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Bikash Randhawa is to depart his role as Chief Operating Officer role at Village Roadshow Theme Parks, leaving the Gold Coast-based attractions operator after 30 years.

A well known figure in Gold Coast tourism, Randhawa - who has been responsible for Warner Bros. Movie World, Wet’n’Wild and Sea World - intends to remain involved in the region’s tourism industry.

Telling the Gold Coast Bulletin it was time for a change, Randhawa advised “in (30-plus) years I never had more than two weeks off, so I’m going to take three months off.

“In future I want to influence tourism, I’ll have no shackles. I love the city, I support the city and I know just about every small business owners, media person and politician.”

In a lengthy post on social media on Thursday morning, Randhawa wrote “after three decades with Village Roadshow Theme Parks, I am departing the business with some sadness and at the same time a lot of joy and pride.

“Clark Kirby my CEO, VRTP Board and the exceptional team at BGH (Capital), it’s been a terrific journey, challenging, rewarding and crazy at times with what we have gone through over the years, you all have been incredible since we started together, thank you for allowing me to do what I did best over the years.

“Special thank you to Robert Kirby our Chairman and (former Village CEO) Graham Burke who mentored me and taught me on how to aim for the moon and land on a star, and to never give up. My GMs and the team at VRTP you all are amazing and I look forward to watching you achieve more.”

Randhawa went on to state “as an operator, I was passionate, fair, demanding, compassionate when required, over the top crazy and sometimes unreasonable, but my team got me and backed me every single day.

“If I was overly focused towards anyone or a situation, it was because I recognised their talent and wanted to help them reach their full potential in that given situation. I’m proud to have promoted so many who have surpassed every expectations and have taken on roles that I had held and have done a better job than I did when I was there, that’s how one needs to recruit, look for someone better than you, it always works, looking at the team now they are bloody amazing.

“I fought for Village behind the scenes and sometimes publicly with anyone and everyone if it called for it, I spoke my mind, said things that people were scared to say or think about. I never held back but I did it for the team.

“Now, it’s time for me to finally put my feet up after a long hard commitment and relentless effort for three decades to relax and enjoy some well-deserved downtime with my wife and children. They, unintentionally became my second priority, and my work (my passion blinded me) my first. It’s time to change that.”

Village Roadshow Chief Executive Clark Kirby said Randhawa had been “a driving force ensuring the ongoing success of Village Roadshow Theme Parks”, adding “his leadership, passion and advocacy for our people and properties has been felt by all who interacted with him, and he will be missed,” he said.

“Bikash leaves an incredible legacy through the numerous high-profile projects he has been integral to, including many amazing new attractions and precinct openings.

“In his position as COO, Bikash has helped navigate our business through some of our toughest periods and throughout his focus remained on delivering superior outcomes and ensuring the wellbeing of our team.

“We thank him for his unwavering commitment to ensuring our business not only survived but continues to thrive.   

“Outside of our theme parks, Bikash is one of the city’s most passionate tourism ambassadors and at every opportunity he has advocated for the City of Gold Coast.  

“We know Bikash will succeed in whatever the future brings, and he leaves knowing he will always be a member of our extended Village Roadshow family.”

Career Progress
Randhawa began working at Sea World during his university days, spending nearly 15 years cutting at the Sea World Resort’s Shorelines restaurant, rising to oversee the theme park and finally, all of Village Roadshow’s operations.

Born on a tea plantation in India, he moved to the Gold Coast in 1993 to begin studying at Griffith University.

Commenting on his career to the Gold Coast Bulletin in 2012, he recalled “I never imagined when I was a kid that I would end up here.

“My father, Hardial, was the managing director of a tea plantation in Assam and as a teenager all I thought about was motorcycles and sport.

“My mother, Nirmala, encouraged me by saying that, if you have a dream, go for it and don’t be scared of failing.’’

It was while he was completing his university studies when he secured an F&B role at Sea World Resort.

In 1998 he was appointed Food and Beverage Supervisor, and just a year later became the Assistant Manager before finally becoming its Manager in November 2000.

His hard work saw him recognised at the annual Queensland Hotels Association Awards for Excellence in 2004, being recognised as Best Food and Beverage Employee.

It was one of a range of awards he picked up in the first decade of his career, including a Gold Coast Tourism Bureau Award for Excellence - Winner Supervisory Category 1999; and Sea World Resort’s Employee of the Year 1998.

In mid-2007 he replaced Wayne Bonsak as the resort’s new Food and Beverage Manager and, by 2010, he had been promoted to Executive Assistant Manager of Sea World Resort, then Manager the following year and finally, General Manager by the end of 2011.

In 2013 he began looking after the company’s convention business and oversaw the building of its multimillion-dollar convention complex at Sea World before becoming the General Manager of the entire theme park in 2014.

In 2017, Randhawa was named Village Roadshow Theme Parks Executive General Manager before becoming Chief Operating Officer in 2018, the position he held until his resignation.

Through the late 2010s he oversaw the decommissioning of many of Sea World’s older rides before unveiling the New Atlantis precinct in May 2019.

As of last year he oversaw the opening of the new The Wizard of Oz precinct at Movie World.

Images: Bikash Randhawa at Sea World (top), taking one of the first rides on Sea World's Leviathan in 2021 (middle) and in character for a Movie World Fright Night (below).

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