Positively Wellington Tourism Appoints New CEO

Wednesday 30 July 2008

Positively Wellington Tourism Appoints New CEO

Positively Wellington Tourism is pleased to announce the appointment of new CEO, David Perks.

David has a wealth of experience in the tourism industry, coming from the role of General Manager at Copthorne Hotel and Resort Bay of Islands. He has been in his current role since 2002, and with Copthorne Hotels since 1998.

No stranger to the Wellington tourism industry, David was General Manager of the Copthorne Hotel Plimmer Towers prior to his move to the Bay of Islands. Through this role, he had extensive contact with Positively Wellington Tourism and the Wellington tourism industry at large.

"The Board is delighted to welcome David to the team at Positively Wellington Tourism," says Glenys Coughlan, Chair of Positively Wellington Tourism. "It is a pivotal role in one of the country's leading Regional Tourism Organisations. We were looking for someone with a real knowledge and passion for the tourism industry, and we've found that in David."

David was born and raised in the UK, where his early career was in the hotel sector in the Lakes District in North Wales. He married a New Zealander, which encouraged his move to New Zealand.

In his role as General Manager of the Copthorne Hotel and Resort Bay of Islands, David has 150 FTE staff, 5 direct reports, and an annual turnover that compares to PWT. In his 6 years there, he has played an instrumental role in increasing both hotel revenue and hotel occupancy as well as overseeing a significant capital expenditure programme.

David is the current Chair of the Northland Tourism Development Group. During his time in Northland, he has worked on tourism development activities with Destination Northland, Tourism New Zealand, Qualmark, and the i-SITES, along with local authorities and regional tourism operators.

"David ticked all the boxes for us, and while interest in the role was intense, appointing him was an easy decision," says Glenys Coughlan. "His background gives him a valuable insight into the commercial challenges faced by the industry. He has strong sales and marketing skills, has worked closely with the events and conference market and played a leadership role in regional tourism development."

David is looking forward to taking up his new role at Positively Wellington Tourism, where he is keen to utilise his skills to maintain Wellington's leadership role in the industry. He is due to take up the role in mid September 2008.

ENDS

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