Tell us about your career. I’ve spent my whole career in glassware and ceramics, starting in the mid-1980s. I moved from wholesale sales to hotel and airline sales at Royal Doulton in 1987, selling chinaware to national distributors and importing Schott Zwiesel glass from Germany. My major dealer was Salgo in NSW [bought by Bunzl in 2008]. In 1998, the management of Salgo asked me to join the company. Some 22 years later, I’m still here!
What keeps you inspired and motivated? New hotel projects are exciting and every new hotel wants to be better than the last. My motivation comes from continually evolving and going one better for returning customers. The drive comes from the excitement of seeing a project open after several months and sometimes years of research, design, specifications, sourcing, tendering and delivering. Lastly, a passion for leaving the hotel industry in a better position through innovation and improvements that I have been involved in.
What have been your career highlights? I don’t really have single highlights – every day is rewarding and different from the day prior. You always have to expect the unexpected, adapt and run with it. I think that’s why we are so successful. If you keep going down the same road, you end up in the same place…I am fortunate that Bunzl allows me the autonomy to deliver world-class hotel projects.
What has been your favourite Bunzl project? A highlight was The Westin Sydney [now The Fullerton] in Martin Place. This was a total fit-out in 1999 prior to the Olympics. Sadly, it was one of the last silver-service hotels to open in Australia.
Current projects? There are so many, including Crown Sydney Barangaroo, Adelaide Casino, Vibe Hotels Hobart and Sydney, Crowne Plaza Adelaide, and Hotel Chadstone Melbourne, MGallery by Sofitel (below). That’s just a few from this week’s list!
Contact Tim with all your requirements: tim.walker@bunzl.com.au
