Advantage names new group commercial director
The Advantage Travel Partnership has appointed Paula Lacey as group commercial director.
The appointment comes after Advantage corporate director Ken McLeod announced back in the spring his intention to step down at the end of this month after 12 years with the group.
He will stay on in a consultancy role.
Lacey will join on September 14 from easyHotels, where she was global franchise director.
Before that she held senior roles with TUI Travel Specialist and Activity Division, including aviation director and MD of distribution for the Sport Division, and also senior roles in Thomas Cook Retail and TV Travel Shop.
Julia Lo Bue-Said, managing director of The Advantage Travel Partnership, said: "As a senior commercial professional with extensive experience in large workforce management, business transformation and change management, Paula has a clear record of building high-performing, customer-focused teams.
"The role will bring together various functions of the company across both our business and leisure travel disciplines, ensuring our focus remains on driving forward commercial opportunities for all members.
"It’s important that we continue with the modernisation of the company, the ability to function in an entrepreneurial manner, driving forward commercial opportunities in order to deliver overall investment back into membership."
Lacey said: "I’m looking forward to working with the whole team and establishing productive relationships with members and partners, many of whom I’ve had the pleasure of working with in previous roles and new ones also."
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026