Experience

TerraVerde Sustainability

• United Kingdom
• Environmental Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Founding Director

  • Jan 2021 - Present

  TerraVerde helps Travel and Hospitality companies progress with sustainability. Dedicated to tourism, our cost-effective subscription model provides accurate carbon footprint measurement, with practical, business friendly advice; both on greening your own operations as well as those of your supply chain. Bespoke strategy, communications and decarbonisation planning for larger organisations. TerraVerde helps Travel and Hospitality companies progress with sustainability. Dedicated to tourism, our cost-effective subscription model provides accurate carbon footprint measurement, with practical, business friendly advice; both on greening your own operations as well as those of your supply chain. Bespoke strategy, communications and decarbonisation planning for larger organisations.



CPF Sustainability Consultants

• London, United Kingdom

• Director

  • Oct 2015 - Jan 2021

  New focus on Building Opportunities from Sustainability combining latest knowledge with 35 years’ travel & tourism experience in: growing businesses from start-up, customer service, accommodation, e-commerce, negotiation, innovation, strategy, change management. Projects, full-time, part-time or interim. Some previously delivered projects for clients: • E-commerce and spare capacity monetisation; luxury villas and city apartments • Advice & set-up for a tech company launching an App for mobile hotel room booking • E-commerce, website presentation and IT development planning advice for one of the 'Big 4' consultancy firms • Advising on accommodation buying for an international company • Setting up a luxury hotel programme in Italy for a long-established tour operator Show less



Insider Places

• London, United Kingdom

• Founder & Managing Director

  • Mar 2017 - Mar 2020

  Unique & tailor-made holiday experiences from local agents who live in the chosen travel destination. Unique & tailor-made holiday experiences from local agents who live in the chosen travel destination.



Cox & Kings

• India
• Travel Arrangements
• 700 & Above Employee

• Vice President - Buying

  • Jun 2013 - Jul 2015

  Devising, and leading the execution of, strategies for combining the hotel buying across 16 different brands (B2B & B2C) in 9 countries as a result of the acquisition of Holidaybreak by Cox & Kings. Key brands: Cox & Kings UK, Australia, USA (luxury); Cox & Kings India (group travel); Superbreak (short breaks); Bookit.nl (online hotel B2C); NST & PGL (schools); Meininger (16 budget hotels). • Built direct buying team for independent accommodation significantly improving margins. • Negotiated distribution deals with international hotel chains increasing portfolio and global reach with large margin improvements. Show less



HotelConnect

• United Kingdom
• Travel Arrangements
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Founder and Managing Director

  • 1993 - 2011

  Founded HotelConnect in 1993, a “spare bedroom” start-up, and created a new approach to distributing hotel accommodation to the travel trade and the general public, spotting a gap in the market five years before most others. As Managing Director, I grew the business organically reaching £38m of turnover and 90 staff with client markets: UK, USA, Canada & Scandinavia. USA office opened in 2003. Strong profitability for 15 years and rapid growth between 2001 and 2005, during which the company appeared in the Sunday Times list of 100 fastest growing companies for three consecutive years. Universally recognised for excellence in customer service, HotelConnect became the travel trade’s preferred supplier for quality checked accommodation and support, winning many awards. Innovations and landmarks achieved at HotelConnect: 1994 - First non-GDS hotel specialist supplier to UK travel trade 1995 - First hotel call centre to provide instant confirmation across Europe 1996 - First to drop booking fees & simplify invoicing to win over travel trade 1997 - First hotel supplier to be sold on a low cost airline website 2000 - One of the first few to launch transactional online hotel booking 2000 - One of the first few to use xml technology to connect host to host with travel trade 2003 - Three awards: best hotel supplier, customer excellence and e-business 2003 - US/Canada office opened 2004 - New direct website launched increasing direct sell business by 40% 2005 - Two awards: best European call centre, best accommodation supplier 2007 - Five awards: including best hotel only, best internet systems and service 2008 - Four awards: including best supplier, best hotel & internet booking systems Show less



Contracts Negotiation, Tour Operating, Corporate Travel

• United Kingdom

• Early Career

  • 1983 - 1993

  • Tour Operating (outbound) • Hotel Contracts Negotiation & Tour Operating (incoming to Europe) • Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Events worldwide • Tour Operating (outbound) • Hotel Contracts Negotiation & Tour Operating (incoming to Europe) • Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Events worldwide