Brief biographies of the nominated nine (9) candidates are as follows;
Mr Peter Gee – The Grand Pacific Hotel
Appointed General Manager of Grand Pacific Hotel in July 2015, Peter Gee is a graduate of the William Angliss Institute. He holds an Advanced Certificate in Business Administration from University of Hong Kong and is certified as a Hotel Administrator by the American Hotels & Motels Association. A seasoned hotel and tourism professional, Peter served for five years on the Executive Committee of the Australian Hotel Association (NSW) Accommodation Division and is a former Chairman of Tourism Holiday Coast Regional Tourism Organisation. Prior to his appointment at GPH, he spent nine years at the helm of Stamford Plaza Auckland. During this period he was the recipient of HM Magazines “New Zealand Hotel General Manager of the Year” award.
Ms Tammie Tam – Warwick Hotels & Resorts
Tammie Tam is currently the Senior Vice President of Warwick Hotels and Resorts and the Executive Director of the Pacific. She has been a Board Member for FHTA for over 20 years, representing the Warwick Fiji, Naviti Resort, Tokatoka Resort Nadi and Tambua Sands Beach Resort. While currently as Board Member, she also serves on the Proprietary Rights Sub Committee, HR/IR Sub Committee and the FRCA Sub Committee.
Mr Tarun Patel – Vision Group Limited (Hilton Fiji/Doubletree Resort Sonaisali/Tadrai)
Tarun Patel is the Director of Strategic Planning & Business Development for Vision Investments Limited, a role he has held since 2014 and has been closely involved in the Sonaisali Doubletree Resort & Hilton Fiji Beach Resort project. He currently oversees the Groups Human Resources Department, Corporate B2B Business for Courts, Mahogany Industries, Tadrai Island Resort and Dhobys. Previously, Tarun served as the Group CEO of Fiji Television Limited between November 2008 to August 2013.
Mr Allan Gortan – Paradise Taveuni
Allan Gortan was born in Melbourne, Australia and worked in various styles of hotels, resorts and restaurants during his career. Allan came to Fiji in 2000 as an Executive Chef then was Resort Manager from 2003. He and his wife Terri co-own and operate Paradise Taveuni. Allan was appointed to the Board in August 2016 to represent Taveuni and the Northern region, as well as sits on the FHTA Dive and Domestic Transport Subcommittees.
Mr Bradley Robinson – Raffe Hotels & Resorts
Over the past 27 years, Brad has built a successful career in Hotels & Resorts. Brad has experience across a wide variety of properties, from Island Resorts to Hotels in alpine ski fields, plus some stints in city properties. Over the past 15 years he has filled mostly Regional and Group GM roles in Queensland and Victoria, Australia.
Mr Patrick Wong – Mana Island Resort & Spa
Patrick Wong has served in the hospitality industry for over thirty years and is currently General Manager of Mana Island Resort & Spa. He was a FHTA Board Director from 2003– 2015 and Vice President from 2005–2015. Patrick served on various FHTA Sub Committees and Board Appointments inclusive as “Chairman of Tourism Fiji” 2007 – 2010. He was inducted “Honorary Life Member of FHTA in 2016.
Mr Nicholas Darling – Volivoli Beach Resort
Nicholas “Nick” Darling is a Managing Director at Volivoli Beach Resort, Ra Divers and SY in Fiji Siren. He is a Kiwi who has been living in Fiji for the last 8 years that went to a local school in Rakiraki 24 years ago, before heading to boarding school at St Andrews College in Christchurch. Nick is an Advanced Open Water Scuba Instructor with SSI and PADI, sits on the Dive Subcommittee and currently chairs Tourism Suncoast, a DMO representing 15 properties on the Suncoast. Passionate about the ocean and marine conservation, Nick and Volivoli are currently working with “Mangroves for Fiji” to help repopulate the mangrove forests in and around the Suncoast region, with an overall goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2020. He is also a Member of the FHTA Dive Committee.
Mr Narend Kumar – Tanoa Hotel Group
Narend Kumar’s accomplished management career reflects 25 years’ experience in Hotel operational leadership. Narend joined Tanoa Hotel Group in 2007 as Hotel Manager Tanoa Waterfront Hotel and is currently the General Manger Tanoa International Hotel and Tanoa Waterfront Hotel. Prior to his engagement with Tanoa Hotel Group, he had worked at Novotel Nadi and Shangri-La’s Fijian Resort.
Mr Andrew Davidson – InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa
Andrew Davidson is IHG’s Area General Manager South Pacific based at InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa. Davidson joins the property with over 20 years of experience, having started his career as a management trainee. In his role, he takes on the position of General Manager at InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort and Spa, as well as the Area General Manager responsible for the Holiday Inn Suva and the Holiday Inn Resort Vanuatu. Andrew previously held the role as General Manager InterContinental OR Tambo Airport Hotel in South Africa.
