Experience Gold Coast: New chairman named to replace Rob Borbidge following resignation

Mayor Tom Tate has moved to shake-up council’s key tourism and investment bodies following the sudden exit of Rob Borbidge, with surprise big names selected. FIND OUT WHO

Mayor Tom Tate has moved to shake up two of the council’s key tourism and investment bodies following the sudden exit of former premier Rob Borbidge.

Key development, business and culture figures have been appointed to new positions on the boards of both tourism body Experience Gold Cost (EGC) and Invest Gold Coast (IGC) in a move to shore up the organisations.

Mr Borbidge resigned as chairman of EGC and as a member of the IGC board in February and has not commented publicly on the reasons of his departure from the roles.

Adam Twemlow. Picture Glenn Hampson

Mr Tate on Tuesday moved to replace him, naming KMPG partner Adam Twemlow as the new chairman of Experience Gold Coast.

He has served as acting chair since Mr Borbidge’s resignation.

The mayor said it was critical to fill the posts quickly to “provide certainty to industry and government stakeholders, staff and the community”.

“Adam is a person of the highest competence and integrity who has the confidence of key stakeholders and Council and I believe he will serve admirably as the permanent chair of EGC,” he said.

Prominent arts and culture figure Louise Bezzina has been tapped as deputy chair.

Rob Borbidge. Picture Glenn Hampson

Mr Tate also nominated Sunland co-founder Soheil Abedian to the board of IGC, the man who built the Q1 and Palazzo Versace, praising his business acumen and skills.

“I believe the opportunity exists to augment the outstanding attributes and skills of our IGC Board with a person possessing an impeccable business and philanthropic pedigree, who understands the Gold Coast business and investment landscape perhaps better than anyone,” he said.

“Soheil Abedian is an Order of Australia recipient, a City of Gold Coast Key to the City recipient and a Gold Coast Business Excellence Hall of Fame 2024 inductee but beyond his outstanding achievements on the Gold Coast and across the world, Mr Abedian is a man who loves his adopted city and is always willing to give back as we have seen through his philanthropy.”

Soheil Abedian Picture: Tertius Pickard

Council also voted on Tuesday to extend the four-year terms of all current directors by a further two years.

Mr Abedian had not been told ahead of the appointment and described it as a surprise and a “great honour”.

“For the first time in my life I am lost for words,” he said.

“It would be the great honour of my life to be on this board and to focus on how we can bring out society to the next stage of its development, which the inhabitants of our city will benefit from.

“Globally we will be renowned as a place where you can live, works and enjoy family and business.”

Nerang councillor Peter Young was the sole vote against the appointments.

Mr Tate thanked Mr Borbidge for his services upon his resignation, with council on Tuesday voting to also send him their thanks.

“Rob has provided outstanding service to the Gold Coast and Queensland over many years,” Mr Tate said at the time

“His reasons are personal, and I thank him for his distinguished service.”