Phil Baker
Richard Green
Adam Myott
Alec Gilbert
Michael Sfera
Stephen Yarwood
Douglas Gautier
Chris Ehmann
Martin Winter

Phil Baker
(FCILT; FAICD)

ACTA Chairman



Phil Baker’s career in aviation dates back to 1966 when he left school. His first job was at Gatwick Airport with British United Airways (BUA), which later became British Caledonian Airways. Phil worked his way up from a Load Control Agent to Senior Management level, working overseas for several years including residing in Africa, the Middle East and mainland Europe.

In 1988, Phil left the airline and relocated from Paris to Manchester working initially for a Handling Company (MHL), then a small regional airline (Loganair), before joining Manchester Airport PLC in late 1990.

Originally an Airport Duty Manager, Phil was promoted soon after to General Manager Terminals where he oversaw huge expansion in traffic, new terminal construction and implementation of innovative procedures, which led in part to the airport being recognised as “Best World Airport” in 1995. Later that year Phil was appointed Managing Director of the Airport’s own Handling Agency to oversee a successful major restructuring of that organisation. Eighteen months later Phil moved back to the parent Company to head up the newly formed Consultancy section for the Airport.

Phil was offered his current appointment as Managing Director of Adelaide Airport Limited after leading Manchester Airport’s team on the successful bids to acquire the leases from the Commonwealth Government along with Parafield and Coolangatta airports in 1998.

Initially Phil was seconded to this role on a five-year contract that expired in June 2003. He is now a direct employee of Adelaide Airport Ltd.

In addition to Adelaide Airport Limited, Phil is Chairman of ACTA and former Director of Gold Coast Airport Limited (where he was initially the MD), Townsville and Mt Isa Airports, Tourism Task Force Ltd and Australia British Chamber of Commerce (SA).

Phil was awarded the Centenary Medal for “services to the community” in 2001, became the 2004 Australian Airports Association “Aviation Personality of the Year” and is currently the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, South Australian ‘Achiever of the Year’ (2006).



Richard Green
AM

ACTA Vice Chairman



As South Australian Sales Manager for Malaysia Airlines for nearly 30 years, Richard Green is part of the tourism, hospitality and business fabric of South Australia. Born in Adelaide in May, 1943 Richard Green was educated at Pultney Grammar School, is married with two grown-up sons and has spent the past 43 years working in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. Richard began his career in early 1961 as a shipping clerk with George Wills Shipping before moving into sales with H.C. Sleigh Shipping in 1964 and then to Adelaide Steamship Company in 1967.

In 1970 he began his 37-year association with the airline industry, joining the Olympic Airways as Sales Manager for South Australia, responsible for that airline’s off-line Sales Office. That position placed him ideally to take over the role as head of Malaysia Airlines in South Australia when MAS decided to open an Adelaide office in July, 1979 – a role he continues to play today.

As Sales Manager South Australia for MAS, he is responsible for developing both the inbound and outbound markets for the airline, having seen the airline initially operate one service a week with a staff of two. Today MAS provides four direct services with 777 aircraft each week with a staff in excess of 80, with Richard taking overall responsibility for all sales, MAS services at Adelaide Airport and a call centre that caters for the entire Australian and New Zealand region. MAS support the inbound market with assistance to agents to travel to various overseas travel promotions to display their inbound packages, supporting these packages with special fares.

Under Richard Green’s tenure MAS sponsorship of major SA events has become an industry byword, bringing greater recognition to the State while increasing inbound traffic. These sponsorships include the Tour Down Under, Adelaide Bank Festival of Arts, Fringe Festival, the annual Solar Challenge, a wide variety of racing clubs, Adelaide Oval and all major wine shows and festivals, including the prestigious Adelaide Wine Show.

Richard has also been a tireless worker within the tourism industry and with philanthropic organizations.

Past President of both the Travel League and SKAL International Travel, where he was on the committee for 10 years, Richard served on the State Government’s SA Seafood Board for two years and for the past three years has been a member of the Board of the Balaklava Racing Club.

Currently Vice Chairman of the Adelaide Convention Tourism Authority, having been a Committee member for a decade, Richard has been a patron of the Carbine Club of SA for five years, is a past President and Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary Club of Stirling and a Life Member of the Adelaide Rowing Club.

In January 2005, Richard Green was awarded the Order of Australia (AM) for services to the Tourism and Hospitality Industry and Arts in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.



Adam Myott
Dip Bus

ACTA Board Director



Adam Myott is delighted with his recent appointment as a Director on the Board of the Adelaide Convention Tourism Authority (ACTA). As part of a committed team, he will endeavour to work at attracting international and interstate travellers to the State, with an importance in promoting local South Australian events at all levels.

He believes his selection will allow him to provide excellent representation by encouraging feedback from Members and in turn seek new initiatives for the future.

Appointed as General Manager, Hyatt Regency Adelaide in mid 2007, Adam has had an impressive 20-year career in hospitality, which spans a number of well-known properties both in Australia and overseas.

Educated in both Sydney and Adelaide, Adam graduated from the University of Adelaide. Prior to joining Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, he gained valuable experience working with other leading hotels such as the Ritz Carlton hotels in Sydney and Double Bay as well as The Regent Sydney.

In 1993, Adam joined Hyatt Hotels and Resorts as Assistant Manager at Park Hyatt Sydney and was later promoted to Front Office Manager and then Director of Rooms at Hyatt Regency Coolum. In 2001, Adam was appointed Executive Assistant Manager at Hyatt Regency Adelaide.

An overseas posting came in 2002, when Adam was appointed General Manager of Hyatt Regency Kinabalu in Malaysia. A 288-room hotel located in the heart of the city of Kota Kinabalu. He later went on to become the General Manager of Hyatt Regency Hua Hin in Thailand, a luxury 5 star be



Alec Gilbert
M Sc, Dip Mktg Mgmt

ACTA Board Director



Alec Gilbert joined the Adelaide Convention Centre as Chief Executive in June 2006. He came to Adelaide from South Africa, where he was CEO of the International Convention Centre Durban (ICC Durban) which has on two occasions been ranked among the top ten convention centres in the world.

Mr Gilbert is an experienced marketer who helped to raise the profile of both Durban and its convention centre by maximising co-operative marketing and commercial opportunities. ICC Durban received the International Congress and Convention Association’s (ICCA) “Best Marketing Award” in 1998. His work was recognized when he was awarded the IMEX Academy Award in Frankfurt in 2006.

Between 1999 and 2004, he chaired the Board of the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry. He now serves on the Board of ICCA and is also the chairman of the “Venues Sector” of that association.

Since arriving in Adelaide, he has launched a major rebranding exercise for the Adelaide Convention Centre with a new brand positioning statement “Adelaide. Australia’s Convention City” designed to stimulate a co-operative approach to hosting conferences and to position the destination as a market leader. Besides being on the Board of ACTA, he has also been appointed to the Board of the International College of Hotel Management and is a South Australian Business Ambassador.

Mr Gilbert was born in Mombasa, Kenya, and went to school in South Africa and the UK. He did his “A” levels at King’s School, Bruton, in England before going on to complete a Master of Science in Town and Regional Planning at the University of Natal. He later completed a Diploma in Marketing Management.

He enjoys outdoor activities, including canoeing and fly-fishing and is married with three children.



Michael Sfera
B Bus (Tourism & Hospitality)

ACTA Board Director



Current Roles

• General Manager Sfera’s Park Suites & Convention Centre
• Board Member Adelaide Convention Tourism Authority
• Board Member North East Development Agency
• Board Member Young Business Forum (AICC)
• Co Director SITE Academy (Accredited Tourism & Hospitality Training Provider)
• Major Sponsor and supporter of charity Kids Future Kids