Simmons, who will join the trade-only group on Monday (15 May), worked for Thomas Cook prior to joining Hays, where he held a number of roles including regional sales manager and deputy head of retail.

He will work across all four of the group’s brands, including Gold Medal, Pure Luxury, Cruise Plus and Incredible Journeys, and be responsible for further developing the organisation’s trade relations strategy.

Reporting into Karen Fletcher, trade partnership director, he will work alongside both Clare Weatherall, head of trade partnerships, and Kym Coulbeck, head of trade support, and provide leadership for a team of five of dnata’s trade partnerships managers.

Fletcher said: "Stuart brings to the team a wealth of industry knowledge and connections from working with some of the UK’s biggest brands in travel, and we have every confidence that he will be an exceptional addition to an already incredibly strong team."

Simmons added: "I will be working across a fantastic portfolio of brands that I have always had a great deal of respect for, and I am looking forward to being part of their team going forward."