ECU World Tourism Day 2026

Lineup

• More details about Chad Anderson

  Chad Anderson

  Chad Anderson is a senior executive with more than 20 years’ leadership experience across federal, state and territory governments, with extensive experience spanning the finance, education, sport and tourism sectors. Most recently, Chad served as Deputy Director General, Tourism at the Queensland Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation, where he was responsible for setting the strategic direction for tourism and leading engagement with the tourism industry across Queensland. His previous roles include Executive Director, Sport and Recreation Partnerships, Strategy and Development at the Queensland Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport; Executive Director, Brisbane 2032 Taskforce at the Queensland Department of Housing and Works; and Director, School Engagement and Partnerships at the Australian Sports Commission. Chad has also represented Australia as a professional triathlete. Throughout his career, Chad has demonstrated a strong ability to identify opportunities, build effective partnerships and foster a culture of innovation, while delivering complex strategies across government, industry and the broader community.

• More details about Emmanuel (Manny) Papadoulis

  Emmanuel (Manny) Papadoulis

  Manny Papadoulis is a respected tourism strategist, business leader and company director with more than 40 years' experience across Australia's tourism and visitor economy. He is Executive Director of Icon Tourism and has advised governments, destinations and tourism businesses on destination development, marketing, strategy and visitor economy growth. Manny has served as a Commissioner of Tourism Western Australia since 2017, including almost nine years as Deputy Chair, and has held numerous tourism industry leadership positions, including President of the Tourism Council WA, Deputy Chair of the Perth Convention Bureau, President of ATEC WA and Chair of Australia's Coral Coast. His career has given him a unique perspective spanning tourism operations, destination marketing, regional development, governance and government. Manny is also a Director of the National Australia Day Council and remains actively involved in tourism industry development, with a particular interest in the future of destinations, emerging technology and AI, Aboriginal tourism and developing the next generation of tourism leaders.

• More details about Dr Erwin Losekoot

  Dr Erwin Losekoot

  Born in Purmerend, The Netherlands, Erwin travelled widely with his parents as a child before studying in Glasgow, UK. He has since worked in the USA, England, Scotland, Hong Kong, Iran, New Zealand, Vietnam, The Netherlands and now Australia. He is a citizen of The Netherlands and a permanent resident of New Zealand. Erwin speaks Dutch and English. On graduating from The Scottish Hotel School, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK (BA 1990) Erwin worked onboard P&O Princess Cruises Fair Princess and Star Princess ships in Alaska, Mexico, the Panama Canal and the Caribbean. He then worked for the Sheraton Grand in Edinburgh, UK and Cameron House Hotel. Loch Lomond before completing his MBA at Edinburgh University Management School (MBA 1995). He then worked for Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza London Heathrow and Technicolor Video Services in their quality assurance department. In 1999 he returned to Glasgow to work as Sir Hugh Wontner Lecturer at Strathclyde University. In that time he also taught offshore modules in Helsinki, Finland, in Tehran, Iran and Hong Kong SAR, China. In 2009 he moved to Auckland University of Technology in Auckland, New Zealand, where he also completed his PhD investigating ‘the airport customer experience’ (PhD 2015). In 2018 he taught at the Saigon campus of RMIT Vietnam, before taking up the position of Professor of Hospitality Studies at the Hotel Management School Leeuwarden (HMSL), NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. He was also the Conference Chair for CHME2023 and led the Academy of International Hospitality Research, the research unit of HMSL. In January 2024 he moved to Perth to join ECU.

• More details about Angela Beechey

  Angela Beechey

  Angela is the Government Relations and Communications Manager at the Australian Hotels Association (WA), where she leads advocacy and policy reform to support the growth and sustainability of the tourism, accommodation and hospitality industry. With more than a decade of experience strategically marketing Australia internationally as a premier destination to visit, study, live, work and invest in, Angela brings extensive expertise in brand positioning, stakeholder engagement and industry development. In addition to her role at the AHA(WA), Angela currently serves as Chair of Women in Tourism and Hospitality WA, where she is committed to fostering opportunities, advancing leadership pathways and supporting greater representation of women across the tourism and hospitality sectors.

• More details about Jai McNaughton

  Jai McNaughton

  A seasoned HR professional with more than 20 years’ experience, including 17 years in hospitality, Jai McNaughton is passionate about shaping workplace culture and driving people-focused initiatives. Jai began her hospitality career with Mirvac in 2008, providing strategic HR support across its Western Australian hotels. She later became Pre-Opening HR Manager for Fraser Suites Perth, helping establish its workplace culture from the ground up. For the past nine years, she has been a Senior People & Culture leader with Accor WA, supporting teams and driving positive workplace change across the business. In 2026, Jai was recognised with the Human Resources Manager Award at the Australian Hotels Association WA Accommodation Awards for Excellence for her contribution to workplace culture, team engagement and industry leadership. Jai specialises in culture transformation, leadership development, employee engagement and organisational behaviour. She also advocates strongly for inclusion, diversity and wellbeing, serving on the boards of Women in Tourism and Hospitality WA and Healthy Mind Menu, and as Deputy Chair of the Hospitality Disability Network WA. A passionate mentor and advocate for safer, more inclusive workplaces, Jai also supports initiatives addressing family and domestic violence, including Escabags and DV Safe Phone. She is committed to creating workplaces where safety, dignity and respect are at the forefront.

• More details about Andrew Lai

  Andrew Lai

  Andrew is the Managing Director of Boab and the Small to Medium Enterprise Centre of AI (SMEC AI) an Australian Government funded program helping SMEs to adopt AI technologies. Over the past decade Andrew has led a range of programs that have supported and invested over $20m of venture capital funds in AI technology companies that solve the problems of Australian businesses. Prior to running SMEC AI, Andrew was the Ventures Director at Deakin University.

• More details about Vaughan Bevan

  Vaughan Bevan

  Vaughan Bevan is a senior digital and technology leader with the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport, with experience across digital transformation, artificial intelligence, data and analytics, cyber security, enterprise applications and ICT operations in the Western Australian Government. Across roles including Manager Business Solutions, Manager Cyber Security, Data Architect and earlier technical roles as a System Administrator and Data Analyst, Vaughan has led multidisciplinary technology teams and major initiatives ranging from enterprise data platforms and digital service modernisation to AI governance and adoption. His recent work in AI has included supporting the adoption of Microsoft 365 Copilot, developing governance approaches for the responsible use of artificial intelligence and representing the department in whole-of-government AI working group discussions. Vaughan has a particular interest in how emerging technologies can be translated from experimentation into practical, governed services that improve the way government and industry operate. He brings a public sector perspective on the opportunities and challenges associated with adopting AI at scale, including governance, security, workforce impacts and delivering tangible value from new technology.