Hays Travel, Ambassador, Classic Collection: this week's travel trade people moves

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Hays Travel, Ambassador, Classic Collection: this week's travel trade people moves

In depth

James Chapple

6 November 2024

TTG’s weekly round-up of the latest appointments, promotions, restructurings and farewells from across the trade is the definitive digest of the travel trade people moves you need to know about.

TTG's people moves digest is published every Wednesday

Over the past week, we have seen Classic Collection make wholesale changes to the structure of its trade team as Si Morris-Green’s revolution continues at the newly unified brand.

Meanwhile, a TTG award-winning agent has left the agency sector after 25 years to take up a trade-facing role in the cruise industry with a major player.

Staying with cruise, and premium no-fly brand Ambassador Cruise Line has welcomed a familiar face to its trade team following spells with A-Rosa River Cruises, Classic Collection and Riviera Travel.

Elsewhere, there’s another reunion at AE Expeditions, a family-run agency and TMC has created a new role, and one of travel’s best known recruitment firms has undergone a full management buyout from within.

So here are the latest major travel trade hires, promotions and job moves over the past week (Wednesday 30 October to Wednesday 6 November).

Have you recently made a new appointment or taken on a new role? Do you have some personnel news for us from your business or organisation? Drop us an email at feedback@ttgmedia.com.

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Classic Collection reveals new trade team structure

Classic Collection has revealed its new-look trade team. Leanne Edwards will assume responsibility for retail partners, supported by regional sales managers Ashleigh Raymond (North and Scotland), Adam Courtney (Midlands and Northern Ireland) and Harry Williams (South). Jorge Quibell, meanwhile, will focus on strategic partners – homeworkers, independents, core agents and consortia. He will be supported by account managers Kim Sellman, Lucy Barton and Sarah Ayling-Webster, who will blend on-the-road visits and HQ support. Classic will also take on two new trade sales support executives to support independents, core agents and strategic partners.

Award-winning agent joins P&O Cruises trade team

Hayley Gadd has left Hays Travel after nearly six years to join the P&O Cruises trade team. Gadd, who has managed Hays Travel’s Weymouth store since January 2019, will join the line as a partnerships development manager, bringing 25 years' travel retailing experience. The Weymouth branch made the TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies in 2018 and was named Top Agency in the South West in 2019 and 2021. It re-entered the Top 50 earlier this year (2024). Gadd, meanwhile, was named Manager of the Year at the 2023 Travel Industry Awards by TTG. Jane Schumm, Hays Travel’s retail director, said: “We are delighted for Hayley and thank her for all her hard work over her time with Hays Travel. We wish her every success in her new role, where we are sure she will be just as excellent as she was with us."

Ex-AE Expeditions support exec to reunite with former boss

Former AE Expeditions business support executive Karen Hollands has joined new lead generator platform ExplorEarth, which was set up by the line’s ex-UK managing director Jos Dewing. Hollands, who Dewing described as being “a massive champion of sustainability”, has taken up a newly created commercial and partnerships executive position at ExplorEarth. The recently launched company promotes destinations, ships and cruises, and features a matching engine which generates booking leads for agents. Dewing said: “Having worked with Karen for three years at AE Expeditions, it’s rare to find someone with the personality, skillset and incredible in-destination experience Karen has. She has travelled multiple times to the Antarctic and the Arctic."

No-fly cruise line names new trade representative for the North

Ambassador Cruise Line has named Emma Rodgers as its new divisional sales manager for the North. Rodgers joins from A-Rosa River Cruises and brings experience from previous trade-facing roles with the likes of Classic Collection and Riviera Travel. She will report into and replace Karen Cameron, who was promoted to the role of deputy head of trade earlier this year, but has continued to look after agents in the North, which also includes responsibility for Scotland and Ireland. Ambassador said Rodgers had a successful track record "driving revenue growth and developing strategic partnerships" with agents. “The arrival of someone of Emma’s calibre illustrates just how highly we value our agent partners," said Nicola Harper, Ambassador's head of distribution. "We are fully committed to supporting our trade partners with the knowledge and resources they need to succeed.”

C&M Recruitment directors complete management buyout

C&M Travel Recruitment managing director Basia Kolosinska and sales director Duncan Tingle have bought out the recruitment firm’s former chair to take full ownership of the business. The pair joined the company more than two decades ago not long after founder Angus Chisholm set up the business in 1998. Chisholm will take up a non-executive directorship role with C&M, which estimates it has placed more than 20,000 candidates in travel industry roles over the past 26 years. Kolosinska said: “Hard work, commitment and loyalty really do pay off and I hope this shows anyone out there that anything is possible in your careers if you want it enough.”

Family-run TMC takes on client success manager

Meon Valley Travel's TMC division, Meon Travel Management, has appointed a new client success manager. Annalise Hall (second from left), who joins the firm following a seven-year stint with American Express Global Business Travel, will focus on further developing Meon Travel's bespoke customer service proposition. “I’m excited to hit the ground running with Team Meon and bring my experience to such a dynamic company,” she said. “I look forward to contributing to Meon’s continued success with customer value at the heart of everything we do." Meon Valley said Hall's appointment came in response to current and future staffing requirements in a "rapidly evolving" industry, and would further develop its specialist business travel and emergency assistance expertise.

Bar UK names sustainable aviation advocate as new CEO

Aviation trade body Bar UK has named Michael Smeeth as its new chief executive, bringing 25 years' leadership experience to the post – most notably in roles adjacent to sustainable aviation, including with General Electric, Sustainable Development Capital and Transition Hydrogen Solutions. Bar UK said Smeeth joined the organisation at a "pivotal time" for aviation with the new UK government poised to prioritise sustainability. Smeeth said he would work to advocate for policies fostering a "competitive, safe and sustainable aviation environment", and to encourage the aviation sector to speak with a unified voice.

Advantage names 14-strong business travel advisory board

Meon Valley Travel managing director James Beagrie, British Airways global sales director David Oppenheim, Business Travel Association chief executive Clive Wratten and Avis Budget Group senior director of international travel and partnerships Jeannette Harper are among the 14 members of the Advantage Travel Partnership's new global business travel advisory board. The board will focus on supporting Advantage’s global business travel members and partners, their goals and strategic direction, giving senior executives guidance and insights. Chair Andrea Caulfield-Smith said the board's "proven expertise" and "valuable strategic insight" would help Advantage achieve its key growth objectives and product development plans.

In depth People moves