QUT Business Leaders' Forum

About Susan Wheeldon

A country Queenslander who once pitched a retention strategy to billionaire business magnate Richard Branson after waiting six hours in a hotel foyer, is on a mission to showcase the best of Australia to the world as the head of Airbnb in Australia.

Airbnb Country Director for Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, Susan Wheeldon, has steered the global short-stay accommodation platform through bushfires and floods, as well as a global pandemic over the past five years.

The entrepreneur and leader is now spearheading the expansion of Airbnb in Australia, with initiatives including the launch of an enhanced network to support co-hosting and promoting travel off the beaten track.

Australia is one of the largest short-stay accommodation markets for Airbnb globally, with the platform contributing more than $13 billion annually to Australia’s Gross Domestic Product.

Susan has more than 20 years’ experience across the technology, e-commerce, legal, travel, and property sectors, with leadership roles at AMP Capital, Groupon and Google before joining Airbnb in 2019.

She also serves on numerous boards, including as a Non-Executive Director for Centuria Capital and as an Advisor to No Brand and is committed to embedding sustainability and giving back to the community through all her endeavours.

Join Susan at the first QUT Business Leaders’ Forum for 2025, where she will share her leadership journey, including the challenges and opportunities when it comes to tourism in Queensland.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insights from a leader who has successfully navigated some of the most challenging times in recent history in a conversation moderated by journalist, Ellen Fanning.