Hutton out of running for Coast Tourism job
ONE of the leading candidates for Gold Coast Tourism’s top job is moving to Sydney to work for a rival tourism and events organisation.
Destination Gold Coast chief marketing officer Jan Hutton has resigned to take up a position with Destination NSW in Sydney.
Ms Hutton was widely considered one of the leading contenders to replace departing Destination Gold Coast CEO Martin Winter.
She will take up her new position with Destination NSW in June.
Gold Coast Tourism launched an international search for a successor to longtime CEO Mr Winter after he notified the board he planned to resign following the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
The tourist body was flooded with almost 200 applications for the coveted role from industry professionals around the world, including a strong field of leading local tourism figures.
The applicants were whittled down to 30 before an impressive shortlist of 10 candidates – including Ms Hutton – was compiled for a final round of interviews.
The shortlist also included three well-known locals widely considered the frontrunners to succeed Mr Winter – Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre boss Adrienne Readings and Ardent Leisure chief executive of theme parks Craig Davidson, both of whom currently serve on the GCT board, and former GCT staffer Ben Pole.
GCT chairman Paul Donovan is expected to announce Mr Winter’s replacement in June.