Hamilton Island Executive Team

Hamilton Island is much more than a great place to work – it’s an amazing career opportunity. See how our staff are continuing to grow in an environment that recognises ability and ambition.

Nick Dowling 
CEO Hamilton Island

Nick is Group CEO of Balmoral Australia, the Oatley family business, and CEO of Hamilton Island Enterprises. He brings more than 30 years of leadership experience across business, investment, and strategy. Nick oversees all of Balmorals operations including Hamilton Island.  
 
At Hamilton Island, Nick has overseen the 2025 opening of The Sundays resort and Catseye Pool Club, the rejuvenation of the main Resort Centre, a significant brand refresh and marketing uplift, reinvigoration of food & beverage and guest activity programs, and a focus on positioning Hamilton Island for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games. Nick’s passion lies in developing the Group’s people, businesses, and investments.  
 
Before joining Balmoral, Nick was Managing Director and CEO of New Hope Australia, where he built and oversaw five businesses and multiple strategic partnerships. He previously served as inaugural CEO of UBS Grocon—an Australian real estate investment and asset management company owned by UBS AG and Grocon—and as a Managing Director of UBS Australia. Earlier in his career, Nick spent +20 years in investment banking across Australia, New Zealand, and Asia with Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, and Morgan Stanley.  
 
In his own time, Nick enjoys competing in endurance events such as the Hamilton Island Triathlon and exploring the island’s nature trail

Mitchell Murphy 
Chief Operating Officer

Mitchell leads Hamilton Island’s day-to-day operations and supports the CEO on strategy, with a focus on safety, guest experience, people, and sustainable growth. He commenced as COO in March 2025 and leads a workforce of approximately 1,500 people. Prior to this, he was General Manager of Hunter’s Hill Council in Sydney, complementing extensive private-sector leadership. Earlier, he spent a decade in senior executive roles at Fairfax Media across Australia and New Zealand and served as CEO for teams in both the A-League and NBL national competitions. He holds an MBA and a Public Leadership Credential from Harvard, has studied finance at the University of Oxford, and has held board positions across sport, education, and agriculture.

Michelle Turner-White 
General Counsel and Company Secretary

Michelle leads Hamilton Island’s legal, compliance, risk, safety and sustainability functions, overseeing governance across the island’s operations and asset base. She joined Hamilton Island in 2024, bringing more than two decades of international and Australian experience as a lawyer, risk manager and executive leader.

She began her legal career at Ashurst in London, specialising in M&A, property, infrastructure, environment, health and safety, and human rights. She then spent almost 20 years with General Electric (GE) in senior roles across GE Capital and GE Corporation, including Global Legal Counsel, Global Corporate Ombudsman, head of GE Real Estate Legal and leader of GE’s Global Ethical Supply Chain Program, and helped steer GE’s transformation into three NASDAQ-listed companies.

Michelle is an Independent Director for an Igneo Infrastructure Fund and for Newcastle Grammar School, contributing through Audit, Risk & Compliance and Corporate Governance Committees, and mentors aspiring female leaders through Mentor Walks Australia.

Admitted to practise in New South Wales and the United Kingdom, Michelle holds the INSEAD International Director and Governance Qualification and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She lives in Newcastle, NSW, with her husband and three teenage boys.

Bruce Nolte 
Chief Information Officer

Bruce leads Hamilton Island’s technology function, overseeing the strategy and delivery of all IT services to ensure the systems that underpin island operations remain secure, reliable, and future-ready. He is currently guiding a multi-year technology transformation and capability uplift to support the island’s next phase of growth. 

Previously CIO at Levande Pty Ltd, Bruce led a private-equity-backed carve-out of Stockland’s retirement living business, establishing a greenfield technology landscape and a fully operational IT capability within 12 months before partnering with the Executive Leadership Team to deliver a comprehensive business and technology transformation. Earlier, as CIO at Hungry Jack’s Pty Ltd, he was responsible for the IT strategic roadmap and delivered a multi-million-dollar program that modernised the application suite, introduced an enterprise Digital and CRM platform, established an Advanced Analytics capability, and upgraded the national network across nearly 400 restaurants. 

Bruce holds multiple business and technical qualifications from South Africa and Australia. He relocated from South Africa in 2008 with his wife and two Staffordshire Terriers, and outside work enjoys motorcycling, trekking —including summiting Mount Kilimanjaro and hiking to Everest Base Camp — and exploring the Australian bush in a 4×4 camper trailer. 

Robin Stewart 
General Manager, Finance

Robin has served as General Manager, Finance since November 2021 and brings more than 30 years’ experience in finance, including over 25 years with Hamilton Island Enterprises. He leads the company’s financial strategy, overseeing profit and loss, budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and EBITDA accountability. 

Robin partners closely with the Executive Leadership Team to shape organisational strategy and ensures finance is embedded in every business unit to deliver strong commercial outcomes. He also oversees compliance with statutory obligations, including tax and audit, and drives cash flow performance through effective collection, supplier payment, and reconciliation processes. 

Before joining Hamilton Island Enterprises, Robin worked in local government, where he was instrumental in implementing Technology One products. His expertise led him to HIE, where he rolled out purchasing, asset management, and accounts receivable modules and designed a suite of financial and non-financial reports that continue to support business decision-making. 

Robin holds a bachelor’s degree in business and has been a CPA member since 2008. His wife is very patient with him during the NRL season whilst he potters over his fantasy football team. 

Matt Boileau 
General Manager, Hotels and Resorts

Matt is General Manager, Hotels and Resorts at Hamilton Island and a member of the Executive Leadership Team. A seasoned hospitality executive with more than three decades’ experience, he leads the island’s full accommodation portfolio, setting the strategic direction for hotel operations, guest experience, service culture, and team capability across a multi-property, high-volume environment. 

He oversees operations across the island’s hotels and resorts, including boutique hotel The Sundays, as well as staff accommodation and guest experience across all properties, including the world-renowned luxury resort qualia. Matt’s operational discipline and destination expertise have been shaped by senior leadership roles across iconic Australian resorts, including Uluru – Ayers Rock Resort. 

Recognised for his collaborative leadership style and deep understanding of resort operations, Matt consistently drives strong occupancy, profitability, and guest satisfaction outcomes. A long-standing contributor to regional tourism, he has served on the Board of Tourism Whitsundays for seven years, including two years as Chair, advancing industry partnerships and destination growth. 

Having lived on Hamilton Island for more than 25 years with his wife and two children, Matt is passionate about hospitality, mentoring future industry leaders, and creating lifelong memories for guests connected to Hamilton Island, the Whitsundays, and the Great Barrier Reef. He champions positive, diverse team cultures that reflect the warmth and spirit of the region. 

Michael Branagh 
General Manager, Sales & Marketing

Michael leads Hamilton Island’s brand, marketing, sales, and revenue strategy, driving growth through creativity, innovation, and strategic partnerships. An accomplished commercial and marketing executive with more than two decades of leadership experience across tourism, media, advertising, and corporate sectors, he is widely regarded as one of Australia’s leading marketing executives with deep expertise in destination marketing, brand building, and digital transformation. 

Before joining Hamilton Island, Michael was Group Executive - Global Marketing at Tourism and Events Queensland, where he led the destination’s growth strategy, global network, partnerships, and digital transformation initiatives. Earlier roles at Suncorp Group, Nine Entertainment Co., and leading agencies included work on the globally celebrated “Best Job in the World” campaign for Tourism Queensland. 

He is a Director of Luxury Lodges of Australia and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Michael is known for his creative energy, collaborative leadership, and commitment to growing tourism. 

Christopher (Chris) Woodyard 
General Manager, Food and Beverage

Chris leads Hamilton Island’s food and beverage portfolio, bringing more than three decades of international hospitality experience and a guest-first approach with disciplined delivery against commercial goals. He joined Hamilton Island Enterprises in September 2024 and oversees culinary strategy, venue performance, and team development across a diverse, high-volume operation. 

An entrepreneur and co-founder of more than ten restaurant concepts, Chris grew Woolly Pig HK to eight locations with combined annual revenue of more than AUD $12 million and around 200 staff. Earlier in his career, he held corporate leadership roles including a key launch position for the first W Hotel in Hong Kong, and led teams across Michelin-rated and five-star manor houses and hotels in Europe. He has been consistently recognised in food and wine, earning one hat for his first owner-chef restaurant in Sydney at age 27. 

Over his career, Chris has held roles as Company Director, COO, and Culinary Director, and is known for pairing creative hospitality with operational rigour. He is married, with two third-culture teens in Hong Kong and Brisbane. 

Jeanette Harris 
Director of Property and Marina

Jeanette leads Hamilton Island’s Property and Marina portfolio, overseeing Hamilton Island Real Estate, Holiday Homes, the Marina and Water Activities. Since joining Hamilton Island Enterprises in 2013, she has held senior roles including Staff Accommodation Manager, General Manager of Holiday Homes and Marina Manager, where she introduced new systems and processes that improved efficiency and increased revenue across multiple portfolios.

With a career spanning both land and sea, Jeanette’s background includes senior management at Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi, where she welcomed some of the world’s largest superyachts during the Formula One Grand Prix, managing Mirage Whitsundays Resort, and years crewing aboard superyachts in the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Pacific. This diverse experience has given her a deep understanding of luxury marine operations, leadership and guest service excellence.

Jeanette is recognised for her collaborative and transformational leadership style, building strong teams, stakeholder relationships and positive organisational culture. She holds a BSc and BA from the University of Auckland, a Queensland Real Estate Licence and is the Principal Licensee for Hamilton Island Real Estate. Married with twin boys, she is passionate about sailing and travel, serves on industry associations, and remains closely connected to Australia’s marine tourism community.

Andy Trigg 
General Manager, Engineering and Infrastructure

Andy leads Hamilton Island’s engineering and infrastructure portfolio, delivering safe, resilient, guest-ready assets across a complex island environment. Since returning in 2006, he has overseen major upgrades and recovery works, embedded preventative maintenance and compliance programs, and partnered across operations to support peak seasonal demand. 

Between 2000 and 2006 he held senior international roles, including Director of Engineering in Phuket (where he led post-tsunami remediation for 18 months), Director of Engineering in Abu Dhabi (UAE), and two summer seasons at an Australian research base in Antarctica. He began his Hamilton Island career in 1994, spending six years in the Services team within the Engineering & Services division. 

Outside work, Andy is passionate about all sports, competing in many triathlons in his past life, but more prefers fishing these days.  

Carissa Ward 
Director of Events and Activities

Carissa leads land-based guest experiences across Hamilton Island, from world-class events and weddings to spa, golf, and island adventure activities. Her role brings together creativity, operations, and strategy to deliver seamless, memorable experiences that showcase the very best of Hamilton Island and the Whitsundays. 

Over more than 20 years, Carissa has helped elevate the island’s reputation for delivering major conferences, celebrity activations, Hamilton Island Race Week, and pas de deux in paradise—a biannual collaboration with The Australian Ballet at qualia. Before joining Hamilton Island, she worked on the landmark Millennium Sounds of Silence event at Ayers Rock (Uluru) and spent several successful years in the Hunter Valley curating bespoke experiences. 

Beyond her professional achievements, Carissa counts raising her family on Hamilton Island among her proudest milestones, a reflection of her connection to the island community and its lifestyle. A collaborative and calm leader under pressure, she mentors emerging talent across hospitality and events and holds a Bachelor of Business (Tourism) from Southern Cross University. 

Paul Watson 
General Manager, Aviation & Integrated Services

Paul leads Hamilton Island’s Aviation & Integrated Services, overseeing airport operations, island transport, security, fire and rescue, logistics, and essential services that keep the island running safely and efficiently. He joined Hamilton Island in 2009 as Airport & Island Transport Manager and advanced to his current role, through his  long-standing commitment to safety, compliance, and exceptional guest experience. 

Before joining Hamilton Island, Paul held senior airport leadership roles at Sunshine Coast Airport, including Airport Compliance Manager and Airport Operations Manager. Earlier in his career, Paul joined the Department of the Treasury in Canberra, liaising with the Department of Finance and Administration on the Federal Budget and budget papers. 

Paul currently serves as Deputy Chair of the Australian Airports Association Queensland, having previously served as Chair and as a Director of the Australian Airports Association. With a dedicated team of around 150 employees, he manages partnerships with Queensland Police, Ambulance, and Fire & Emergency Services, as well as the local Disaster Management Group. Hamilton Island Airport now serves more than 500,000 passengers annually and is recognised among Australia’s top regional airports. 

Jodi McDonald 
Director of Planning and Development

Jodi oversees Hamilton Island’s capital expenditure program, planning and development functions, and a portfolio of business development projects and strategic initiatives. She also leads project control and governance reporting for all major capital projects, ensuring strong cross-functional collaboration and consistent, professional oversight. Her role is integral to shaping the island’s long-term growth and ensuring major developments align with commercial imperatives as well as environmental and community values.   

Jodi commenced her early career in accounting and taxation before expanding into broader business and financial management roles. Over her tenure with Hamilton Island Enterprises, she has built deep expertise across planning, development, strategic operations, and organisational governance. Key achievements include leading multimillion-dollar capital expenditure programs, driving the development of the island’s long-term master plan, and playing an instrumental role in the delivery of several major development projects—including the recent Sunday’s resort—from concept through to opening. Together, these contributions reflect a strong strategic capability and ability to guide complex initiatives from vision to execution. 
  
Jodi holds a Master of Business Administration, Graduate Certificate in Management, Certificate IV in Project Management, and an Advanced Diploma in Financial & Accounting Services. She is recognised for her resilience, professional integrity, and results-oriented approach. Her career is distinguished by a collaborative leadership style and the ability to deliver clear, strategic guidance to senior executives. Outside of work, she enjoys travel and outdoor pursuits including sports, running, hiking and camping. 

Ben Buchan 
Director of Retail and Business Partnerships 

Ben is responsible for Hamilton Island’s retail portfolio, buggy fleet, tour desk operations, and concessionaire relationships. He leads commercial strategy, guest experience innovation, and operational performance across multiple business units, supporting sustainable growth and service excellence in line with Hamilton Island’s vision and values. 

Ben brings more than 12 years’ experience across luxury resorts and large-scale tourism operations in Australia and the Pacific. At InterContinental Hayman Island Resort, he designed and launched the resort’s dedicated concierge service, Hayman Experiences, transforming the guest journey through a centralised itinerary and VIP service model. He also led new partnerships within Hayman Spa, enhancing the wellness offering and strengthening commercial outcomes. 

Prior to joining Hamilton Island, Ben held senior roles at Kokomo Private Island Fiji, where he oversaw major capital investment and refurbishment initiatives that improved long-term asset performance and guest satisfaction, as well as leadership positions at Daydream Island Resort and SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium. 

Ben holds a Bachelor of Marine Science, a Certificate IV in Training & Assessment, and is a Queensland Justice of the Peace (Qualified). He is known for a people-first leadership style focused on innovation, capability development, and delivering exceptional guest experiences. 

Nicole Walter 
General Manager, People

Nicole leads Hamilton Island’s People division, overseeing a team of HR professionals who support a workforce of approximately 1,500 employees. Based full-time on Hamilton Island, she brings more than 15 years’ experience in people strategy, transformation and operational excellence across complex, multi-site environments.

Nicole has deep expertise in employee relations, reward and recognition, organisational design and change management, with a strong track record in aligning people strategy with business performance. Since joining Hamilton Island in 2019, she has played a pivotal role in major organisational transformation, including industrial relations transitions, workforce remediation, and the redesign of the People division to strengthen partnership, compliance and engagement.

Before joining Hamilton Island, Nicole spent nearly a decade with Hallmark Cards Australia, progressing through a series of HR leadership roles. There, she led enterprise agreement negotiations, implemented digital HR systems and embedded national engagement and performance programs.

Nicole holds a Bachelor of Business (Human Resources Management) and is known for her collaborative leadership style, commercial acumen and commitment to fostering high-performing, people-centred cultures that support both employee wellbeing and organisational success.