shaping airline retailing at Qantas and Virgin Australia, where he led the transformation to NDC distribution systems. He also served as Chief Technology and Chief Product Officer at Corporate Travel Management, building award-winning travel products. Since 2017, he’s contributed to IATA standards boards, helping develop the industry frameworks that underpin modern airline retailing and the conceptual foundations of digital identity initiatives like One ID. Based in Sydney, Australia, Timmo’s work sits at the intersection of airport operations, traveller experience, and the technology infrastructure that will define the next generation of seamless travel.
Vice President, Corporate Development
Agoda
Timothy Hughes
Timothy Hughes is the Vice President Corporate Development of Agoda (Booking Holdings Company). Timothy is a “retired” blogger and pundit. Previously he was the editor and publisher of one of the top online travel industry blogs (the BOOT: the Business Of Online Travel) and a writer at Phocuswire.
Tim is a former lawyer and venture capitalist. As a venture capitalist and consultant he helped a number of start-ups (inside and outside travel) secure funding, set up online media companies, managed investments in public companies and held regular client briefing sessions for a brokerage house. As lawyer he represented technology, new media, Internet, telecommunications and broadcasting clients in Australia, Europe and Hong Kong.
He first joined the online travel industry in 1999 and has worked for top tier online travel companies in Europe, the Americas and Asia. Tim has a Bachelor of Commerce and Hons Law Degree from the Australian National University.
Founder
Rebook
Timothy Kasbe
Regional Manager, Oceania & Korea
Booking.com
Todd Lacey
Chief Executive Officer & Founder
ZUZU Hospitality
Vikram Malhi
Vikram Malhi is the CEO & Co-founder of ZUZU Hospitality Solutions, a Singapore based start-up that manages sales and online distribution for independent budget hotels across Asia. Before starting his entrepreneurial journey, Vikram was Managing Director for Expedia Asia and was instrumental in growing Expedia brand across 11 countries in Asia.
He spent a total of 8 years at Expedia, taking on multiple senior level roles including marketing, customer loyalty, operations and general management. In addition to his deep expertise in the online travel and hospitality sectors, he has strong experience in technology and business consulting. He worked at IBM Consulting early in his career and received MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Founder
WiT (Web in Travel)
Yeoh Siew Hoon
Siew Hoon has been covering the travel industry beat in Asia Pacific for decades, starting off as a rookie reporter and going on to lead and launch the region’s key industry media titles. In 2005, she founded WiT (Web in Travel) to tackle how technology was changing travel in Asia Pacific and created a new space in the fast-growing, dynamic region with a dedicated media and events platform.
Over the years, she took WiT to new places, launching editions in Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Middle East, Europe and Africa to keep the world’s attention focused on the three pillars of travel, technology and Asia.
Following the acquisition by Northstar Travel Group in 2014, she led the launch of Travel Weekly Asia and M&C Asia and formed the editorial team to execute the entry of Northstar Travel Group to Asia.
Her work has been recognised by numerous institutions including the Singapore Tourism Board which recognised her as Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014. The WiT Singapore conference, which remains its tentpole event, has won several awards including Most Innovative Marketing Initiative and Trade Conference Of The Year.
In 2020, WiT Singapore became the first travel conference to go fully hybrid, paving the way for a new model in events.
Other than writing about travel, Siew Hoon is also a published author of titles such as “Around Asia In One Hour: Tales of Condoms, Chillies & Curries”, children’s books such as “Adventures of Habibie The Turtle” and “The Story of Baitong and Boon” and host of “A Life In Travel” podcast.
