Who got a new gig this week? Check out this week’s travel industry movers & shakers!
1. APT appoints new Executive General Manager
Award winning luxury travel operator APT has announced the appointment of Steve Reynolds to the role of Executive General Manager.
Heading up APT globally, Steve Reynolds is responsible for the overall financial performance and strategic direction of the brand.
Steve Reynolds recently joined APT from UK-based Back-Roads Touring where he achieved strong growth of the niche touring brand. Prior to that he had an extensive career in Australia with Tempo Holidays, which then became Cox and Kings, culminating in his appointment as Managing Director and CEO.
Commenting on his new role, Steve Reynolds said his main focus will be to elevate the brand further, particularly commercial opportunities at home and on a global scale.
David Cox has been overseeing both the APT and Travelmarvel brands. Moving forward he will head up Travelmarvel as Executive General Manager, also with global responsibility.
Debra Fox will work alongside both Steve and David as Executive General Manager Global Sales and Marketing, as will David Courage in his role as Executive General Manager Global Operations, Innovation, and Procurement.
2. SALA Hospitality Group appoints Group Director of Sales
SALA Hospitality Group has announced that Benjaporn Magroodtong has taken on the role of Group Director of Sales, effective immediately.
Benjaporn joins SALA Hospitality Group with more than 10 years of experience in luxury hotel sales.
Apart from her professionalism and commitment, she brings great experience in the hotel industry, having worked with Marriott International for the last four years as their Director of Sales, Leisure at the JW Marriott Phuket.
Prior to that she was Director of Sales, Leisure for Anantara Hotels in Thailand.
An industry expert, Benjaporn will oversee the acquisition and management of all customer relationships both domestically and internationally as well as working closely with the overseas sales representations in the German speaking markets, UK and Australia.
She will be based at the SALA head office in Bangkok and will report directly to the Group Director of Business Development.
3. Meet Captain Cook Cruises’ newest Young Master
Captain Cook Cruises is delighted to announce the appointment of Nicholas Sciancalepore as Master of the PS Murray Princess, operating three, four and seven-night cruises along the Murray River.
At 25 years of age, Nicholas is the second youngest Master currently working on the Murray River, only surpassed in age by the other Master on the Murray Princess, Captain James McDougall, who also at 25 years of age is two months younger that Nicholas.
A local South Australian boy, Nicholas grew up in North Haven before moving to Renmark when he was 22 years old. Always aspiring to be a Master Nicholas attended Port Adelaide and Portland campuses where he studied his Master 5, Master 4, Med 2 and STCW95 offshore safety at sea.
Prior to being employed on the Murray Princess, Nicholas skippered various charter vessels out in Gulf St Vincent, delivered luxury sports boats down the East Coast of Australia and was master of a shallow draft tug that towed crane and dumb barges for lock and weir fish way and navigational pass upgrades along the Murray River.
Nicholas loves being a Master and is very proud that he is now one of the youngest skippers on one of the biggest boats on the Murray.
4. Lido names Martin Cowley as Chairman
Hotel booking and payment solutions provider The Lido Group has announced the appointment of Martin Cowley as its new Chairman.
Over the past 30 years Cowley has held senior roles within some of the world’s most respected aviation and travel brands, including Cathay Pacific and Sabre Travel Network.
Currently he serves as a Director and Board Advisor to a variety of successful and innovative travel ventures, including global settlement solutions provider Conferma, experiential travel specialist Alquemie (formerly Wilderness Australia) and hotel commission recovery service Net Trans.
For the past two years Cowley has also served as a strategic advisor to The Lido Group Board, during which time the company has experienced significant growth by forging strong partnerships with some of Asia Pacific’s leading travel management companies (TMCs).
Cowley says he is looking forward to working more closely with The Lido Group’s talented management team, which includes Managing Director Steve Mackenzie and Director of Operations Peter Beveridge, to ensure the company’s ongoing success.
Cowley succeeds Brian Bridgewood, who founded The Lido Group in 1987 and has steered the company’s evolution from a boutique travel agency to an award-winning provider of fully-integrated accommodation booking and payment solutions to major corporations and government organisations in partnership with elite TMCs.