Ex-Gold Medal boss joins Southall Travel
Former Gold Medal Travel chief Ann Gilbert has returned to the trade as a director of Southall Travel.
She has taken on the position of business development director at the London-based agency, which expects to achieve £40 million turnover this year.
Ms Gilbert, who spent 13 years at Gold Medal ending up as managing director, recently sold internet travel business Airfares where she was the major shareholder. After leaving Gold Medal she set up a property business in the Isle of Man.
Established 20 years ago to cater for the Asian market, Southall Travel has since expanded and claims to be the first UK travel company to create a state of the art call centre in India, where it employs 200 staff. The company now specialises in selling flights and tailormade package holidays.
Managing director Kuljinder Bahia took over the business five years ago aged 24 when annual turnover was just £500,000. Since then he has recruited Samuel Eliatamby, ex-Inspirations and British Airways Holidays, as operations director and Bill Faulkner, ex-Cosmos, as product director.
Mr Bahia said: “With Southall Travel heading for another record year we need to have a good senior management infrastructure in place. Ann fits the bill perfectly and we are now ready to take Southall Travel to its next phase.”
Ms Gilbert said she was attracted to the role due to the “exciting plans” in place at Southall Travel.
Report by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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