New roles for the industry’s movers and shakers
Contki Holiday
Jensen Dsouza has been appointed as sales manager for the world leader in youth travel – Contiki Holidays. Post graduating in arts from Mumbai, Dsouza pursued post graduate degree in marketing from Welingkar’s Institute. He has previously worked with organisations like Global Buzz Makers and Thomas Cook India amongst others. With over 12 years of experience, his new role will entail servicing and engaging the travel trade partners and growing the youth brand across the country.
Jet Airways
Jet Airways’ chief financial officer (CFO), Amit Agarwal has taken the responsibility as acting chief executive officer (CEO). Agarwal will function as acting CEO in addition to his responsibilities as CFO of the company, until the appointment of a new CEO. Agarwal joined Jet Airways in December 2015 and has more than 24 years of experience having held positions in India, Europe and North America.
Tourism and Hospitality Skill Council
Arun Nanda has been appointed as chairman of Tourism and Hospitality Skill Council (THSC). Nanda was unanimously elected as the new chairman by the board at the recently held fourth general body meeting of THSC. In this role, Nanda will guide and lead the organisation in its aim to fulfill the skilled manpower requirements of the hospitality industry. Nanda is currently also the chairman of Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India and Mahindra Lifespace Developer, and the director of Holiday Club Resorts Oy, Finland. Apart from this, he holds leadership and advisory roles on the boards of several other companies.
Vistara
Vistara has appointed Sanjiv Kapoor as chief strategy and commercial officer. In his new role, Kapoor will be responsible for managing a portfolio of Vistara’s commercial and planning functions including strategy development, network planning, pricing and revenue management, sales and distribution, product development, branding, marketing and customer experience. He will also be responsible for in-flight services and ground operations. Prior to joining Vistara, Kapoor was the chief operating officer at SpiceJet. Kapoor has over 19 years of experience in the airline industry across various leadership and consulting roles.
Trafalgar
Rohan Kulkarni has been appointed as sales manager for Trafalgar in India. A commerce graduate from Mumbai, Kulkarni had done his MBA in Travel & Tourism from Kuoni Academy. He has previously worked with organisations like SOTC Kuoni and Thomas Cook India amongst others. With more than five years of experience, his new role will entail servicing and engaging the travel trade partners and growing the brand.
Lufthansa Group
Dieter Vranckx has been appointed as vice president – sales for Lufthansa Group in Asia Pacific. In his new role, Vranckx will lead the airline group’s regional headquarter in Asia Pacific. Based in Singapore, he will be responsible for managing and directing sales at all markets in this region. Prior to this position, Vranckx has held various positions in passenger sales and cargo within the Lufthansa Group.
Diethelm Travel Group
Diethelm Travel Group has appointed a managing director, general manager Thailand and group sales director. Jean Francois Redl has been promoted from country manager Vietnam to managing director, replacing Torsten Edens who is now group operating director. Victor Mogilev has moved from his role as sales director emerging markets to general manager Thailand and will support Edens in Bangkok. Louise Lithgow has been employed as group sales director of Diethelm Travel Group, responsible for managing the entire sales team and activities across the 12 countries Diethelm operates in. Lithgow joins the company with 14 years of experience working for STA Travel as well as various hospitality groups, such as Millennium Hotels.
Gulf Air
Gulf Air has appointed Shadi Raweh as country manager for Turkey. With over 15 years’ experience and an in-depth, working knowledge of the aviation and travel industry, Raweh has covered several management roles both within Gulf Air and in other industry organisations. He previously held the position of country manager for Yemen, initially for IATA in 2004 and later for Gulf Air in 2008.
Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways has appointed Simon Hawk as sponsorship manager – Australia. Hawk will be based in Sydney and will report to Briony Trevethan in the airline’s Abu Dhabi headquarters. In this newly created role, he will be responsible for managing the airline’s sponsorship portfolio in Australia and maximising its investment in these partnerships. His previous roles include senior manager, partnerships at Australia Rugby Union; senior account manager at MEC Access in UK; account manager at Havas Sports & Entertainment in UK; and business development manager for Your Golf Travel.
FCM Travel Solutions
FCM Travel Solutions has appointed Caroline Kerr as general manager – Hong Kong, and James Ellis as director of sales – North East Asia. Kerr previously worked for Flight Centre Travel Group (1991 – 2006) across the Flight Centre, Corporate Traveller, Stage & Screen and FCM Travel brands both in Australia and Hong Kong. In her expanded role she will report to David Fraser, managing director of Flight Centre Travel Group in Greater China. Ellis will be responsible for increasing market share across the region. Ellis has been in the travel industry for 10 years both at a regional and national sales level. In his most recent position, Ellis managed the Sydney sales team at Egencia. Ellis will reprt to Kerr.
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines has appointed Wong Hong as president, Greater China. Hong will have overall responsibility for Delta in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. He will oversee and manage Delta’s strategic, competitive and financial position, as well as sales and marketing within the Greater China region. He will report to Vinay Dube, senior vice president – Asia Pacific. Hong joins Delta from SATS, where he served as executive vice president of Food Solutions. Hong holds a bachelor’s degree (honours) in electrical engineering from the National University of Singapore. He is also a member of the Harvard Business School alumni, having completed the General Management Programme.