Thomas Cook has appointed Abta’s Stephen D’Alfonso as head of public affairs.
He will take up the position of group head of public affairs in July, reporting to Alice Macandrew, group communications director.
Cook said in the newly-created role, D’Alfonso will be responsible for developing and implementing an effective government affairs strategy for Thomas Cook, working across Westminster, Whitehall and in Brussels.
Macandrew said: “I am delighted to have attracted someone of Stephen’s calibre to the team. He brings with him a deep understanding of the industry and its issues, giving him a great basis from which to start to re-establish Thomas Cook as a leading voice for travel and tourism.”
D’Alfonso has spent six years at Abta, where he joined from the Westminster-based communications and events consultancy GovNet Communications.