Who got a new gig this week? Check out this week’s travel industry movers & shakers.
1. Travellers Choice unveils new GM Sales role
Travellers Choice has appointed Nicola Strudwick to its senior management team in the newly-created role of General Manager Sales, effective 16 May 2015.
Strudwick brings more than 20 years’ travel industry experience to her new role, including key roles with some of the industry’s leading wholesale, airline consolidation and tour operator companies.
She joins Travellers Choice from Helloworld, where most recently she held the position of Regional Sales Manager (Western Australia/Northern Territory) for Qantas Holidays, Viva! Holidays, Rail Tickets, ReadyRooms and The Cruise Team.
Managing Director Christian Hunter says Strudwick will now be responsible for developing and implementing strategies that optimise sales for preferred suppliers. In addition, she will work with the company’s state-based business development managers to grow the Travellers Choice network across Australia.
The creation of the new General Manager Sales position follows the decision by Travellers Choice Sales Development Manager Leith Poad to step down from her current role in order to work on her family’s business in Western Australia.
Hunter says Poad, who joined Travellers Choice in 2000 and has served on the senior management team since 2011, will continue to consult to the company as a sales analyst.
As part of a broader management restructure, Travellers Choice is also creating a new General Manager Finance and Administration role.
2. Booking.com appoints new Oceania Regional Manager
Booking.com, has appointed Tracey Foxall as its Oceania Regional Manager. Foxall will oversee operations across New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands in her new position, while her incumbent Alberto Yates returns to Italy to take on a new role with the company.
Alongside the teams in Booking.com’s four Oceania offices (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland), Tracey will be responsible for ensuring the continued growth of Booking.com whilst continuing to play a key role in the support of the company’s existing accommodation partners. Having previously managed Booking.com’s New Zealand operations, Tracey’s appointment comes alongside the announcement of colleague Luke Ashall’s promotion to her past role.
Foxall first joined the Booking.com team in 2011. Her promotion represents familiar territory for Tracey, who served as a key player in the management of hotel and hospitality chains across New Zealand prior to her career with Booking.com.
Foxall’s appointment is effective immediately.
3. Helloworld strengthens its wholesale team
Helloworld’s Wholesale leadership team continues to strengthen with the appointment of David Green to the role of General Manager Sales, Wholesale.
Mr Green is a well known retail franchise expert as well as a seasoned travel sector professional. He joins recent additions to the Wholesale senior team under the leadership of Cinzia Burnes including Joe McCormack as GM Land Purchasing and Leanne Chard as GM Product.
Mrs Burnes said a strong Wholesale leadership team was now in place with a clear strategy and framework for future success.
He will have responsibility for all Wholesale brands including Qantas Holidays, Viva! Holidays, The Cruise Team, Readyrooms, Territory Discoveries and Sunlover Holidays.
4. Mandarin Oriental appoints two new GMs
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has announced the appointments of Eric Kee as General Manager of Mandarin Oriental, Sanya in China, and Jan-Hendrik Meidinger as General Manager of The Excelsior in Hong Kong.
Eric Kee will join Mandarin Oriental, Sanya in May from his most recent role as General Manager of Pan Pacific, Xiamen. Eric has 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry. He first joined Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group in 1996 as Senior Assistant Front Office Manager at Mandarin Oriental, Macau. He then worked with several hotel groups in China, Malaysia, Macau and Japan before returning to the Group in 2011 as Hotel Manager for The Excelsior, Hong Kong.
Jan-Hendrik Meidinger also brings 25 years of luxury hospitality experience to Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. He joins The Excelsior from his most recent role as General Manager of Park Hyatt Saigon. Jan-Hendrik joined the Hyatt Group as Assistant Front Office Manager at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong in 1999, and rose to Executive Assistant Manager, Rooms. He was later appointed General Manager of Hyatt Regency Guam in 2010. A German national, Mr Meidinger graduated from the University of Surrey, UK, majoring in International Tourism and Hospitality Management.