Travel Republic appoints joint managing directors
~P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; }
Neale Chinery and Ian Simmonds have been appointed as joint managing directors following the departure two months ago of CEO Paul Furner and chief commerical officer Chris Roche.
The company said the duo would oversee "a growing international business". As well as the UK & Ireland, the company also operates in Spain and Italy, where it claimed bookings were up 97% year-on-year in May.
"Neale and Ian are experienced travel experts, with a deep understanding of theindustry, technology, and how to continue Travel Republic’s reputation as anindustry leader," said chairman Iain Andrew.
"The new senior management structure at Travel Republic puts the business in a very strong position to continue its growth trajectory and expand its already robust offering."
Chinery is new to the business and will be managing director operations, overseeing operations, product & technology. Simmonds, who was previously acting CEO, is now managing director commercial, responsible for finance, ecommerce and marketing.
Chinery has extensive IT & Operations experience, most recently as business solutions director at Kingfisher IT Services. He has held positions at both Thomas Cook – including IT director for its Retail and Direct businesses – and TUI, as well as board level roles at Currys whilst working for the Dixons Stores Group.
Simmonds has been with the business for over four years, as Chief Financial Officer and most recently as Acting CEO, and was previously finance director for Island Cruises.
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
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 
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026