The 12 months was punctuated by a number of excessive profile personnel modifications all through the journey commerce, which latterly noticed Celeb Cruises vice-president and managing director EMEA Jo Rzymowska announce she would be stand down from her role next summer and depart Royal Caribbean Group after 18 years, prompting a slew of tributes and testimonials to an industry “trailblazer”.
Rzymowska was removed from the one massive identify, although, to maneuver on or announce a transfer this 12 months. In June, Tui Group chief government Fritz Joussen revealed he would be standing down at the end of September after round 10 years heading up Europe’s largest journey agency, and could be succeeded by Sebastian Ebel.
There have been main modifications at Kuoni and its dad or mum, Der Touristik UK, after Derek Jones confirmed in August he was leaving the business after 13 years, greater than 10 of which he spent heading up the model. Mark Duguid, managing director of Kuoni stablemate Service, was named Jones’s successor in November, with Natasha Towey stepping into Duguid’s shoes at Carrier. Kuoni advertising and marketing director Dean Harvey, in the meantime, will leave the brand in December.
Different strikes noticed Cherie Richards join Hays Travel to go up recruitment to, and administration of, Hays’ private journey marketing consultant enterprise growth and operational assist crew; former Azamara boss Richard Twynam appointed managing director UK and Eire of Scenic Group; and Phil Gardner leave Thomas Cook to join Ambassador Cruise Line as chief business officer.
We have additionally acquired to the touch on the merry-go-round in Westminster, which noticed transport secretary Grant Shapps shunted out and Jacob Rees-Mogg named enterprise secretary, making him – briefly – secretary of state for package holidays. Shapps, after an ever more brief stint as home secretary, ultimately ended up as business secretary as soon as Rishi Sunak restored order following Liz Truss’s disastrous 45-day reign, with Mark Harper named transport secretary.
Darling of the journey business, former transport committee chair Huw Merriman, was handed the rail brief at the department of transport, with Baroness Charlotte Vere retaining the DfT’s aviation portfolio and later taking on maritime too. Iain Stewart has since been named Merriman’s successor as transport committee chair.
