Parramatta. Rebranding of hotels

The Sebel Parramatta, in the city’s CBD in Church Street, will be rebranded as the Novotel Parramatta, on October 3. The Clarion on the Park Hotel, in Anderson Street, also in the Parramatta CBD, is to be renamed the Holiday Inn Parramatta from October 18.

Region. Financier honoured

Leading Australian entrepreneur Mark Bouris has been recognised for his distinguished service with an honorary doctorate of letters from the University of Western Sydney. Mr Bouris established Wizard Home Loans in 1996 to challenge the big banks in the home loan market. Within eight years Wizard had expanded to 300 branches across Australia and New Zealand.He sold Wizard to GE in 2004 and went on to establish Yellow Brick Road Wealth Management in 2007.

Parramatta. Elected for the second time

Clr John Chedid has been elected lord mayor of Parramatta for the second time. He one of seven Liberal councillors elected this month after the party gained large swings across Western Sydney. Liberal councillors control council. Cr Chedid will push for a review of the council's landmark ban on smoking in outdoor dining areas, saying the ruling was not consistent with surrounding suburbs and restaurant owners are facing "difficult times", according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

Norwest. Woolworths sells businesses

Woolworths, headquarted at Norwest Business Park has sold its Dick Smith stores for $20 million to private equity group, Anchorage Capital Partners, and has signed an agreement to sell its interest in its Indian business, Woolworths Wholesale, to Infiniti Retail Ltd, owned by India's Tata Sons, for $35 million.

Macquarie Park. Metcash CEO resigns

Grocery wholesaler Metcash, with its corporate head office in Macquarie Park, expects to name a new CEO in February after current boss Andrew Reitzer confirmed he will resign at the end of the financial year. Reitzer will work as a consultant to the Metcash board for three years, providing strategic advice and assistance. During that time, he will not be able to work with a competing company Metcash distributes groceries to supermarket chain IGA and owns Mitre 10 hardware stores.