The Star Brisbane announces first hotel GM
Rikesh Rajakulasingham will bring over two decades of in-depth hospitality experience to Queensland’s newest and largest entertainment and leisure destination
General Manager of Hotels, Rikesh Rajakulasingham has taken control of 340 keys to The Star Grand – the dual tower tourism centrepiece of the $3.6 billion Queen’s Wharf Brisbane precinct.
Previously the Director of Hotels The Star Sydney, Mr Rajakulasingham was instrumental in taking The Darling to a Forbes five-star rating and for the past three years, he was Director of Hotels at Treasury Brisbane.
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A former engineer, Mr Rajakulasingham has amassed hands-on experience across every facet of hotels and resorts beginning his career with various roles in housekeeping before moving into reception, front office operations and working his way to senior leadership.
He has also worked across major international hotel chains and will bring over two decades of in-depth hospitality experience to Queensland’s newest and largest entertainment and leisure destination.
“I’m so proud to be able to draw on all my experiences and be part of the team bringing such a city-changing hotel to life,” he said.
“Building a five-star hotel from the ground up is a rare, once-in-a-lifetime career opportunity.
“With the help of our design team, we are doing everything from scratch – ordering soap dishes and clothes hangers to choosing bedding, sheets, bathrobes towels, hotel cutlery and crockery.
“We’re even road-testing pillows to ensure they are neither too firm or too soft and making sure they are allergy-free.
“We’ve commissioned a local supplier for tailor-made microfibre bedding toppers, duvets and mattress protectors.
“We have also designed custom-made room attendant trolleys and will soon begin measuring existing team members for their new uniforms.”
Mr Rajakulasingham will also soon begin recruiting a further 350 front-line hotel team members with roles available across front office, concierge, housekeeping, porters, uniform room, laundry operations, facilities cleaning and carpark operations to be filled.
This will be in addition to the current team at Treasury Hotel, which will continue operating during a period of transition.
The Star Entertainment Group CEO and Managing Director Robbie Cooke said he’s delighted another piece of The Star Brisbane’s senior leadership team is in place.
“Rikesh was the ideal choice to open Brisbane’s newest luxury hotel,” he said.
“He is passionate about the industry and living proof of how to build a long-term career with an unwavering focus on creating superior guest experiences,” Mr Cooke said.
“The Star is adding another 340 much-needed rooms to the Brisbane accommodation inventory and Rikesh has been personally inspecting every one of them as the hotel fit-out continues ahead of next year’s staged opening.”
“We are proud to be creating jobs and look to the future with confidence as the city counts down to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
Queen’s Wharf Brisbane is being delivered by Destination Brisbane Consortium – a joint venture led by The Star Entertainment Group alongside its Hong Kong-based partners, Chow Tai Fook Enterprises and Far East Consortium.
A staged opening, which includes The Star Grand, is set to commence in April 2024.
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