Who got a new gig this week? Check out this week’s travel industry movers & shakers below or click here to check out last week’s new appointments.
1. The Havannah Vanuatu announces a new General Manager
The Havannah Vanuatu is pleased to announce the appointment of a new General Manager; Mr Daniel Johnson.
Daniel brings a wealth of experience to The Havannah Vanuatu having held various roles with Per Aquum Resort and Cocoa Island by Como Resorts, Maldives; Bedarra Island, Whitsundays; Jumeirah Dhevanafushi Resort, Maldives and most recently, Alila Jabel Akhdar, Oman where he held the position of Executive Chef.
Joining Daniel at The Havannah Vanuatu is Joanna Johnson, who will be responsible for Guest Services at the Resort.
2. Air New Zealand appoints new Americas manager
Air New Zealand has appointed Liz Fraser to the position of Regional General Manager Americas, based in Los Angeles.
Liz Fraser is the current Air New Zealand GM Global Sales Operations & Planning based in Auckland and has previously worked in a variety of sales roles in the New Zealand media industry.
Air New Zealand Chief Revenue Officer Cam Wallace says he’s delighted to have someone with Ms Fraser’s experience join the team in America.
“This role has responsibility for our teams in South America, Canada and USA which are key areas of focus for our business as we seek to grow our western markets.”
Liz Fraser will move to Los Angeles with her husband Bruce and daughter Jessie in the coming months.
3. CLIA appoints a new Operations Manager
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Australasia has announced the appointment of Melissa Juelich as their Membership Operations Manager.
With almost 15 years’ experience in the travel industry, Juelich will be responsible for membership administration, and will also support membership engagement activities.
Juelich joins the organisation after a short stint at Helloworld, however she is no stranger to CLIA, as she worked for the organisation last year in a temporary capacity. Juelich has previously held positions at Emirates, South Africa Tourism, AFTA and United Travel New Zealand.
CLIA Australasia Managing Director Joel Katz said: “We are delighted to have Melissa back on board to support our members as we continue to grow our membership activities and engagement in both Australia and New Zealand.”
Juelich replaces Amanda Rixon who left CLIA Australasia earlier this month after five years of service.
4. Avis Budget Group announces new Pacific Regional Sales & Marketing leaders
Avis Budget Group has made four key promotions in their Pacific Region leadership team to reflect their continued investments in customer insight, product innovation and mobility services. Each of the new roles are responsible for the Pacific Region covering Australia and New Zealand.
Clare Emerson is the Head of Product and PR, responsible for customer insight, product development and service innovation.
Roy Scoon is the Head of Marketing, responsible for all consumer marketing and brand management.
Ross Morley is the Head of Corporate Sales, responsible for all account management for public and private sector (B2B) customers.
Guy Robinson is the Head of Leisure and Partnerships, responsible for all sales through national and international Travel and Tourism distribution channels.
These changes continue the trend for Avis Budget Group to create more integrated and consistent experiences for customers throughout the Pacific Region.
5. CWT appoints Managing Director for Australia & New Zealand
Carlson Wagonlit Travel has appointed Michael Ryan as Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand. Ryan will lead a team of nearly 280 people across six locations in Australia and New Zealand, and will be responsible for client satisfaction, client retention and new business.
“Michael’s customer focus and his keen understanding of the Australian and New Zealand markets will help us deliver on our digital CWT 3.0 strategy, which will give business travelers the kind of experience they expect from their leisure travel,” said Kai Chan, CWT’s President for Asia Pacific. “While compliance and savings remain key, more and more companies here are beginning to focus on their travelers’ overall experience – with the ultimate aim of boosting productivity.”
Michael will be based in Sydney and will join CWT’s Asia Pacific leadership team, reporting to Kai Chan.
Michael has more than 20 years of business development and management experience across a range of industries, including financial services, telecommunications and sporting goods.
He joins CWT from American Express’ Merchant Services division, where he was Vice President, Merchant & Loyalty Solutions, responsible for leading and growing the corporate and enterprise payments business in Asia Pacific. Prior to that, he held various roles at American Express, Optus, Adidas and Coca Cola Amatil.
Michael holds a Bachelor of Economics degree from Macquarie University. He enjoys traveling and experiencing new cultures, and is a health and fitness buff who loves cycling.