29/06/2026
On Monday, 22nd June, the Auckland Les Clefs d’Or New Zealand members gathered at the All Blacks Experience for the Semester Challenge Shield 2026.
The Challenge Shield is a friendly concierge competition that brings together Les Clefs d’Or teams from hotels across New Zealand for a fun and engaging skills tournament. The event celebrates teamwork, quick thinking, communication, and industry knowledge, while strengthening the friendships and professional connections that unite our concierge community.
A special thank you to Cecil Potatau, Sales Manager at the All Blacks Experience, for hosting the event and welcoming our members. Cecil also guided participants through an immersive tour of this iconic New Zealand attraction, providing an unforgettable experience for everyone involved.
This year’s Challenge Shield welcomed participation from six hotels: Hilton Auckland, InterContinental Auckland, Grand Millennium Auckland, Pullman Auckland Hotel & Apartments, The Grand by SkyCity and Horizon by SkyCity
Each hotel was represented by a team of three members, including at least one Les Clefs d’Or member. Teams competed across four rugby-inspired challenges: Passing Drill, Line-out Throw, Goal Kicking & Footwork Challenge
Congratulations to Andy Xu, Andrew Glubb, and Trung Kiên from InterContinental Auckland, who achieved the highest overall score and were crowned the Challenge Shield Champions for this semester.
Beyond the competition itself, the event was a wonderful celebration of friendship, teamwork, and the strong bonds that continue to define the Les Clefs d’Or community. A friendly rivalry, perfectly reflecting the spirit of our association and the values we proudly represent.
Thank you to everyone who participated, supported, and contributed to making the Challenge Shield another memorable occasion.
In Service Through Friendship & Vive Les Clefs d’Or