Andaz Gold Coast names leadership team; JW Marriott Gold Coast appoints Director of Operations

# What happened Hyatt's Andaz Gold Coast announced its leadership team ahead of the hotel's Australian debut. The announced hires cover hotel-wide leadership, commercial strategy, marketing and food and beverage operations. Separately, JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort and Spa named Wilbur Tauro as Director of Operations.

# Who's in place at Andaz Gold Coast

• Saraid Carey — General Manager. Carey has more than 22 years with Hyatt Hotels Corporation across Australia and the Asia Pacific region, with roles spanning Grand Hyatt, Park Hyatt, Hyatt Regency and Hyatt Place. She's been recognised as Australian General Manager of the Year at the HM Awards and has participated in Hyatt's Asia Pacific General Manager Development Programme and Women@Hyatt leadership activities.

• Jane Strangman — Director of Sales and Marketing. Strangman brings more than 30 years in luxury hotels, resorts and tourism. Her recent role was Director of Sales and Marketing at Sheraton Mirage Resort and Spa Gold Coast, where she led sales, marketing, catering and revenue functions. Her background includes senior roles at The Westin Sydney, Sydney Marriott Hotel and Radisson Hotels Asia Pacific, plus consultancy work delivering product and partnership development.

• Stacey Plaine — Marketing Specialist. Plaine has over 14 years of international experience across luxury and lifestyle hospitality in Australia, the UK, Europe, the Maldives and Japan. Her career includes marketing leadership with JW Marriott, W Hotels and Mondrian, and she's been involved in launches for more than 50 restaurant and bar brands. She's earned industry awards for PR and restaurant marketing and was recognised by the Queensland Hotels Association for Best Marketed Hotel.

• Steven Rhodes — Director of Food and Beverage. Rhodes will oversee the hotel's restaurants, bars and social spaces, including Nove Restaurant and Bar, Vista Lounge, Verde Bar and the Andaz Pool Club. His experience includes senior food and beverage roles at The Star Gold Coast, RACV Royal Pines Resort, Apollo Group at Howard Smith Wharves, and ARIA Restaurants in Brisbane and Sydney.

# JW Marriott Gold Coast: operational leadership JW Marriott Gold Coast Resort and Spa has appointed Wilbur Tauro as Director of Operations. Tauro will lead operational strategy and performance across departments, working with Multi-Property General Manager Ravinder Dhesi and the senior leadership team. His background includes more than 15 years in progressive leadership roles with Marriott International, Four Seasons and Hyatt, and responsibilities spanning resort operations, food and beverage leadership and hotel pre-openings.

# What this means for each property For Andaz Gold Coast: the mix of long-tenured Hyatt leadership and specialists in sales, marketing and F&B signals preparation for a brand launch that aims to position the property distinctly within the Gold Coast market. The hires bring local and international experience useful for opening a new lifestyle brand in Australia.

For JW Marriott Gold Coast: adding a Director of Operations with regional and resort-level experience suggests a focus on aligning service delivery and operational standards across the resort while driving guest satisfaction and colleague engagement.

# Concrete details to note

• Andaz Gold Coast's food and beverage portfolio includes Nove Restaurant and Bar, Vista Lounge, Verde Bar and the Andaz Pool Club.
• Saraid Carey has participated in Hyatt leadership development programmes and has held roles across multiple Hyatt brands and markets.
• Wilbur Tauro's prior roles include Hotel Manager In Charge at Sheraton Resort and Spa Tokoriki Island (Fiji) and leadership positions across India and other international properties.

# Quick summary Andaz Gold Coast has assembled a senior team combining Hyatt tenure and specialist commercial and marketing expertise ahead of its opening. JW Marriott Gold Coast strengthened its operations leadership by appointing an experienced regional hotel operator as Director of Operations.