Veteran hotelier Warwick Kahl, will lead the newly established TFE NZ Country Office team as Director of Operations.
TFE Hotels has announced the formation of the New Zealand Country Office following the multi-property management agreement it made with Heritage Hotels, incorporating five hotels into TFE’s global network, on 1 December.
Warwick Kahl joined TFE Hotels in July 2022 as Regional General Manager for QLD, NT, WA, and NZ, bringing strong domestic and international experience across several asset classes.
Drive Success
Announcing the appointment, TFE Hotels’ Senior Director of Operations ANZ, Tish Nyar said Kahl’s experience in the New Zealand market will be critical in ensuring the smooth transition of the Heritage Hotels into the TFE portfolio.
“New Zealand had always been a growth market for TFE Hotels, with the strategic partnership with Heritage Hotels would offer expanded choice to international visitors into New Zealand,” he said. “The NZ country team, led by Warwick will not only deliver and drive the success of our New Zealand properties but will also provide a strong foundation to support our future growth and expansion in region.”
TFE Hotels’ Chief Executive Officer, Antony Ritch, said the new partnership paid homage to the amazing work that Heritage Hotels has done in developing these assets and creating a strong New Zealand business.
“We look forward to working closely with Heritage Hotels and the local team to build on their stellar reputation with the continuation of a refurbishment programme across the portfolio,” Ritch said.
Under the agreement, Heritage Hotels retains ownership of its portfolio in New Zealand. TFE Hotels will manage more than 500 rooms across five properties, including the Adina Citylife Auckland and Rendezvous Heritage Auckland led by Cluster General Manager, Akash Sood.
In Wellington, the Adina CityLife Wellington, under the leadership of Oytun Cevik, will give TFE an apartment-style accommodation offering in the capital whilst in the south, Adina will also establish a brand presence in Christchurch with the Adina Heritage Christchurch, managed by Astrid McGowan. The 175-room Rendezvous Heritage Queenstown rounds out the offering, delivering a strong MICE and leisure offering in New Zealand’s adventure capital, with TFE currently recruiting for a General Manager.
Newly Created Role
TFE Hotels has appointed Meghana Ghole in the newly created role of Director of Finance New Zealand, based in TFE’s country office in Auckland. Meghana is an experienced hospitality finance expert, having worked at Heritage Hotels and Rydges Hotels & Resorts previously.
In speaking about the appointment, TFE’s Global Director of Finance Operations, Parthiv Merchant, said Meghana’s technical expertise and data analysis skills would be invaluable in contributing to the success of the New Zealand hotel portfolio.
“Meghana specialises in financial reporting, analysis, and strategic business planning and will be focused on driving business growth and optimising financial performance,” Merchant said. “We look forward to having her on the team.”
In other news, Jason Stobbs has been appointed as Director of Revenue New Zealand joining Warwick as the senior leadership team in market. Jason joined TFE as the Reservations Manager in Darwin in April 2017, before moving into the Revenue team in 2018.
“During his tenure with TFE, Jason has worked across several roles and regions, including a stint in Europe as part of our Go Global exchange program,” TFE Hotels’ Senior Director of Operations ANZ, Tish Nyar said. “Jason’s expertise and contributions have been invaluable over the last several years, and his properties have thrived under his guidance, and we wish him every success in his new role.”