Saga Holidays names new MD
Chris Simmonds is going back to work at Saga Holidays next month to become its managing director again.
He returns on March 2 to replace Maria Whiteman who left the company late last year.
Simmonds previously worked for the Saga Holidays executive team as managing director for nearly four years until June 2005 and then as managing director for new ventures until he left in 2010.
He then became chief executive for Revitalise, a charity providing short breaks and holidays for disabled people and carers.
Back at Saga again, Simmonds will ‘drive the transformation of Saga Holidays in line with its growth agenda and overall strategic direction of returning Saga to its heritage – a heritage with which Chris is both familiar with, and very passionate about’.
Robin Shaw, CEO of Saga Travel, said "I am excited to welcome Chris to our business and our travel leadership team. I am confident that Chris will be as integral to Saga Holidays’ future, as he was in its past, and is the right person to lead its transformation."
Simmonds added: "I am joining Saga, not to relive the past but to use what is important from the past to shape the future. I want to contribute to Saga Holidays’ return to growth and ensure we can all enjoy the true spirit of Saga again".
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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