Former Co-op CEO joins On the Beach
OTA On the Beach Group has appointed former CEO of The Co-operative Group Richard Pennycook to the Board.
Pennycook will join as non-executive chair on April 1. He will also chair the nomination committee.
He succeeds David Kelly who has been interim chair and interim chair of the nomination committee since December 2018. Kelly will resume his role as senior independent director and continues to chair the remuneration committee.
On the Beach said that following Pennycook’s appointment, the Board will continue to review its structure to ensure it has the appropriate breadth and depth of experience while meeting corporate governance best practice.
Pennycook is also non-executive chairman of joinery group Howden, a position he has held since 2016. He was non-executive chair of technology firm The Hut Group until last year. Prior to joining The Co-op, he held main Board roles at a number of public companies, including Morrison Supermarkets, RAC, HP Bulmer Holdings, Laura Ashley and Wetherspoon.
On the Beach CEO Simon Cooper said: "We are delighted to welcome Richard to On the Beach as Chair of the Board. Richard’s extensive experience in both private and public retail and consumer businesses will be invaluable, particularly his work with fast-growing online businesses, as we continue to deliver on our strategy in the UK and internationally.
"I would also like to take this opportunity, on behalf of the Board, to thank David Kelly for stepping into the role of interim chair in 2018 and we look forward to his continued support and guidance going forward."
Pennycook added:"I very much look forward to working with Simon and the team at On the Beach. This is an agile and evolving business that has retained its entrepreneurial spirit while disrupting the travel industry to the benefit of consumers. I am pleased to be joining at this exciting time in the Group’s journey."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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