A familiar face has returned as the Chairman of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) with Gavin Smith officially reappointed to the role.
Gavin Smith, who is the current Managing Director Australia and New Zealand for Royal Caribbean International, takes over from outgoing Chairman Sture Myrmell, the President of Carnival Australia and P&O Cruises Australia, who concludes his two-year term.
Smith returns to the role, having previously served as CLIA Australasia Chairman from 2011 to 2015, and was also on the Board of CLIA Europe from 2016 to 2019.
CLIA Australasia Managing Director Joel Katz said Smith brought with him exceptional industry experience and leadership at a time when the cruise sector was “working to establish a new foundation for its future operations”.
“Gavin Smith has been a well-known and respected leader for our industry for several decades, having been a key player in the growth and evolution of cruising in Australasia and the South
“He will provide invaluable guidance for our organisation as we work to confront the unprecedented challenges ahead of us and rebuild confidence through the new health measures cruise lines are developing.”
CLIA Australasia Managing Director Joel Katz
Katz also thanked Sture Myrmell for his dedication to CLIA and paid tribute to his work as Chairman.
“Sture Myrmell has been a committed and authoritative leader for CLIA as our industry capped off an exceptional period of growth and development within Australasia,” he said.
He has been a big part of our success as an industry and will continue to be an important contributor to CLIA as we address the testing environment of this new decade.”
As CLIA Australasia Chairman, Smith leads a newly formed Executive Committee that also comprises of Stuart Allison (Princess Cruises), Ben Angell (Norwegian Cruise Line), Sarina Bratton (Ponant), Lynne Clarke (MSC Cruises), Steve Odell (Regent Seven Seas Cruises & Oceania Cruises), Andrew Millmore (Windstar Cruises, Virgin Voyages), and Sture Myrmell (P&O Cruises Australia).
Find out more: www.cruising.org.au