Destination NSW appoints Christine McLoughlin as new Chair

Christine McLoughlin has been appointed as Destination NSW’s new Chair to lead visitor economy recovery with NSW Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney, Stuart Ayres thanking outgoing Chair John Warn for his service.

McLoughlin is considered to be one of Australia’s most highly regarded company directors and an accomplished business leader, having held various domestic and international executive positions in a range of industries spanning the corporate, government and not for profit spheres.

McLoughlin’s other directorship experience includes current Chairman of Suncorp Group, Director of Venues NSW, Director of Cochlear Limited, Chancellor of the University of Wollongong, Director of the McGrath Foundation and Chairman and Cofounder of the Minerva Network.

Minister Ayres said McLoughlin’s extensive professional and governance experience made her the ideal candidate to lead the recovery and growth of the NSW visitor economy.

“NSW is well positioned to not only recover from the combined impacts of drought, bushfires and COVID-19 in the short term, but also for our visitor economy to thrive over the next 10 years.

“Strong leadership will be needed to implement our blueprint, the Visitor Economy Strategy 2030, and align the efforts of government and industry to achieve our vision for NSW to be the premier visitor economy of the Asia Pacific.

“Christine has proven strategic skills and expertise in governance, complex stakeholder engagement and innovation, which will be invaluable to support Destination NSW during this first phase of recovery and beyond.

Minister Ayres added “Christine has extensive board experience and has demonstrated leadership through her many professional and personal activities spanning financial services, telecommunications, resources, health insurance, sports and entertainment and infrastructure.”

John Warn decided to step down from the Board after two-and-a-half years as Chair to take up a senior executive role at Accor.

Minister Ayres  highlighted “the strength of John’s leadership has been especially evident over the past 12 months. He has steered the organisation through the most challenging of times – unquestionably the most turbulent period of Destination NSW’s history – to ensure that it maintained a laser focus on providing support to stakeholders and delivering programs that drove a recovery agenda.

“On behalf of the NSW Government, I would like to thank him for his tireless commitment to growing the visitor economy, to the development of the Visitor Economy Strategy and his stewardship of Destination NSW.”