Meet the founder

Puglia Gateway is led by Luciano Gerry Gerardi, a specialist in Institutional and Corporate Communication with over 20 years of experience in the international hospitality, events and media sectors.

While many travel consultants view Puglia through a brochure, Luciano has built his expertise on the 'front lines' of operational and diplomatic excellence. His journey spans Italy, Switzerland, Scotland, and the Netherlands, culminating in over a decade at the pinnacle of Sydney’s elite hospitality and institutional event industry.

The Sydney Standard: Operational & Institutional Intelligence

Based in Sydney’s Inner West, Luciano provides a level of oversight that traditional travel agents cannot match. His background includes leadership roles within Australia’s most prestigious groups and institutional bodies, ensuring your project in Puglia meets the rigorous demands of the international market:

• Institutional & High-Profile Events: Through his leadership roles and collaboration with ComItEs NSW, Luciano has orchestrated complex institutional events, bridging the gap between government standards and luxury execution. He understands the protocol, the diplomacy, and the logistical precision required for events of state and corporate significance.

• Luxury Events: Serving within the management at Navarra Venues, he mastered the complex mechanics of Sydney’s most iconic weddings.

• Elite Hospitality & Corporate VIP: From roles at Merivale to delivering VIP service for private functions at Oliveto and managing high-profile event service with Stedmans Hospitality, he understands exactly what constitutes world-class service.

• Luciano has personally worked across numerous gala evenings and high-stakes events for leading global clients, including Vogue, Sky, Channel 9, Alibaba, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Capri Holdings Limited and Carla Zampatti. This experience helps him meet the exacting expectations of high-net-worth individuals and corporate organisations.

• Media & Communication: A graduate in Mass Media and Corporate Communication, he bridges the gap between local Italian reality and international expectations with precision.

An Institutional Pillar: Beyond hospitality, Luciano is a prominent leader within the Italian-Australian institutional framework, currently serving as the Secretary of ComItEs NSW (Committee for Italians Abroad). In this official capacity, elected by the community and recognized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he manages high-level institutional relations and has orchestrated significant Institutional Events that bridge the gap between governmental protocol and public engagement.

As an active member of GIA (Giovani Italiani in Australia) and Associazione Puglia Sydney, he sits at the heart of a broad professional network.

His work as a journalist for La Fiamma and other international publications, combined with reporting on global events such as the America’s Cup, gives his travel planning an investigative, transparent and story-led approach.

The Puglia Gateway Promise: We operate with a commitment to financial transparency. Due to our institutional roles and professional standing, we maintain a strict no-commission policy with local vendors in Italy.

Our loyalty is not for sale; it belongs solely to our clients. We offer a 360-degree perspective: we know how a kitchen must perform, how a grand gala is executed, and how to navigate the institutional complexities of Italy. We are your local advocates in Sydney, bringing the soul of Puglia to the world with the uncompromising standards of a global professional.

Your investment in Puglia deserves an expert advocate. Book your Strategic Consultation to ensure your vision is executed with absolute integrity and excellence.

Sincerely,