Globus family of brands (GFOB) has appointed luxury retail and commercial leader Christopher Leigh as its new managing director Asia Pacific, commencing 27 July 2026.
Leigh joins the touring and river cruise group from the world of Swiss luxury watches, stepping into the top Asia Pacific role from his Sydney base.
His arrival follows an announcement in May that current managing director Chris Hall will transition to the newly created role of chairman and strategic advisor.
Leigh brings more than 15 years leading luxury retail operations across Australia and New Zealand.
Who is Christopher Leigh?
Leigh joins GFOB most recently from Breitling Oceania, the Swiss luxury watchmaker, where he served as managing director for seven years after more than two years as the brand’s marketing director.
According to Globus, during his time at Breitling, he led significant revenue growth through retail expansion, cost control and margin improvement, and forged strategic partnerships with Qantas, News Corp and Nine.
He will be based in GFOB’s Sydney office, overseeing the group’s Globus, Cosmos and Avalon Waterways brands across the region.
Why a luxury retail leader?
GFOB president and CEO Scott Nisbet said that while excellent candidates with deep travel industry experience applied for the role, the company opted for a leader with a strong vision for its brands.
“Christopher’s success in growing a premium luxury brand through trade channel development and strategic partnerships is highly relevant to our sector,” Nisbet said.
“Whether you’re selling a luxury watch or a high value holiday, the mindset and buyer behaviour is similar, and we are excited to enlist his experience and fresh perspective as we grow our touring and river cruise brands.
“The market is evolving quickly and Christopher’s experience simultaneously growing trade channels and curating a sought-after consumer brand will allow us to cut through in a competitive market.”
What does it mean for the trade?
Leigh said he was looking forward to meeting and working with GFOB‘s range of travel partners, pointing to the group’s existing industry relationships as a foundation to build on.
“Globus family of brands has looked closely at its strategy over the past year and I’m excited to build on that momentum, enhancing the approach to ensure the company’s financial success and growth over the long-term,” Leigh said.
“The brands have strong partnerships with industry and a strong base from which to grow.
“The challenge of building brand preference in both trade and consumer distribution channels, in a highly competitive environment, is one I’m familiar with, and I relish the opportunity to tackle this at GFOB.”
KARRYON UNPACKS: Bringing in a leader from outside travel signals GFOB is betting that luxury retail’s trade-and-consumer playbook translates to selling higher-value touring and river cruising. For Australian sellers, the constant is the group’s Globus, Cosmos and Avalon Waterways relationships, now under a Sydney-based MD tasked with sharpening brand preference in a crowded market.
