Hamilton Island Enterprises has appointed former Sunshine Coast Airport head Chris Mills as its new chief executive officer, while the NRL’s Renae Trimble joins as chief operating officer
Mills will join Hamilton Island from Sunshine Coast Airport, where he has served as CEO for the past three years and oversaw passenger growth as well as major planning and development initiatives at the airport.
He previously spent eight years as CEO of Queensland Airports Limited, with responsibility for airport operations, capital investment and strategic development. His career spans more than 30 years across aviation, tourism and events, including roles with Dreamworld, d’Albora Marinas and South Bank Corporation.
Mills also has extensive tourism industry board experience and currently sits on the boards of Events Management Queensland and the Queensland Tourism Industry Council. Previous board positions include Tourism and Events Queensland, the Tourism and Transport Forum and Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.
“Hamilton Island is one of Australia’s most iconic destinations, and I’m honoured to have the opportunity to lead it,” Mills said.
He added that he was looking forward to building on the island’s existing foundations while identifying new opportunities for growth
Renea Trimble joins Hamilton Island from National Rugby League (NRL), where she was COO in charge of commercial revenue and fan engagement.
Trimble has 25 years of experience in hospitality, commercial strategy, loyalty and digital, including a 17-years with Accor, where she was CEO of Accor Plus Asia Pacific.
“Hamilton Island holds a truly special place in the hearts of Australians, and I couldn’t be more excited to join at such a pivotal moment,” Trimble said.
The appointment follows global investment firm Blackstone’s acquisition of Hamilton Island from the Oatley family in late 2025. Mills will formally take up the CEO position later this year.