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
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