Who got a new gig this week? Check out this week’s travel industry movers & shakers.
1. Reto Schmid named new Head of Cabin Crew
Reto Schmid has been appointed Head of Cabin Crew at Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS). He will assume his new duties on 1 July. Schmid succeeds Alexander Arafa, who is moving to become Head of Area & Contribution Management at the company’s Swiss WorldCargo division.
Reto Schmid, who is currently SWISS’s Head of Human Resources, will assume a new function as the company’s Head of Cabin Crew on 1 July. He succeeds Alexander Arafa, who will be moving on the same date to take up new duties as Head of Area & Contribution Management at Swiss WorldCargo, SWISS’s airfreight division.
Reto Schmid, who is 49, is a passionate airline person and a proven professional in the HR field. A graduate in law and a licensed attorney, Schmid has been with SWISS from the outset, and is intimately familiar with every aspect of the company and its history.
Having joined the airline as its Secretary General in spring 2002, he took on an expanded brief three years later of Secretary General & General Counsel, in overall charge of Legal Affairs, External Relations and Internal Audit. He assumed his present position of Head of Human Resources, with responsibility for all SWISS personnel affairs, in 2010.
2. Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa welcomes new director of sales
Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, Muscat is delighted to welcome Philippe Renaud, as the resort’s new Director of Sales. A Canadian national, Philippe is no stranger to the hospitality industry, being a hotelier in a career spanning over 15 years.
An enthusiastic 19-year-old Philippe went on a trip to Las Vegas, and it was there where his passion for hospitality and hotels ignited after witnessing the city’s most luxurious hotels and resorts offering their visitors and guests the best of what hotels and resorts had to offer.
Born and raised in Montreal, Phil – as called by his friends and colleagues – studied at the La Salle College in Montreal and earned a Diploma degree in Hotel Management with honours, in addition to enrolling himself in various hospitality programmes and completing them throughout his professional career.
The start of Philippe’s career took off as a Night Manager in a city hotel in Vancouver before he discovered his passion for Sales and moved to the Sales and Marketing department as a Sales Coordinator a year later.
His career growth was on track, growing to a National Sales Manager in another property and eventually joining Shangri-La Vancouver as a Senior Sales Manager in November 2010.
In 2014, Philippe was promoted to the Director of Business Development position for both the Shangri-La properties in Vancouver and Toronto before being presented with the opportunity to move to Oman at Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, Muscat as the Director of Sales, managing the sales team which includes the Corporate, International and Leisure divisions.
3. Metro Hotels appoints new BDM for Queensland & NT
Metro Hotels has appointed Kelly Barnett to the role of Business Development Manager for Queensland and Northern Territory.
In this role Kelly is responsible for maintaining and growing the domestic leisure, corporate and government business for Metro Hospitality Group’s properties in Brisbane, Ipswich, Gladstone and Northern Territory.
The position reports to Metro Hotels Director of Sales & Marketing, Rachel Pirie, who today welcomed Ms Barnett’s appointment.
Prior to taking up this position, Kelly worked in Sales and Marketing for The Pier Hotel. She also worked in a number of hotels and resorts, including Nautilus Resort, Pelican Beach Resort, and Boambee Bay Resort (Coffs Harbour) while studying for a Diploma Tourism Sales & Marketing, Diploma of Events, and Certificate in International Retail Travel Sales.
Metro Hotels is the public face of Transmetro Corporation, an Australian owned public company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. The group offers a national accommodation network of properties in key locations and major cities across Australia including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gladstone, Perth and Groote Eylandt in the Northern Territory.
4. Adelphi Hotel welcomes new Director of Sales and Marketing
Katie Batzias has been appointed Director of Sales and Marketing of Melbourne’s boutique Adelphi Hotel.
Having worked in the travel and hospitality industry for more than 20 years at iconic venues including The Prince Hotel, Cumulus Inc. and City of Melbourne, she now finds herself overseeing the sales and marketing activity at Adelphi Hotel and Om Nom Kitchen & Dessert Bar.
After completing a Bachelor of Business at Monash University, Katie dove head-first into the world of hotels and travel, spending two years abroad exploring the world – kick- starting a career that has seen her work across an impressive and varied list of clients.
With a keen eye for design, Katie worked as an Account Director at the City of Melbourne in its in-house creative team before making the move to an agency environment. Here she developed and executed above the line food campaigns for clients at Frontier Media Marketing and Pure Creative (D’Arcy).
During her role as Account Director at Cowan Design, Katie’s creative passion merged with her love of food as she developed packaging, promotional material and POS for clients such as Nestle and Go Natural.
Along the way Katie’s passion for Victoria’s food scene has been evident. She has leant her expertise to assist in the running of The Age Harvest Picnics at Hanging Rock and Werribee, and joined the Harvest Picnic Foundation Board for five years – sitting as chair for two.
Katie also spent seven years as the Director of Sales and Marketing at the iconic Prince Hotel in St Kilda, where she was responsible for business development and all marketing activity for the hotel, Circa the restaurant and event spaces.
Following this Katie moved to Andrew McConnell’s group of restaurants, where she worked across Cutler & Co., Cumulus Inc., Builders Arms Hotel, Luxembourg Bar & Bistro and Supernormal.
Katie’s years of experience and passion for food and hospitality are a welcome addition to the Adelphi team and the perfect fit for the world’s first dessert hotel.
5. Industry expert Samantha Halpin joins McLachlan Tours
Boutique travel specialist McLachlan Tours has appointed a new Business Development Manager to drive growth in Victoria on the back of continued expansion across its four niche travel brands: Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours, Discover Asia, Amras Cruises and McLachlan Experiences.
Industry expert Samantha Halpin will lead the company’s growth plans in Victoria, identifying and expanding opportunities to showcase McLachlan Tours’ unique brand of personalised, experience-based touring to the local market.
Ms Halpin brings in-depth industry experience to the role, having previously worked for travel operators including Expedia (Travel Agent Programme), Worldhotels, Hilton Hotels, Marriott Hotels and British Airways.
6. CWT appoints new chief technology officer
Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT) today announced that Andrew Jordan will join as Chief Technology Officer.
Reporting to Douglas Anderson, CWT’s president & CEO, Jordan will become a member of CWT’s global executive team and will be based in CWT’s Canary Wharf office in London.
Building on CWT’s combination of technology and travel innovation, Jordan will continue to develop CWT’s technology and IT infrastructure, enabling CWT to offer even more connected, mobile and personalized services to clients and travelers.
Jordan brings to the role extensive experience across leading B2C and B2B brands and is currently SVP, Technology and Operations for NBC Universal International, having previously held senior leadership positions within the technology functions at Citigroup, dunnhumby, Thomson Reuters and NBC.
A law graduate from the University of Nottingham, Jordan also holds an MBA from the University of Surrey.
7. Adventure World appoints new Head of Product & Operations
Soft adventure specialist, Adventure World, has announced the appointment of Andrew Hutchinson to the role of Head of Product & Operations Australia & New Zealand based in the Sydney office.
Andrew brings a wealth of travel industry experience to Adventure World, having held the position of Director of Wholesale Travel at the Pinpoint Travel Group for the past five years. Prior to that, Andrew was Manager of International Product at Qantas Holidays.
Andrew will lead the Adventure World product and operations teams in continuing the brand’s legacy of being market first, offering unique and original products in their core destinations.
8. Aurora Expeditions appoints CMI Leisure Management as new onboard catering provider
Expedition cruise specialists, Aurora Expeditions, has announced the appointment CMI Leisure Management as its official catering provider aboard their polar expedition ship MV Polar Pioneer. Commencing in June 2016, CMI Leisure Management will manage all on-board catering requirements delivering a quality dining experience for Aurora Expeditions’ passengers.
CMI Leisure Management has extensive experience in hotel and catering management services for polar expedition vessels, sourcing quality produce and providing a team of qualified professionals who can cater under the difficult conditions that lend themselves to the Polar Regions.
All produce will be sourced locally by CMI prior to the ship’s departure, with fresh fruit and vegetables, and freshly baked bread and pastries, served wherever possible.
The new on-board fare will receive a welcomed quality boost to ensure passengers’ dining experience match the delivery of Aurora Expeditions’ outstanding expedition program and experience. Meals will still cater for special requests, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, lactose free and other allergy specific requirements.
9. Air NZ appoints Regional General Manager for Distribution and Corporate
Air New Zealand has appointed its General Manager Australia, Leanne Geraghty, to the newly established New Zealand based position of Regional General Manager for Distribution and Corporate.
Air New Zealand’s Chief Sales and Commercial Officer Cam Wallace announced the appointment today saying that Leanne will bring more than 25 years’ experience working in the Australian travel industry to the Auckland based role.
“Leanne has an acute understanding of the unique market dynamics of the travel industry,” he said.
“Much of her career has been spent in the airline industry specifically and she has built up deep and enduring relationships with the trade and other key stakeholders on both sides of the Tasman.
“I’m delighted to announce Leanne’s appointment into this new role and look forward to her spending time out and about meeting with New Zealand trade over the next couple of months as she transitions herself and her family from Sydney to New Zealand.
