Locals Ben Pole, Craig Davidson and Adrienne Readings, among frontrunners for Gold Coast Tourism’s top job

THREE high-profile locals have been short-listed to take over the role of CEO at Gold Coast Tourism after current boss Martin Winter announced he was leaving after the Commonwealth Games. Here’s who is in the running.

THREE high-profile locals have been short-listed to take over the role of CEO at Gold Coast Tourism following the Commonwealth Games.

Current CEO Martin Winter this week informed the board he will resign after the Coast hosts the Games from April 4-15.

The board has begun an international search to recruit Mr Winter’s successor, with the timing of the handover to be determined once an appointment has been made and a transition plan devised.

Gold Coast Tourism chief executive Martin Winter will leave after the Games

Three well-known locals, two of whom already serve on GCT’s board, have emerged as frontrunners for the coveted role — Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre boss Adrienne Readings, Ardent Leisure chief executive of theme parks Craig Davidson and former Gold Coast Tourism staffer Ben Pole.

The Star Entertainment Group’s Geoff Hogg and Adrienne Readings. Picture: Mike Batterham

The boss of the city’s biggest indoor entertainment centre, the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, Ms Readings leads 250 people and plays a crucial role in attracting big business and industry conventions to the Coast.

The centre, which brings 200,000 conference delegates to Broadbeach each year, is set to host accredited media from across the Commonwealth next month during the Games.

Ms Readings is also vice chairwoman of the board of Gold Coast Tourism.

Mr Davidson, the CEO of Dreamworld, WhiteWater World and SkyPoint, has led the company’s response to a horror 2016 after which four people died at Dreamworld.

Dreamworld CEO Craig Davidson Picture: David Clark

Mr Davidson oversees more than 1000 employees on the Coast in his current role and also sits on the board of Gold Coast Tourism.

Mr Pole was Gold Coast Tourism’s director of strategy, marketing and communications before taking up his current role as CEO of economic development and marketing at Ipswich City Council in December 2014.

“After a decade I just wanted to go ­quietly into the night,” he said of his low-key departure from Gold Coast Tourism at the time.

Former Gold Coast Tourism director of strategy, marketing and communications Ben Pole. Picture: Gold Coast Bulletin.