Kuoni has promoted UK managing director Joanna Edmunds to head a new procurement and production unit for its new European division, announced last week.
At the same time, from vice president of distribution and operations Derek Jones has been promoted to managing director UK.
The Kuoni Group announced last week that it a new "Outbound Europe" division, headed by group executive board member Leif Vase Larsen, would encompass the UK, France and Switzerland sales units, Kuoni Nordic, a southern European sub-unit, new online/mobile unit and a procurement and production unit.
The latter will be "the backbone of the Kuoni tour operations", responsible for all purchasing and production activities for both the Apollo and Kuoni brands in Europe.
Edmunds said today: "By consistently bundling these activities and aligning product development initiatives more closely, we will be able to generate significant further synergies within our European tour operating business, strengthen our buying position and improve the product and service offerings to our customers."
The newly-created online & mobile unit is responsible for all websites at the business-to-customer interface. The unit is also home to Group Distribution online activities and to the B2C business of Octopus Travel, which was acquired with the recent purchase of GTA.
Online & Mobile is additionally responsible for developing and utilising new internet and mobile communications.
“In establishing the organisation of Outbound Europe, we are striving to promptly assign the corresponding responsibilities – partly to help us focus on our day-to-day business and our annual objectives as swiftly as possible, and partly to promote the further development and refinement of our new division,” said Larsen.
“These actions should enable us to achieve our overall aim of sustainably and profitably positioning our European tour operating business.”
The new heads of units will assume their duties on October 1.
By Linsey McNeill
