Swan Hellenic said former vice-president of global marketing Bounas played a "key role" devising the branding for the line and would now take "full charge" of operations in what it described as its "strategic, historic home markets".

Bounas will report to Alfredo Spadon, Swan Hellenic senior vice-president of global sales and marketing, and takes over responsibility for the brand in the UK and Ireland from Tom Dumbrell, who has returned to Tauck.

He has previously held senior marketing, brand development and planning roles in cruise – including at Royal Caribbean – and brings more than a decade’s UK travel industry expertise to the position.

Swan Hellenic said he was "highly qualified" to grow its presence in the UK and Ireland, while also "further developing the high customer service and trade support standards already established".

"No one understands our unique brand attributes and values better [than Bounas]," said Spadon. "What’s more, with his extensive senior level UK trade- and customer-facing experience, he’s the ideal person to grow Swan Hellenic’s distinctive presence on these markets, which are of course historically as well as strategically important for our company."

Bounas added: "I’m honoured to be leading this iconic British heritage brand into a new chapter in the UK and Irish markets and look forward to working closely with our partners to support them in their business.

"I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Tom Dumbrell for his efforts helping re-establish the brand in the UK over the past two years, and wish him every success in his new role."

The Swan Hellenic brand was relaunched in July 2020 under new ownership, whose stated aims were to breathe new life into the cultural expedition style of cruising the line was renowned for in the 1950s.