Peter Merrett has always considered chefs to be wizards. When he began training as one thirty-five years ago, he was captivated by the way simple ingredients could create magic, pleasure, and emotion. He took this concept for using many small details to create a large impact, and he expanded on it. As he moved into hospitality leadership, his exciting approach led his teams to win the prestigious UK Hotel of the Year award twice.
Transitioning into commercial real estate, Peter became General Manager of Tower
42 in London, where his team pioneered a groundbreaking office-hotel concept that won the Best Office Building in the World award from BOMA International. Later, as a leader within JLL Australia’s property division, he inspired a hospitality-driven service culture that earned the organization global acclaim for Best Customer Experience.
Today in Australia, as a Hall of Fame professional speaker, mystery shopper, trusted advisor to the world’s biggest brands, and Founder of The House of Wonderful, Peter has worked across eleven countries and numerous industries. He’s shared stages with his mentor, Doug Lipp, former Head of Training at Disney University. He is also a Fellow of BOMA International, a judge for the Customer Institute of Australia, and has served on the Board of Directors for Professional Speakers Australia.
Now, Peter coaches leaders worldwide on how to trade employee handbooks and KPIs for teams that feel genuinely valued, appreciated, and excited to show up and treat your business as their own. Whether he’s tying red ribbons around asparagus, hosting potato-peeling competitions with top executives, or wearing a superhero cape over his three-piece suit, his wonderlicious approach brings heart and joy back into the workplace, leading to extraordinary results.
Peter lives in Sydney, Australia, with his wife, two sons, a friendly house hippo, and a battalion of rubber duckies.