TFE Hotels establishes office in New Zealand

TFE Hotels is putting up its country office in New Zealand in the wake of its multi-property management agreement with accommodation provider Heritage Hotels.

Veteran hotelier Warwick Kahl joins the office as TFE’s director of operations in New Zealand.

Five of Heritage Hotels’ properties joined the TFE global network on Sunday, 1st December.

According to TFE Hotels senior director of operations for Australia and New Zealand Tish Nyar: “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. The NZ country team 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 the region.”

What the agreement entails

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 helmed by cluster general manager Akash Sood.

In Wellington, the Adina CityLife Wellington, under the leadership of Oytun Cevik, gives 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.

New assignments at the new office

TFE Hotels also appointed Meghana Ghole in the newly created role of director of finance in New Zealand and she will be based in TFE’s country office in Auckland. 

Ghole is an experienced hospitality finance expert, having previously worked at Heritage Hotels and Rydges Hotels & Resorts.

Also, Jason Stobbs was appointed as director of revenue in New Zealand joining Kahl as the senior leadership team in the market.

Stobbs joined TFE as its reservations manager in Darwin in April 2017, before moving into the Revenue team in 2018.