Leading all areas of the specialist ATOL/ABTOT-bonded family ski operator with a brief to organically grow the company. Managed it successfully through Covid before launching Ski Vertigo, a second complementary, non-family ski brand to further concretise ourselves as a major player in the wintersports arena from direct business as well as B2B. This was done with the backdrop of an exit from the EU causing significant change in the recruitment process of a 200+ strong overseas team.Direct responsibility for all elements of the P&L. Key objective of driving significant growth through new acquisition, as well as cross-promotion to cement loyalty to the two brands as families’ needs change. This has resulted in consistent bottom-line results since Covid.Driving efficiency such as a move to a new booking system, online questionnaires and a gradual digital transformation leaving behind legacy brochure production and outdated payment processes.In 2023, introduced Chalet Hotels as a new product stream into the portfolio, overseeing a large capex project to significantly refurbish the public areas which came in on budget, on time and further improved the excellent feedback scores.skifamille.co.ukskivertigo.co.uk

A wide-ranging role leading the inevitable change in committed product offerings given the threat posed by Brexit. My brief was to develop a proactive response to leaving the EU, liaising with legal experts both sides of the Channel, negotiating with French government departments on how to navigate changing employment rules, finding a path through a myriad of complex legislation and unknown landscape – balancing client demand and business risk.This expertise led me to become a Core Group member of SBiT (Seasonal Businesses in Travel), and play my part in a team of solution-focussed individuals, navigating political, economic and business considerations across our industry. I was invited to speak on the subject at numerous events such as the ABTA workshop.For a period of this role, I also led the extensive Product department which included managing a team of Product Managers for Inghams Ski, Inghams Lapland, Inghams Lakes and Mountains, Inghams Italy, Esprit Ski, Ski Total and Santa’s Lapland. This was at a time when expansion into no risk, allocation product was key, as many of the committed beds (Chalets) were being decontracted. Creative solutions into new markets were therefore top of the agenda and this resulted in a new programme to Madeira for example and further expansion of the two Lapland programmes.

Following its acquisition, I was tasked with the continuation and profitable growth of the Enigma brands (Esprit Ski, Ski Total and Santa’s Lapland) which thrived under my leadership, significantly contributing to the new group’s bottom line. I also led the group’s Guest Relations team as well as the Recruitment team which at its peak onboarded 1,600 winter overseas staff members.I gained a place on the Hotelplan UK board to represent the Enigma brands, contributing ideas for new projects and giving departmental updates.I led the office move from Fleet to Godalming in order to join Inghams team in newly refurbished offices. This involved all the necessary administration and HR requirements for successfully transitioning a 40+ strong workforce.On the investment committee, I analysed proposals and signed off on large capex investments throughout the property portfolio which often meant negotiating with owners to share costs and/or extend leases.I was heavily involved in the rebranding of the Santa’s Lapland programme, being the go-between with in-house HTML coders and an external design agency. This project was a massive success that made it properly online bookable, allowing it to grow considerably and subsequently Santa’s Lapland went on to be one of Hotelplan’s single biggest contributor to profitability in the whole Group.

• Appointed to gain experience of managing large teams: 10 Area Manager direct reports and approx. 1,000 resort staff• Winter; resort visits, team meetings and changeover days managing airport gateways• Summer; product development and seasonal recruitment• Led the repatriation of 2,000+ clients during April 2010’s Ash Cloud crisis

• Recruited to grow the newly acquired Esprit Ski and Ski Total brands (went from 12,000 pax to 35,000 pax in a handful of years) using contacts to negotiate and contract Chalets and Chalet Hotels.• In 2004, researched, designed and launched a brand new entrant to the Lapland market for visits to the ‘real’ Father Christmas, Esprit Lapland, which then became Santa’s Lapland. 1,500 pax in year 1 rising to 7,000+ in year 3.

Coordinated and led a team of contractors who pulled together a portfolio of allocation and committed contracts for the Crystal Ski, Simply Ski and Thomson Ski brands.