This Content Is Only For Subscribers
Accor, the largest hotel operator in New Zealand, is pleased to announce the appointment of Rachael Nicholson as director, commercial – New Zealand and Fiji. Based in Auckland, Rachael joins the Group’s regional commercial leadership team.
A highly accomplished tourism executive, Rachael brings more than 20 years of international experience across the hotel, airline, and cruise industries. She has built a strong reputation in sales, customer experience, commercial leadership, and strategic transformation, having worked across New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Australia, North America, and Europe.
Most recently, Rachael served as group general manager of operations at Heritage Hotel Management, where she led the post-COVID recovery of a portfolio of 10 properties. Her leadership focused on restoring operational performance, driving revenue growth, enhancing guest satisfaction, and accelerating digital transformation.
Prior to this, Rachael spent 18 years with Air New Zealand in several senior roles. She played a key role in the airline’s pandemic response and international relaunch, including the introduction of ultra-long-haul services to Chicago and New York, the development of global sales strategies, and the management of critical international partnerships.
Rachael holds both a B.Sc. and M.Sc. (Hons) from the University of Canterbury and has contributed to academic publications including the Journal of Travel Research and Journal of Vacation Marketing. A dedicated advocate for the tourism industry, she is also a long-time mentor with the Travel Industry Mentor Experience program, supporting emerging industry talent.
Rachael joins the Accor Pacific commercial team under the leadership of Anne Gill, vice president commercial market strategy and performance – Pacific.
“Rachael brings a rare blend of strategic insight, commercial acumen, and deep industry expertise,” says Anne.
“Her appointment underscores Accor’s commitment to investing in exceptional leadership and reflects our ambitious growth plans in New Zealand and Fiji, with a continued focus on delivering strong commercial outcomes for our hotel owners.”
Reflecting on her new role, Rachael says: “The company’s scale, ambition, and commitment to excellence – from delivering outstanding guest experiences to its support for people, and its clear focus on performance – is genuinely impressive. I’ve been struck by the passion, calibre of leadership, and the depth of talent across the business. I’m looking forward to working with the industry to grow tourism and to help showcase this incredible country of ours to the world.”
The announcement follows Accor’s 2025 Pacific Leaders Conference held on the Gold Coast, which brought together more than 350 senior leaders to shape the future of hospitality across the region.
