Thomas Cook overhauls communications in wake of Corfu deaths backlash
Thomas Cook Group has overhauled its UK and Ireland communications department in the wake of widespread criticism over the way it handled the deaths of two children in Corfu.
Following a review, a new team will be led by Ian Benjafield, who has been a PR consultant to Thomas Cook since April 2013 and previously worked for TUI and Disneyland Paris.
In his new role as head of PR Thomas Cook UK and Ireland, Benjafield reports in to Mathias Brandes, group head of communications.
Benjafield is tasked with recruiting and heading up a new ‘in-house function’ working across the group’s London head office and Peterborough-based UK business.
His aim is to ensure ‘consistency of messaging’ within trade, consumer and brand PR, reputation management and crisis response.
The new team already includes deputy head of PR Yasmina Cherquaoui, formerly head of UK and European PR for Sandals Resorts International, PR manager Louise Evans and senior press officer Sarah Anderson, all of whom report into Benjafield.
Thomas Cook has also signed up Lotus PR to provide additional PR support.
The shake-up comes after Thomas Cook faced a major backlash earlier this year over the way it handled the deaths of Bobby and Cristi Shepherd from carbon monoxide poisoning while on holiday with the operator in Corfu in 2006.
Thomas Cook was criticised for its lack of communication with the children’s parents and because senior management refused to apologise for the tragedy during a widely-publicised inquest.
Eventually, the travel giant agreed to donate the compensation it received in connection with the tragic deaths to charity and has since started a campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.
But the backlash knocked millions off the value of the company’s shares as worried investors dumped stock.
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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