Towards Vision 2025

WHAT’S NEXTOCTOBER 2019

More than 50 delegates from Singapore, Australia, Vietnam, India, Hong Kong, and Sri Lanka attended the Next Story Group Leadership Conference from September 16-19. In l ine with the theme of Shaping the Future, the conference saw the unveiling of Next Story Group’s Vision 2025, Purpose and Values. (see sidebar)

The wider leadership team heard from Group CEO Anand Nadathur, Next Hotels & Resorts CEO Darren Edmonstone and Group CFO Woo Mun Hoo, as well as functional leaders from the Asia Pacific team, who shared updates on various aspects of our business. The team also led exciting interactive workshops that delivered tips and skil ls across revenue management, financial management and marketing, which delegates can share with their teams.

The delegates took full advantage of the Executive Panel session, chaired by Darren, to gain greater clarity on the direction and strategy that Next Story Group is taking.

With a focus on teamwork, leadership and commitment, the conference also included fun team-building exercises that facil itated new connections and stronger bonds across functions and geographies.

In addition, guest speaker and MasterChef Australia judge Christy Tania shared her insights on food and beverage, while Anna Sheppard, Founder & CEO of Bambuddha Group, engaged delegates on corporate kindness.

The conference generated a high level of engagement and a lot of in-depth discussions on how to take the business forward. The General Managers in

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To be an employer of choice that is committed to its people and to be admired and respected for our innovative approach to creating hospitality and lifestyle brands that guests and business partners prefer.

attendance were inspired to make their personal commitments to the business at the close of the conference.

The conference would not have been such a success without the exceptional support from the teams from Sage Hotel Melbourne, Ringwood, and the newly-opened hotel at 167 City Road Melbourne Southbank. Thank you for hosting the conference and for your excellent hospitality!

To host and inspire meaningful connections.

• Passion – Committed and Believing in What We Do.

• Accountability – Own the Outcome.• Integrity – Do the Right Thing, and saying so

when we’re not.• Respect for Others.

Vision 2025

Our Purpose

Our Values

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WHAT’S NEXT OCTOBER 2019

Darren Edmonstone spoke about our achievements and strategies for success

Next Story Group Leadership Conference 2019 - Shaping the Future

The Executive Panel Q&A – (from left) Next Hotels & Resorts CEO Darren Edmonstone, Chief Revenue Officer Jason Zvatora, Group CFO Woo Mun Hoo, Group Vice President of Marketing Samantha Llewellyn, and Regional Vice President for ANZ Operations Alex Bill ing, fielding questions from the floor.

Jason Zvatora and Claire Coyle leading the Show Me the $$ session

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WHAT’S NEXT OCTOBER 2019

Wider leadership team converged in Melbourne for the Next Story Group Leadership Conference

Guest Speaker Christy Tania, F&B Consultant and MasterChef Australia judge, delivering her take on the Future of Food & Beverage

Next Story Group Leadership Conference 2019 - Shaping the Future

WHAT’S NEXT

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OCTOBER 2019

Next Story Group’s superstars did us proud at the 2019 HM Awards for Hotel and Accommodation Excellence in Sydney on September 6.

Next Story Group was highly commended in the following categories:

• Tech Hotel – Next Hotel Brisbane• Human Resources Associate – Rosie McCartney,

ANZ, Next Story Group

Four commendations at the HM Awards

Front Office Team Leader Kimbley Watkins and Guest Service Agent Jack Taylor of Sage Hotel

Wollongong went above and beyond to help a guest through a difficult time.

Stephanie Ferraro’s daughter was two weeks into her semester at the University of Wollongong when an inflamed appendix landed her in hospital. Stephanie flew from New York to Wollongong to look after her daughter. It was a frightening and stressful time that was made easier by the genuinecare and concern from Kimbley and Jack.

In Stephanie’s email to the hotel’s General Manager Nathan Dean, she remarked that Kimbley and Jack deserve all the praise in the world for their work ethic, kindness, patience and helpfulness. They answered all her questions and constantly provided reassurance. Jack even let her use his travel card so that she could get around town more easily.

Well done, Jack and Kimbley!

Heartfelt gratitude toJack and Kimbley

• Front Office Associate – Kimbley Watkins, Sage Hotel Wollongong

• Hotel Engineer – John Harrison, Sage Hotel Melbourne, Ringwood

The prestigious HM Awards are the leading awards for the accommodation industry in Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific region. More than 960 people attended this year’s event.

Get Fit:Simon’s Health Tips

Fitness enthusiast and General Manager of Kafnu Alexandria Simon Hall shares his expertise:

• Your core is much more than a six-pack of muscles hiding beneath your gut. It is a system of muscles that wraps around your entire torso, stabilizing your body, protecting your spine from injury and keeping you upright.

• Fire up these muscles before every exercise session. This will help keep your back healthy and improve your balance.

• The added bonus of isometric exercise for your middle is that the muscles hidden underneath will soon reveal themselves for all to see!

*If you have any medical condition or injury, consult a medical professional before doing any exercise.

Justin McConnell appointed to college board

General Manager for Adelaide Justin McConnell has been appointed to the Academic Board of the International College of Hotel Management in Adelaide.

An alumnus of the college, Justin graduated in 1996 and has since been contributing to his alma mater as a guest speaker and a member of their Graduates in Industry Council.

He said, “It is such an honour for me, especially as I am the first graduate of the school to be invitedto join its Academic Board.”

Congratulations, Justin!

WHAT’S NEXT OCTOBER 2019

Design pow wow

Kafnu Bengaluru becomes a focal point for design every month when Kafnu members Jay Dutta and Narayan Gopalan, the co-founders and curators of Design Up Salon, gather designers and individualskeen on design for a conversation over breakfast.

The discussions are centred around design and covered a wide range of topics, from technology in textiles, sustainable production methods, 3-D printed garments and the death of fashion, to creative confidence, the role of research and learning from different cultures.

Each session attracts 15 to 20 attendees who walk away with fresh perspectives, a full belly and a good idea of what Kafnu membership can do for their professional networks and their businesses.

Champions on and off the pitch

Kiridara Luang Prabang staff are adept at earning five-star reviews for their superb hospitality and just as good at scoring goals on the soccer pitch.

Their latest trophy is for winning the Luang Prabang Hospitality Football Tournament. Organised by the Luang Prabang Hotels Association, the fiercely contested annual tournament had 16 teams angling for bragging rights this year.

Congratulations, Kiridara Luang Prabang for coming up on top! The win is testament to your dedication and excellent teamwork.

Sage Hotel Adelaide held a special morning tea for F&B Attendant Vinoshan Ganeshan and Pravin Vallikadu from F&B/Maintenance who celebrate five years of service. Congratulations!

Vinoshan Ganeshan Pravin Vallikadu

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Meet Christos, our new Assistant Manager at Kafnu Taipei

A warm welcome to our new colleagues:

LinQ Hotel Melbourne Southbank• Gaetano Scollo, Maintenance Handyperson• Alexander Lawrence, Host• Laurine Gubinelli , Host• Maddison Bristow, Host• Florine van Grimbergen, Host• Saba Valizadeh, Bartender• Feny Belinda, Breakfast Chef• Stuart Buttigieg, Commis Chef• Sean Lyons, Night Auditor

Next Hotel Brisbane• Jake Toulson, Front Office Team Leader

Sydney Corporate Office• Kevin Doo, Distribution Agent

Kafnu Taipei• Gwen Su, Events Manager

Kafnu Ho Chi Minh City• Nguyen Ngoc Hong Anh, Community Associate

Careers at Next Story Group

Check out these latest career opportunities:

Melbourne/Sydney• Area Revenue Manager

Kafnu Alexandria• Community Manager

For more information or to apply, reach us at careers@nextstory.com.

Promotions

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Christos Sarantidis joined Kafnu Taipei as Assistant Manager on August 15.

My key responsibilities are to liaise with the functional teams and work with the Operation Manager in executing our business strategy to meet our goals, both short and long-term.

I had the good fortune to be raised by parents who understood the importance of higher education. After I completed high school, they encouraged me to move to the United Kingdom to pursue further studies. Now I have a bachelor degree in Business Management from the University of Wales, Lampeter, and a master of science degree in International Management from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth.

In my previous roles, I worked as an English language instructor in Taipei, teaching primary and secondary school students, as well as young adults who were preparing to study abroad. I was also a sales consultant and coached the sales teams of companies such as Zara and TDCC. Prior to that, I served in the Greek Military Air Force for a year.

I can speak English, Greek and Chinese. When I arrived in Taiwan in May 2008, one of the first thingsI did was to enroll for Chinese language classes.

When I am not working, I work out. Going to the gym is my passion and I cannot overstate the importance of the lessons I have learnt in the gym, lessons in self discipline and self motivation, lessons that I intend to fully use at Kafnu Taipei.

WHAT’S NEXT OCTOBER 2019

Paul Will iams has been appointed Procurement Officer of Next Hotel Brisbane. He joined the team in August 2018 and has since been delivering excellent service and demonstrating a strong work ethic and a sense of

integrity. Before his new role, Paul was the hotel’s Concierge and guests would send him Thank-You gifts and post five-star reviews online. One guest recently described him as ‘awesome’ and praised his thoughtfulness and kindness. Paul has a wealth of experience and was previously Duty Manager of Treasury Casino & Hotel, where he spent 19 years.

Shelly Chan has been appointed Event Coordinator at Next Hotel Brisbane. She joined the team in May 2017 as a Reservations Agent. Prior to that, she was an Event Coordinator at variousorganisations, Sales Manager for Kazazz, Carindale and

Pandora, and Counter Manager for Myer. Shelly has a degree in International Hotel and Tourism Management from the University of Queensland and a diploma in Events Management from Southbank Institution of Technology.

Kafnu Taipei• Chen Hou-Ron, Sales Manager• Wang Hong, Facility Manager• Yang Chia-Yi, F&B Manager

New appointments

Employee Spotlight: Belinda Nuske, Business Development Manager, Next Hotel Brisbane

The Riva Surya Bangkok team celebrated their hotel’s 7th anniversary in September with a gathering that doubled as an office party for all Bangkok staff, including the team from Riva Arun Bangkok.

As part of the fanfare to mark the anniversary, all Riva Surya Bangkok team members also gamely participated in a tongue-in-cheek video that showcased their incredibly individualistic dance moves as they went about their daily work.

Congratulations Riva Surya Bangkok! Thank you for seven years of great hospitality.

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WHAT’S NEXT OCTOBER 2019

Riva Surya Bangkok turns 7!

This is my third stint with Next Story Group. I started with the Sales team at Chifley at Lennons, then worked with the pre-opening team at Next Hotel Brisbane, and now I am back with Sales again. It is lovely to be part of a team that is passionate about the hotel they sell and also great to be back in a familiar environment.

I focus on developing new business and managing existing accounts. I review businesses that may have accommodation requirements, contact them to assess their requirements and negotiate to have Next Hotel Brisbane as their preferred hotel. Landing a new account is really motivating!

I love forming great relationships with clients, where they trust me to provide excellent service. Ithas been fantastic for me to see that familiar client names from years ago are stil l l isted as our clients. I think that it boils down to managing the accounts well and ensuring that they are happy with our hotel and service.

In my free time, I volunteer as a committee member for Kenmore Bears Junior AFL. I also enjoy travelling. My most recent holiday in Queenstown was a blast as it was our first trip there with our children, who enjoyed the outdoor activities.

I have lived in various cities but I consider Magnetic Island in North Queensland my real home because it is where I grew up, immersed in my family’s businesses, which all involved the beach, the water and boats.Welcome to the world

Guest Service Agent Basant Khati from Sage Hotel West Perth and his wife Adipa welcomed their son Reyansh in August.

Berta Ciantar, Manager of Julio’s Italian Restaurant at Sage Hotel West Perth, and her husband Michael welcomed their baby, Samuel, in September.

Next Hotel Brisbane’s Executive Chef Cobey Davies and his partner Jayne welcomed their first child, Harvey, on August 28.

Commis Chef Onchane Phiengsavanh from Chef’s Table Restaurant at Kiridara Luang Prabang gave birth to her first child, a boy named Saensouk Maneevhan, on August 22.

Riva Surya Bangkok

We look forward to hearing all about your triumphs and your team’s significant events and achievements. Send your stories and photos to: news@nextstory.com

Submission deadline for the next issue: 15th October 2019

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Next Hotel Brisbane staff supported ‘R U OK? Day’ by donning the signature bright yellow T-shirts and organising a yoga class.

Yiru Shin, Manager of Distribution & Revenue Systems, who is also a professional yoga teacher, ledhis colleagues through some basic moves. He said, “Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured. It allows us to

rediscover a sense of wholeness and feel less l ike we are constantly trying to fit broken pieces together.”

The calming practice aligns with ‘R U OK? Day’, an annual event that Australia-based suicide prevention charity organisation RUOK spearheads to remind everyone that having meaningful conversations with friends and loved ones could save lives.

R U OK?

Yiru Shin, Manager – Distribution & Revenue Systems, leading the yoga class at Next Hotel Brisbane

OCTOBER 2019

The front of house team, including F&B Attendants Annalise Azevedo and Nicola Hurrell, wore the ‘R U Okay?’ T-shirts in a show of support

Pravin Vallikadu from Sage Hotel Adelaide’s F&B/Maintenance team tied the knot with Sushmitha in Adelaide and they had their wedding celebrations in Chennai for 300 guests. The couple met at Flinders University and have been together since 2014.

Welcoming some of the latest additions to the Next Story Group family at a Friday team get-together at Amoy Street in Singapore.