The add-ons specialist announced on Tuesday (27 June) it had appointed Rob Grigg as chief technology officer and Alvaro de Nicolas as chief digital strategy officer. 

An industry veteran, Grigg has been chief technology officer at several companies over the last few years, including at financial platform Railsr and software developer Fuse. 

“Holiday Extras is an amazing place with a clear purpose, many visionary people and an already strong product and technology capability,” Grigg said following the appointment. “I am excited by the opportunities and challenges ahead.”

De Nicolas, on the other hand, has worked as chief technology and product officers for the likes of Lloyds Banking Group and BT, where he set up BT Sport. 

A resident of Majorca, de Nicolas said he will gladly commute to Westenhanger, Kent, because of Holiday Extras’ “culture and strategy of the business”.

“This is somewhere I can make a difference to how people make the best use of their precious free time,” he added. 

Grigg and de Nicolas will be joined by Milan Juza, who recently joined Holiday Extras as strategic technology advisor, and Hugh Chappell, the company’s new growth and performance advisor.

Commenting on the appointments, Holiday Extras chief executive Matthew Pack said the company was “delighted” to welcome onboard such experienced individuals.

“Holiday Extras is delighted to have attracted four senior technical directors of such calibre to help us realise our ambitions,” Pack said. “Our new directors and advisors bring us a wealth of experience and talent to expedite the delivery of HEHA! The Holiday Extras Holiday Assistant, our super-powerful search-once service for customers and travel agents.”

Technology has been a huge focus for both Pack, who recently urged agents to become “power users” of AI if they don’t want to be made obsolete. “This is a fantastic moment in history if we embrace it and go for it by making sure everyone that has a pen or pencil has access to AI,” he recently told TTG.