Trudy Crooks is Managing Director of ResortBrokers, a role she has held since 2019 after serving as National Sales Manager from 2011. She has led the family business’ national expansion to more than 30 brokers across every state and territory, delivering major growth in sales. A highly regarded leader in accommodation property, Trudy has transacted approximately $400 million in assets and advises on major hotel deals nationwide.
Hotel Developer Summit
Australia's premier conference for property developers, investors, consultants and operators in the hotel sector.
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About the event
The Hotel Developer Summit brings together Australia’s leading developers, investors, operators and advisers for a one-day deep dive into the forces shaping the nation’s hotel property sector.
Strong demand and constrained supply are driving hotel performance, but funding, risk and timing remain key considerations.
So, where are the real opportunities emerging? Is 2026 the year to build, buy, sell or hold? And how are leading hotel players positioning their portfolios for the next phase of the cycle?
Delivered by The Urban Developer in partnership with Gatehouse Hospitality, this conference brings together data, market insights, case studies and candid discussions focused on hotel investment, development and operations – now and into the future.
Details
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
Saltbox, Sydney | 8.30 am – 3.30 pm AEDT
300 + C-Suite Professionals
Non-Members: $595 + GST
TUD+ Members: $475 + GST
Speakers
IN CONVERSATION
Paul Salter
Managing Director
SALTER BROTHERS
Paul co-founded Salter Brothers in 2014 with his brother Robert Salter.
He is Managing Director of Salter Brothers, as well as a Director on the Salter Brothers Hotel Group and Salter Brothers Asset Management Boards. He leads the company’s mergers and acquisitions practice and has been involved in most of the capital raising and investments undertaken by the group.
INVESTMENT & DEVELOPMENT
Antony Ritch
Chief Executive Officer
TFE HOTELS
Antony Ritch is the Chief Executive Officer of TFE Hotels, an international hotel and hospitality group based in Sydney, Australia with more than 80 hotels across eight countries. His global career spans over 30 years with Westfield Corporation, where he undertook a diverse range of senior roles across Australia, the USA, and the UK. Antony Ritch has worked at the forefront of creating unique customer destinations, bringing together physical environments, technology, and people to create better customer experiences.
BRANDING & DEVELOPMENT
Letitia Vitale
Director
VITALE PROPERTY GROUP
Letitia Vitale is a driving force behind Vitale Property Group, delivering market-defining residential, mixed-use, and hospitality projects with precision. With over 20 years of experience, she blends commercial strategy with operational excellence. Letitia played a pivotal role in the development and delivery of The Mondrian Gold Coast, one of Australia’s most anticipated hotels. She leads with instinct, shaping projects that outperform through design, experience-led partnerships, and long-term asset control—ensuring every development is built to lead.
INVESTMENT & DEVELOPMENT
Sam McVay
Managing Director
MCVAY REAL ESTATE
Sam is a prominent figure in the Australian real estate industry, serving as the Managing Director of McVay Real Estate (MRE), based in Sydney.
Since 2010 Sam has transacted in excess of $14 Billion dollars in Australian and New Zealand commercial real estate across Retail, Hospitality, Office and Alternative Sectors and has represented global clients including Blackstone, Blackrock, KKR, Lend Lease, Morgan Stanley, PAG and Westfield. Under Sam’s leadership, MRE has handled numerous high-profile and complex deals, making it the premier agency in the commercial real estate sector in Asia Pacific.
INVESTMENT & DEVELOPMENT
Paul Fischmann
Owner
8HOTELS
Paul Fischmann is a hotel developer, investor, and founder of 8Hotels, an Australian boutique hotel group that has owned and operated more than 25 hotels across Australia and international markets over the past 20 years. With a background spanning site acquisition, adaptive reuse, design-led development, and hands-on operations, Paul has worked across city-fringe, urban infill, and lifestyle destinations. He is currently involved in several accommodation and hospitality-adjacent developments and service-platform businesses supporting the urban accommodation sector. Paul brings a practical, owner operator-informed perspective to urban development, with a strong focus on design, feasibility, and long-term asset performance.
DELIVERY, ADVISORY & OPERATIONS
Trudy Crooks
Managing Director
RESORTBROKERS
DEVELOPMENT & PARTNERSHIP MODELS
Ross Pelligra
Chairman
PELLIGRA
Ross Pelligra is Chairman of Pelligra Group, a major Australian developer with a strong focus on hotel and hospitality assets. Pelligra’s portfolio includes Crowne Plaza Adelaide, Crowne Plaza Carlton, and Holiday Inn Melbourne Airport, plus Mariner Cove Queensland, and the upcoming Ritz-Carlton and Hotel Indigo Richmond projects.
INVESTMENTS & TRANSACTIONS
Ivy Cheng
Director, Investment & Business Development
CAPITALAND AUSTRALIA
Ivy is Director, Investment & Business Development at CapitaLand, supporting lodging and living investment strategies across Australia. She leads origination and end-to-end transactions across hotels, serviced residences, co-living and student accommodation, including deal sourcing and underwriting. Ivy has 18+ years’ experience and holds finance degrees from UNSW and Fudan University. She is a CFA charterholder.
DELIVERY, ADVISORY & OPERATIONS
Arnaud Millecamps
Founder and Managing Director
GATEHOUSE HOSPITALITY
Arnaud Millécamps is group managing director of Gatehouse Hospitality, one of Asia-Pacific leading integrated hospitality advisory and asset management firms with offices in Melbourne, Sydney and Tokyo.
Based in Sydney, Arnaud has advised owners and investors of new hotel developments and asset acquisitions in Australia, South East Asia and the Americas.
SUPPLY & DEMAND & MARKETS
Karen Wales
Head of Hotels, Australia
COLLIERS
Karen Wales is the Head of Hotels, Transaction Services at Colliers. Karen brings more than 20 years’ experience in the Hotel sector, specialising in hotel transactions, operator selection, and the provision of consulting services to owners, operators, and government. Since joining Colliers Karen has been involved in over $1 billion worth of hotel sales and provided strategic consultancy advice to more than 30 clients. Her in-depth knowledge of the hotel industry and extensive relationships with on and offshore clients, enables her to provide the best outcome for her clients.
PARTNERSHIP MODELS
Nigel Greenaway
Chief Financial Officer
CRYSTALBROOK COLLECTION
Nigel Greenaway joined Crystalbrook Collection in early 2022 as the CFO, tasked with the continual growth the Crystalbrook portfolio in Australia. Nigel has a wealth of knowledge and experience in finance with an impressive track record in hotel investment, asset management, strategic financial planning, hotel operations, risk management and a raft of strong sector relationships.
Prior to Crystalbrook, Nigel was National Director Hotels Asia Pacific with Colliers International. He has also held roles in hotel operations, accounting and property investment management with Colonial First State Property, Eureka Funds Management and Southern Pacific Hotel Corporation (now IHG).
MARKET OUTLOOK & TRENDS
Matthew Burke
Regional Manager Pacific
STR
Matthew Burke is Regional Director – APAC ex China. He has 20 years of experience in hospitality originating from an operations and revenue management background.
With a passion for analysis of the hospitality industry he works to increase the engagement in hospitality data intelligence and clarify the decision making for hospitality, research and investment companies across the
regions. Matthew frequently presents the latest trends and updates at industry events in the region.
STR, a CoStar Group company track supply and performance data for the hotel industry and provide valuable market share analysis for global hotel and investment companies and agencies across the globe.
PROJECT DELIVERY
James Aspinall
Senior Development Manager
TOGA
James is an accomplished Senior Development Manager at TOGA Group, where he oversees complex, high-profile mixed-use and hotel developments. With over 15 years of experience across the full project lifecycle. James brings a comprehensive perspective to the challenges of modern urban development. Currently, James is a driving force behind The Kirk redevelopment and the Adina Crown Street Extension projects. His expertise in hotel development is particularly highlighted by his leadership in the planning and delivery of The Eve Hotel.
ADVISORY AND RISK
Stephen Cooper
General Manager – Property & Casualty
LOCKTON
Stephen is Lockton’s General Manager of Property & Casualty in Australia, with almost 20 years’ experience advising commercial property investors and developers on insurance and risk strategy. Drawing on global experience across London, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand, he specialises in protecting complex assets through acquisition due diligence, operating agreements and funding structures—helping hotel owners manage risk across the full investment lifecycle.
Key themes
- Hotel market performance and demand outlook
- Investment activity and where capital is moving
- Build vs. buy decisions in a high-cost environment
- Funding & operating models and risk management
- Owner / operator perspectives on portfolio strategy
- Brand partnerships and experiential hotels
- Leading groups’ perspectives for the next cycle
Attendees will receive
- Clarity on hotel market performance
- Insight into build, buy and hold decisions
- A view on capital and opportunity
- Real hotel development case studies
- Access to senior hotel leaders
Download Program
You can view the full program via the link below.
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