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 Associate Professor Suku Sukunesan

  Associate Professor Suku Sukunesan

  MEDIATOR Associate Professor Sukunesan brings more than 20 years of leadership experience across academia and industry, with expertise spanning innovation, technology and systems thinking. His career has included major government projects, work with SMEs and collaboration with Southeast Asian governments, giving him a strong understanding of how complex projects, policies and partnerships translate into real-world outcomes. Suku is an accomplished researcher with more than 60 international publications, an H-index of 22 and two patents. He is also deeply involved in entrepreneurship and innovation, having founded and supported startups and contributed to initiatives such as CSIRO OnPrime. Beyond his research and leadership, Suku actively supports the next generation of innovators as a judge, mentor and coach. _________________________________________________________________________________

• 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 Professor Steve D’Alessandro

  Professor Steve D’Alessandro

  Steve is an experienced Professor of Marketing and applied business researcher with more than a decade in academia and a career spanning universities across Australia. His work focuses on using consumer behaviour to tackle real-world business and societal challenges, with research published in leading international journals and 12 books to his name. Steve has been involved in research teams securing more than $153 million in grant funding and currently serves as Chief Co-Editor of the Journal of Consumer Behaviour. In 2012, he was recognised with the ANZMAC Distinguished Marketing Educator of the Year Award. Now Acting Associate Dean of Business Services, Steve is excited to be back in Western Australia, returning to the type of applied university where his career began 30 years ago.

• 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.