Damien Bonal

Marketing Manager |
Damien Bonal

I was born in France and lived there until my mid 20s when I moved to Melbourne, which I’ve been calling home since 2011. I’ve also lived in London, China, South Korea and I have an absolute bug for travel and food.

I did a Master’s in Management specialised in Marketing at Melbourne University and I have since been working in sales and marketing roles for Hotels and Apartment Hotels businesses, mainly in mid-scale to luxury brands. Some of the key projects I’ve been involved with were in the digital marketing space and included a couple of full e-com website redesigns and re-platforms. My job has also allowed me to travel a fair bit around the country, especially regional New South Wales and Queensland.

When I’m not travelling or working, I spend most of my spare time enjoying the never-ending cultural events on offer in Melbourne, be it a blockbuster exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria, going to see the latest musical, an outdoor concert at the Myer Music Bowl or an opening at a local art gallery.

I’m also a bit of a foodie, always keen to try the latest restaurants or going back to my old favourites. During 2020’s lockdowns I’ve become an avid baker. Beatrix Bakes is the book that got me through and fed my sweet tooth (I still pay frequent visit to the North Melbourne Store). To me, nothing beats a home cooked meal at home with good friends and a nice bottle of wine. I do enjoy spending a lot of time visiting the wineries of the Mornington Peninsula, Yarra Valley, Heathcote and Bellarine Peninsula on the weekends.

I’ve been lucky to visit many parts of Australia. the only state I am still to visit is the Northern Territory. Still high on my bucket list are swimming with whale sharks in Ningaloo Reef, exploring the surreal landscapes of Coober Pedy and finally seeing Uluru with my own eyes.