Jessica home as Star eyes equality
THE Gold Coast skyline is not the only thing that has been transformed in the three years Jessica Mellor has been away.
The 33-year-old returned “home” this week to take up a new role – general manager of The Star Gold Coast’s hotel, food and beverage and events department.
“I love being back on the Coast and back in the lifestyle,” she said. “I really feel like the Coast is my home – my family lives here and its nice to have such an amazing opportunity in my home town.”
The Bond University graduate returns as one of the city’s many success stories, forging an accomplished career quickly – most recently working as the first female chief executive officer at the ASX-listed Aquis Entertainment, which managed Casino Canberra.
Now, as the youngest and one of the most senior executives at The Star, Ms Mellor said she was focused on bolstering the number of women in management positions.
“We’re striving for a target of 50 per cent of Star management to be women in the future so I’m really proud to be a part of that. I’ve always worked in really male-dominated environments. I started in construction and so I think very early in my career I was forced to take on the issue of how do you get ahead in a male-dominated world.
“It’s because I’ve been so fortunate to have broken through that I really feel a responsibility to help other woman also break through the mental barrier and get the confidence to go for it.”
The Star Entertainment Group is leading the way in the gaming industry with females making up 35 per cent of its leaders across the company, 13.5 per cent higher than average.
While the Gold Coast lifestyle is the same as she remembers, the city itself has surged with a number of new buildings and attractions, partly thanks to her new employer.
While debate continues around a second casino for the Coast, Ms Mellor said she was more focused on what was happening inside.
“I tend to try and stay out of the noise of all those issues and really focus on what we’re here to deliver and an amazing experience for our guests … that outside world is outside of my scope.”