Kenneally has decided to take voluntary redundancy after 30 years with the operator, and will step down from her role at the end of the month to allow her to spend more time with family and friends.

She started her career with Kuoni in 1989 as a correspondence executive in customer services. Over her 30-year career, she has held a number of key purchasing and commercial positions, building strong relationships with Kuoni’s airline, hotel and destination partners in the UK and overseas.

“It is with a heavy heart that I have decided to take voluntary redundancy and will leave the business 30 April," said Kenneally. "The heavy heart is not because of the decision; that feels very right for me, and I am thoroughly looking forward to just having more time to spend with family and friends and doing things I want to do without constraints.

"The hard thing is leaving so many great people behind; the many colleagues and business partners who have become friends over the years. I have so many fond and fun memories of everyone. I feel nothing but gratitude for working for such a brilliant company with the very best people in the industry. I will watch from the sidelines wishing Kuoni and all the individuals who make it what it is nothing but success.”

Sheena Paton, Matt May and Darren Grahame-Betts will take over responsibility for purchasing, commercial and operations, and customer services respectively, working closely with Derek Jones, chief executive of Kuoni parent Der Touristik UK. 

“Wendy is, quite simply, one of the best in the business," said Jones. "She personified what Kuoni is all about and she will be greatly missed by all of us.

"In recent years, she took a keen interest in coaching and developing her team, including those who will take the reins when she leaves us and she’s done that brilliantly so her work will continue in great hands.

“I’d like to thank Wendy for all she has done and wish her every happiness for the future.”