Bowden-Doyle goes in Lastminute restructure
Lastminute.com UK managing director Richard Bowden-Doyle is leaving the company in a restructure.
His departure at the end of the month comes as the online travel group “flattens” its management structure creating four distinct divisions.
The changes come after a flurry of acquisitions, including Holiday Autos, Med Hotels, Online Travel Corporation and First Option.
Group chief operating officer Ian McCaig said discussions had been held with Mr Bowden-Doyle, former managing director of Thomson Holidays, about how to get the best out of lastminute’s range of brands while also taking the business forward during a period of integration.
“Having a UK managing director position was going to slow the processes down. It was just a no-win situation,” he told TravelMole.
Under the new structure, former MedHotels boss John Kent takes over as retail md, OTC chief executive Mark Jones will be responsible for trade-focussed and business-to-business.
Holiday Autos md Mat Hart is promoted to marketing and commercial director for lastminute.com UK from October 4.
Andrew Windsor takes on business travel, building on accounts inherited from the OTC and First Option takeovers.
Doug Sawers, former deputy CEO of Holiday Autos, becomes md, group operations, overseeing growth in the UK as well as across all lastminute.com group’s international markets.
Lopo Champalimaud becomes lifestyle md, responsible for the lifestyle product portfolio in the UK and its strategic direction around Europe.
New recruit Brian Murphy takes over at Holiday Autos, having held positions with Hertz, Thomas Cook, American Express and most recently ActiveHotels.com.
“I wouldn’t banner this as a cost-saving thing. We will get the cost efficiencies previously announced at the operating level,” said Mr McCaig.
“Recent acquisitions have taken our UK business to scale but have also made our organisation more complex. Following the busy summer season we are now entering a period of integration and consolidation to help us build for the future.
“We now plan to bring all elements of our UK business together in a practical way to make sure that we stay the most dynamic and innovative company in the sector. We’ve established four key business areas which will be headed up by some of the experienced individuals already in the company.”
Meanwhile, Alan Barber, a former partner with accountancy firm KPMG, has become a non-executive director of lastminute.com.
He has also been appointed chairman of the company’s audit committee.
Mr Barber, who worked at KPMG for 35 years until May, held a number of senior management and client positions within the organisation covering sectors including travel and retail.
Lastminute.com chairman Allan Leighton said: “We are delighted to welcome Alan as an additional non-executive director. He brings 35 years of strategic and global financial experience that will be of great value.”
Report by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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