DEAN GRIFFIN

BORN and raised in the small New Zealand town of Eltham, Dean Griffin followed his father’s career path into the local meatworks, where he learned about hard work and managing people. “I spent eight years in the meatworks — during this time I learnt life skills, I learnt respect and hard work would get you going places.” Mr Griffin worked his way up to operations supervisor there before embarking on two-anda-half years of European travel, where he discovered his love of the tourism industry. He began his career in the industry at the former Gold Coast International Hotel, now QT, where he was chief concierge before being offered the job heading up Wyndham Cruises, where he has been general manager since 2012.