She replaces Helen Marano, who has served since December 2020.
Morikawa is global director of sustainability office at Iberostar. She joined Iberostar in 2018, leading the company’s Wave of Change movement, focused on the circular economy, sustainable fisheries and coastal health.
Morikawa has a PhD in biology and is based in Washington DC. She has been a trustee of the Travel Foundation since October 2022.
She will work with Travel Foundation chief executive Jeremy Sampson to forge new partnerships, recruit new trustees and serve as an ambassador for the organisation. The Travel Foundation has ambitions to grow its global impact.
She said: “The Travel Foundation has a bold ambition to foster real systems change in the sector, and I could not be more excited to support the team and engage the board to help bring the new strategy to life.”
Communications specialist Debbie Hindle will remain as vice chair. More board appointments are expected later this year.
