Thelen, who has 30 years of experience in the travel management sector, will take up the role of chief executive and ex-European operations director of Chambers Travel Group Julie Cope will become managing director.

TakeTwo, which currently employees 20 staff members across the UK and Europe, aims to provide "high-level, personalised" global travel services to international small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

Thelen said the reason behind the company’s launch "is because there is a clear gap in the market for a client-centric, independently owned TMC who can deliver bespoke service to international SME clients where travel is a vital component of how their business operates, as well as provide premium services to high-net-worth individuals".

"In the post Covid era, these clients need confidence that their TMC partner understands their needs and can deliver high touch, personal service from highly-experienced people," he added.

“Another reason for establishing TakeTwo is to safeguard talent in the business travel industry and create jobs for highly-experienced business travel professionals who had been made redundant by former employers."