Minor Hotels Australasia
March 2025 - March 2026
A leading hospitality group with over 60 properties across Australia and New Zealand.
As Director of PR & Communications for Minor Hotels Australasia, I led PR and communications across a portfolio of more than 60 hotels and resorts in Australia and New Zealand, spanning corporate affairs, media relations, brand strategy, social, influencer, partnerships and crisis communications. I led major hotel and brand launches, including the global repositioning of Oaks Hotels, Resorts & Suites, managed high-profile international media activity, and worked closely with senior leadership on reputation and communications strategy. I also reviewed and reshaped ways of working across PR, social, influencer and content to improve efficiency and ROI, while leading the PR team and agency partners to deliver measurable commercial and brand results.
Key Achievements
Managed an Australian press tour for Minor Hotels International Founder William E. Heinecke. Managed and coordinated media interviews, securing key coverage in titles including the Australian Financial Review and the Sydney Morning Herald.
Developed the global strategy and communications plan for the announcement of the Oaks Hotels Resorts & Suites repositioning, including media gifting and identifying partnerships for brand service hallmark execution.
From March to October 2025 for the Oaks Hotels, Resorts & Suites brand:
Increased share of voice +50%, taking the brand from #6 in the comp-set to #3.
Received more than 1,000 pieces of coverage globally and over 800 million impressions, with an AVE of over $9.8 million.
Drove revenue for the business to support national tactical campaigns and brand awareness, reaching 15.9 x ROI
Reviewed ways of working across public relations, social media, influencer and content creation streams, identifying efficiencies leading to lower operational costs and higher ROI. This included the onboarding of two new agencies, and complete review of internal ways of working and project management platforms.
Successfully launched several new properties and brands into market including Anantara Perth Hotel, Avani Living, Queen’s Wharf Residences, Oaks Lake Crackenback Resort, Avani Mooloolaba Beach Hotel, and Avani Wollongong Hotel. The announcement of Avani Wollongong Hotel received 48 pieces of coverage, reaching an audience of over 13 million.
Key Responsibilities
Corporate Affairs & Media Relations - Lead corporate affairs, including strategic management of key stakeholder and media relationships, ensuring consistent messaging across the business. Serve as the primary contact for media inquiries, cultivating strong relationships with journalists, influencers, and industry contacts. Develop media materials, including press releases, corporate communications, and public statements. Strategically oversee all charity partnerships, ensuring alignment with the company’s brand and CSR objectives
Crisis Communications - Lead crisis communications strategy and execution across traditional and social media, advising senior leadership and the Executive Committee on key issues and reputational risks. Maintain and update crisis protocols to ensure organisational preparedness for high-pressure situations.
Social Media Strategy & Leadership - Develop and oversee the social media strategy for all brand and venue channels, including KPIs, reporting, and optimisation. Ensure all content meets brand standards and platform-specific requirements. Identify content requirements and collaborate with the Director of Brand, PR Manager, Marketing Content Specialist, and integrated agency to brief and deliver high-quality content.
Influencer & Partnership Management - Oversee all influencer, social media collaborations and partnership initiatives, guiding the PR Manager in end-to-end management including identification, vetting, negotiation, creative oversight, execution, financial processing, and reporting. Collaborate with the Director of Brand and Partnerships Manager to deliver partner campaigns and collaborations.
Public Relations, Brand, Campaigns & Content - Develop PR plans for all brands and properties entering the region, ensuring launch strategies align with business objectives and brand standards. Drive multi-channel brand, retail, and PR campaigns in partnership with the Director of Brand and internal teams. In collaboration with Director of Brand, drive quarterly editorial planning sessions, content requirements, and campaign execution. Manage PR events, launches, and other activities to enhance brand visibility and stakeholder engagement.
Awards & Industry Engagement - Identify industry awards and sponsorship opportunities to strengthen brand credibility and visibility, including IMM, TravMedia and HM Magazine.
Reporting, Analytics & Optimisation - Set performance objectives for the PR team, monitor delivery, and provide coaching, mentoring, and professional development. Deliver monthly, weekly, and campaign reporting for commercial teams, including media, social, influencer, and partnership activities. Ensure data-driven decision-making informs all communications strategies.
Project, Financial & Systems Management - Oversee PR budgets, PO, and spend tracking, ensuring alignment with organisational financial processes. Assign tasks and projects to the PR team, ensuring strategic priorities and deadlines are met.
Team Leadership & Development - Set clear objectives, monitor PR team and direct report performance, and provide guidance to ensure high-quality, results-driven execution. Foster a proactive, solutions-focused, and collaborative culture, encouraging innovation, accountability, and resilience across the team.
