SilverNeedle Appoints Russell Durnell as GM of Next Hotel Brisbane

SilverNeedle Hospitality has appointed Russell Durnell as General Manager of the Next Hotel Brisbane, the first of the group’s new flagship brand.

Russell joins SilverNeedle Hospitality with extensive national and international expertise in the pre-opening, opening and managing of award-winning hotels and resorts.

An accomplished industry leader with twenty years of experience in a diverse range of disciplines, Russell has held senior positions in operations, brand and marketing, industry engagement, sales and corporate relations.

Starting his hospitality career in the United Kingdom and relocating to Australia where he was Director of Sales and Marketing for The Heritage, Brisbane, Russell went on to work for prestigious Australian establishments such as Sydney’s W Hotel, the Sheraton on the Park and was integral in the launch of The Langham in Melbourne as Director of Marketing.

In 2007, Russell relocated to Hong Kong to work for Langham Hotels International at their corporate headquarters as the Director of Sales and Marketing, Projects. Following this, Russell joined the multiple award-winning Palazzo Versace on the Gold Coast as General Manager and Chairman of Property Body Corporate.

Iqbal Jumabhoy, Managing Director and Group CEO of SilverNeedle Hospitality, said, “I am thrilled to welcome Russell to the SilverNeedle Hospitality family at this very exciting time for the company. I am confident we will benefit enormously from his extensive experience as he executes the successful opening of our very first Next Hotel. We also look forward to him imprinting his expertise on making Next Hotel Brisbane a model for future Next Hotels.”