PR and marketing

Hilton Worldwide today announced that, in support of Earth Hour 2012, all hotels in its portfolio in the Australasian region pledge to go beyond the hour initiative and offset the carbon emissions of every occupied room once a month for the rest of the year. This will be in addition to their pledge to offset carbon emissions from their guest rooms during Earth Hour on Saturday March 31, 2012.

To help out corporate travellers, many of whom are battling to decipher the impact of the upcoming Carbon Tax, all participating Hilton properties in the Australasian region will offset the carbon emissions on the second Monday of every month.

Ashley Spencer, Vice President – Operations, Australasia, said, “Earth Hour has encouraged corporations and individuals to make a commitment to go beyond the hour and to challenge others to do the same. We believe offsetting carbon once a month with help us to reach our sustainability goals and help set the bench marks for other corporations.”

“All customers who choose to stay at a Hilton in Australasia during the elected days will be notified, through information provided in their rooms, of our commitment to Earth Hour and exactly what their occupancy is doing to help the environment. The positives that will come from the amount of carbon we will be offsetting through this initiative far outweigh any financial impact that may occur,” said Mr Spencer.

As the sponsor for Earth Hour this year, Hilton Sydney recently hosted the official launch of Earth Hour 2012 at Marble Bar. To show their full support for Earth Hour, Hilton Worldwide Australasia has taken on a second key initiative in the Earth Hour campaign.

Hilton Worldwide Australasia will be taking part in Earth Hour Unplugged - a series of community based events that will not be using electricity or emitting any carbon during and even beyond the hour.

“Each individual Hilton property will be hosting their own Unplugged event during Earth Hour. Some properties will be hosting candle-lit dinners while others will be featuring local talent giving ‘unplugged’ or acoustic performances,” said Mr Spencer. 

Hilton Sydney plans to mark Earth Hour 2012 from 8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. local time on Saturday, March 31, 2012 as people and organisations around the world turn off their lights in support of action on global climate change

The hotel's signature 'Earth Hour Unplugged' event will be a free, acoustic gig at iconic live music-hub, Marble Bar with Melbourne's coolest rock and roll sextet, The Hello Morning. Heading to Sydney especially to play the one-night only acoustic set during Earth Hour, 8.30pm - 9.30pm, the candlelit gig is set to be unmissable and a spotlight Sydney event for Earth Hour 2012.

Each property will have their Unplugged event listed on the WWF-Earth Hour website.

For more information on the Carbon Offset project, visit www.hilton.com/Australasia.carbonoffset.

For more information on Hilton Worldwide’s sustainability initiatives, visit www.hiltonworldwide.com/sustainability.

For more information on Earth Hour 2012 visit http://www.wwf.org.au/earthhour/


About Hilton Worldwide
Hilton Worldwide is the leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For 93 years, Hilton Worldwide has offered business and leisure travelers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and value. The company is dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands. Its brands are comprised of more than 3,800 hotels and timeshare properties, with 630,000 rooms in 88 countries and include Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages the world-class guest reward program Hilton HHonors®. Visit www.hiltonworldwide.com for more information and connect with Hilton Worldwide at www.facebook.com/hiltonworldwide, www.twitter.com/hiltonworldwide, www.youtube.com/hiltonworldwide, www.flickr.com/hiltonworldwide and www.linkedin.com/company/hilton-worldwide.


About Earth Hour
Held each year at 8:30pm on the last Saturday in March, Earth Hour is a WWF initiative which symbolises the collective power of individuals, businesses and governments to reduce our environmental impact on this one and only planet we call home.

From its beginnings in one city in one country - Sydney - Earth Hour has grown to millions of people in over 5000 cities across 135 countries, a truly global community committed to creating a more sustainable planet.

GOLD COAST, Australia (16 November, 2011) – The Hilton Surfers Paradise complex on Queensland's Gold Coast will be officially launched tonight and is central in the revitalisation of the Hilton portfolio in Queensland and Hilton’s expansion in Australasia.

Development in the region has been an important source of expansion for Hilton over the past decade, and the revitalisation of the Hilton brand in Queensland has been a major part of the company’s growth plans.

Vice President Operations Hilton Worldwide Australasia, Ashley Spencer said, “development in Queensland has been central to our growth strategy across Australasia, our new flagship property in Surfers Paradise is the first new upper upscale international hotel to be built on the Gold Coast in over 10 years.”

While the prevailing view is that Surfers Paradise is a predominantly leisure market, the hotel has been multipurpose built with growth in business travel in mind.

The Gold Coast caters to half of the business travel expenditure in Queensland, with the new Hilton Surfers Paradise being an instrumental addition to support growth in this market.

“About half of the investment spent on business travel in Queensland is on the Gold Coast, and this is only expected to rise following the introduction of new business class flights and returning business confidence,” said Mr Spencer.

Initially the project stalled, but was re-commenced in 2009 when ANZ and Brookfield Multiplex put together a financing and development management structure that saw the recommencement of the $700 million project, including a retail complex, apartments as well as a Hilton managed hotel.

Brookfield Multiplex Australasia managing director George Kostas said the innovative, world-class design of Hilton Surfers Paradise catered for a wide range of markets.

“Hilton Surfers Paradise is one of the first projects of its kind of this scale in Australia. It’s a landmark for the Gold Coast, featuring both a dedicated hotel and residences with access to hotel services,” he said.

“We have achieved more than $430 million of apartment sales in a particularly tough market and, as a result, we believe Hilton Surfers Paradise will be a catalyst for more of this style of development across Australia, catering to visitors, residents and investors alike.

“The development was delivered ahead of time and on budget, providing two new signature towers on the Gold Coast skyline and a significant boost for its economy. It will continue to have a positive impact on the community well into the future.”

Stage one, Boulevard Tower opened last December, and the second and final stage, Orchid Tower opened this month. The 32 and 57 level properties include a signature restaurant by Luke Mangan, Salt Grill, executive lounge, fitness centre, pool and the highly anticipated eforea: Spa.

Hilton Surfers Paradise General Manager David Kelly said the complex had been specifically designed in response to the demand for more flexible and spacious holiday options in the area.

“This is an absolutely striking addition to our portfolio, with state of the art design, optimised technology and impeccable service standards for which our company is founded on,” said Mr Kelly.

Gold Coast Tourism CEO Martin Winter said the Hilton Surfers Paradise was an instant icon on the Surfers Paradise stage.

“What a spectacular addition to the famous Surfers Paradise experience, this is an iconic venue with a world class offering and a globally renowned brand right in the revitalised heart of Australia’s most popular tourist destination.”

Catering to both business and leisure travel markets, the two towers feature a combined 410 one, two and three bedroom residences, and a 169 room Hilton hotel. Purchasers of the residential apartments also have the option of placing them under the management of the Hilton.

About Hilton Surfers Paradise
Hilton Surfers Paradise is the first leisure-focused hotel and residences from Hilton Hotels & Resorts in Australia. It is also the first global upscale hotel to be built on the Gold Coast since 2000. The development consists of two spectacular curved towers rising above the city skyline, with the Boulevard Tower opening its doors to both residents and guests in late 2010 and the Orchid Tower which welcomed its first guests in September 2011. The complete project offers Hilton guests a combination of 250 one, two and three bedroom residences, and 169 guest rooms and suites.

About Hilton Hotels & Resorts
One of the most recognized names in the industry, Hilton Hotels & Resorts stands as the stylish, forward thinking global leader in hospitality. From inaugural balls and Hollywood award galas to business events and days to remember, Hilton is where the world makes history, closes the deal, toasts special occasions and gets away from it all. The flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide continues to build upon its legacy of innovation by developing products and services to meet the needs of tomorrow's savvy global travelers while more than 144,000 Team Members shape experiences in which every guest feels cared for, valued and respected. Today, the Hilton Hotels & Resorts portfolio includes more than 540 hotels in 78 countries and the brand remains synonymous with "hotel." Access the latest Hilton news at www.hiltonglobalmediacenter.com or begin your journey at www.hilton.com. Social media users can engage with Hilton at www.twitter.com/hiltononline, www.facebook.com/hilton and www.youtube.com/hilton. Hilton Hotels & Resorts is one of Hilton Worldwide’s ten market-leading brands. 

About Hilton Worldwide
Hilton Worldwide is the leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For 93 years, Hilton Worldwide has been offering business and leisure travelers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and value. The company is dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands. Its brands are comprised of more than 3,750 hotels and timeshare properties, with 615,000 rooms in 85 countries and include Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages the world-class guest reward program Hilton HHonors®. For more information about the company, visit www.HiltonWorldwide.com or connect with Hilton Worldwide at www.HiltonWorldwide.com/Media.

About Brookfield Multiplex
Brookfield Multiplex is a leader in global contracting and development management – we build, engineer and maintain property and infrastructure assets.
Delivering major projects on behalf of landowners across Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, Asia, Europe and Canada, Brookfield Multiplex is one of the few international contracting businesses that offer expertise across the entire design, development and construction life cycle of a project. 
Brookfield Multiplex was established in Australia in 1962 and over nearly five decades Brookfield Multiplex has completed more than 723 projects across the globe with a combined value of AUD$ 47.7 billion.
The Brookfield Multiplex contracting business currently has an AUD$ 8.1 billion global workbook across 38 projects spanning a variety of sectors including residential, entertainment, health, retail, commercial and education.
Brookfield Multiplex is known for its industry expertise and award-winning approach having won over 410 awards for innovation and setting standards across all sectors.

Contact:          
Charlotte Seymour
Hilton Worldwide
+61 447 710 099           
charlotte.seymour@hilton.com

CP Communications
+61 2 9922 1063
catriona@cpcommunications.com.au

Hilton Worldwide today announced the appointment of Richard Todd as Regional Director of Human Resources for Australasia. Reporting into Brendan Toomey, Vice President Human Resources for Asia Pacific, Richard will function as the key business partner in the delivery of local and corporate HR services in the Australasian region.

Richard joins Hilton Worldwide from Toga Hospitality Group where he served as Director of Human Resources for Australia and New Zealand. Over the four years in this role, Richard managed the HR strategy for the region including the growth of the human capital capability, and the implementation of a centralised HR function to support business expansion and change management.

“Richard’s strong experience implementing HR strategies, systems and processes during growth periods ensures he is a true asset to our executive team. With our developments and refurbishments across the region, Richard will focus on delivering our cultural integration program, Blue Energy, ensuring the right people are in the business for our growth plans,” said Ashley Spencer, Vice President Operations Australasia.

“He is highly experienced in managing human resources from a national and regional level, and has a solid foundation in talent acquisition, team member engagement, learning and development and retention within the hospitality sector; his expertise will benefit the Australasian executive team immediately,” said Ashley.

Throughout his nearly 20 years in human resources, Richard has demonstrated strong directorship and HR delivery across hospitality, property investment and IT sectors. Prior to Toga, Richard spent four years as Area Director of Human Resources for Hyatt International Hotels and Resorts. He has also held a number of Human Resources and Training & Development roles with Stockland Hotel Group, , Micros-Fidelio Asia Pacific and Renaissance Sydney Hotel.

“I am very excited to be joining a company that offers such amazing opportunities for team members to grow their careers, and has strategies in place to ensure the company vision is achieved  through the  measurable culture alignment and activities of the organisation ,” said Richard.

Richard has managed human resources projects internationally in Europe, Asia, New Zealand and Australia.

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About Hilton Worldwide
Hilton Worldwide is the leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For 91 years, Hilton Worldwide has been offering business and leisure travelers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and value. The company is dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands. Its brands are comprised of more than 3,600 hotels and 600,000 rooms in 81 countries and include Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Doubletree, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages the world-class guest reward program Hilton HHonors®. For more information about the company, please visit www.hiltonworldwide.com

Sydney based agency, CP Communications, has won the Hilton Worldwide account to manage PR and social media throughout Australasia.

CP Communications will be responsible for driving strategic public relations for Hilton Worldwide across Australia, New Zealand and The Pacific, as well as implementing the hotel group’s first social media strategy for the region.

Senior Manager of Corporate Communications for Hilton Worldwide, Asia Pacific, Charlotte Seymour said, “We approached CP Communications to assist us in delivering a unified social media PR strategy for the Australasian region.  We are looking forward to working with CP Communications, integrating everything from corporate communication and new hotel developments to targeting the leisure and tourism markets.”

While individual hotels will still be responsible for local media coverage and marketing, CP Communications will work closely with the corporate team to drive PR and social media opportunities from a regional level.

Director of CP Communications, Catriona Pollard said, “It’s a fantastic account for us to win as a growing agency, we are thrilled to be able to partner with such a reputable brand and are looking forward to achieving outstanding results across PR and social media channels.”

CP Communications has won a number of accounts recently including the Institute of Executive Coaching and Zintel.