New managing director for TUI UK and Ireland

TUI has announced a number of top management changes which will see Nick Longman, currently MD distribution and online for TUI mainstream, become MD TUI UK & Ireland on June 1.

The current UK and Ireland MD, David Burling, will take on a larger role as MD of Northern Region on the Executive Board of TUI Group, overseeing the UK and Ireland, Nordics (Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark), Canada and Russia.

He will also manage the Product and Purchasing division and Aviation platforms.

Meanwhile, TUI deputy chief executive Johan Lundgren will leave the business on May 31 after stepping down from the Executive Board.

Lundgren said: "This has been a very difficult decision for me to make but I am firmly of the opinion that now is the right time to leave the company and pursue my next opportunity outside the world of TUI. I’d like to thank our chairman Professor Mangold, the members of the supervisory board and my colleagues on the Group Executive Committee for respecting my decision. I wish them all the best."

Peter Long, joint chief executive of TUI Group, said: "I am very sad that Johan has decided that he now wishes to leave the business to pursue new challenges outside the group and I wish him every success for the future.

"He has been a key executive both within TUI Travel and more recently the TUI Group.

"He has accumulated close to 30 years of experience in the dynamic industry in which we operate and is truly an international businessman. His understanding of the importance of continuously evolving our product, giving our customers something they can only get from us, putting them at the heart of what we do, embracing technology to help deliver a superior customer experience, very effectively leading his team and delivering increased profitability are all things of which he can be justifiably proud.

"It is testament to our business that we have the strength and depth in our management team that we can so effectively promote from within to ensure that what we have achieved to date will continue after Johan’s departure."

In his new MD role, Longman’s current remit and team will now move into the central function of Group marketing, led by Group chief marketing officer Erik Friemuth.

He joined TUI in 1998 and has held a number of positions within the company, including MD of Canada and distribution director for Thomson and First Choice.

Of the changes, Burling said: "I am really proud of what we’ve achieved here in the UK over the last four years, the business has gone from strength to strength as we focus on the successful implementation of our strategy.

"There have been many highlights from becoming the first UK airline to take delivery of the 787 Dreamliner, to the opening of our ninth exclusive Sensatori Resort and I’d like to thank my team for everything we’ve achieved together.

"I’m confident Nick will do a great job in his new role and I wish him every success. I’m very much looking forward to my new, expanded position working with the other markets to deliver on-going growth in the Northern Region."

Longman added: "It’s a really exciting time for the UK and Ireland business as we focus on growing our exclusive hotel concepts, innovating our customer service proposition and increasing our long haul offer on the 787 Dreamliner.

"I’m delighted to have the opportunity to take this successful business to the next level and I’d like to thank my current team for their hard work and commitment establishing a strong mainstream distribution and online function over the last few years."