Ovolo Hotels, an independent hospitality company with a collection of five branded lifestyle hotels in Hong Kong and one in Melbourne, Australia, have announced the first four major appointments for the Group’s Australian division to manage newly acquired properties in Sydney and Melbourne and to guide future expansion across Australasia.
In 2014, Ovolo acquired the Blue Sydney in Woolloomooloo Wharf, Sydney, 1888 Hotel in Pyrmont, Sydney and the Oaks on Londsdale in Melbourne, joining the Ovolo Laneways hotel on 19 Little Bourke Street, also in Melbourne. Plans are now underway to re-launch the 1888 Hotel and Blue Sydney as new Ovolo Hotels in 2015.
Wahid Banihali has been appointed the Financial Controller for all Ovolo Hotels in Australia. Under this newly created role for Ovolo, Wahid will be responsible for guiding the Group’s accounting processes, fiscal reporting and financial operations of Ovolo Hotels in Australia. He brings 32 years of experience in financial and management accounting to the Ovolo team, including strong technical knowledge and professional expertise in Australian accounting standards/corporation law and all reporting requirements across departments. Mr Banihali has previously served as a Director of Finance for leading international hotel chains in Australia, the Middle East and Asia.
Kathrin Swadzba has been named the Group Revenue Manager for Ovolo Hotels Australia. Kathrin will be tasked with maximizing overall revenue for Ovolo’s Australian assets through development and implementation of effective inventory and pricing strategies and liaising closely with hotel management to drive market share across all market segments and distribution channels. She has over a decade of experience in hospitality revenue management through various managerial roles in the United Kingdom.
Adam Taloni has been brought in as the General Manager of Blue Sydney. Ovolo acquired the Woolloomooloo Wharf-based heritage hotel from the Taj Group earlier this year. In this new role, Adam will manage the property’s day to day operations while simultaneously guiding its transition into an Ovolo branded hotel in 2015. He is a multi-award winning General Manager with strong leadership experience in boutique and large-scale properties. Having previously managed Soul Surfers Paradise and Peppers Broadbeach on the Gold Coast while earning consistent elite customer service ranks earned on Trip Advisor, Adam brings with him the ability to deliver a high level of customer experience and property performance.
Adam Males will lead the team at Ovolo Laneways as the hotel’s new General Manager. The first Australian Ovolo Hotel, Laneways opened September 2012 on 19 Little Bourke Street in Melbourne’s Central Business District. The hotel’s fresh design, smartly spaced interiors and Ovolo’s signature all-inclusive service concept made a successful impression on the Australian travel market, one that encouraged the Group to pursue further growth in the country. Adam will be responsible for taking Ovolo Laneways to new heights, starting with the properties newly redeveloped penthouse suites, which will be open for booking from November 2014 onwards. He is a veteran of Australia’s emerging lifestyle hotel scene, having previously worked for the Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel, QT Sydney and Qualia on Hamilton Island.
Ovolo Hotels’ new appointments will be the first of many as the Group fills out its roster in Australia. Recent hotel acquisitions follow a landmark year for the Group which has seen it open Hong Kong’s first warehouse conversion hotel – Ovolo Southside and receive the Brand Excellence Award at the inaugural Enterprising Hong Kong Awards, amongst other highlights.
Dirk Dalichau, Ovolo Hotels COO commented: “We are proud to have such a talented team join the Ovolo family, all representing core values of Ovolo such as creativity, passion and the desire to challenge the norm, whilst delivering unique hotel experiences.”
