First Choice shakes up management team

Thursday, 23 May, 2006 0

First Choice Holidays has shaken up its distribution division following John Wimbleton’s promotion to group level.

Wimbleton, previously MD distribution for the group’s mainstream business, will join chief executive Peter Long to work on special projects across all sectors of the group.

He will be replaced by Nick Longman, who is returning to the UK from Canada where he was VP finance and then president Signature Vacations. He will report into Dermot Blastland, MD for the group’s mainstream sector.

The reshuffle also sees Cheryl Powell become MD of the group’s retail business. She was previously commercial director for retail.

Starting from July 17, Longman will head up First Choice’s sales team, call centres and retail network.

Reporting into him will be Powell, David Wheatley (distribution finance director), Julia Sockett (head of call centres), Roy Myhill (sales and marketing director First Choice Independent Travel), Max Mason (head of sales First Choice Holidays) and Neil Curnow (manager of the Stockton call centre).

Wimbleton will continue to manage First Choice Independent Travel until the autumn, before handing it over to Longman.

By Bev Fearis

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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