Shearings appoints new CEO
SHEARINGS Leisure Group, the Wigan-based operator of coach tours and leisure hotels, has appointed Richard Calvert as chief executive.
Calvert’s appointment follows the departure of Denis Wormwell, who left the business at the end of 2016 after almost 10 years to pursue a non-executive career.
Calvert will leave his role as president and chief executive of US-based global holiday group, Celebration Travel Group to take up the position.
CTG specialises in providing holidays for family occasions, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and all-inclusive trips, under a portfolio of digital-led brands.
He previously held senior leadership roles at First Choice, Tui Travel and Thomas Cook, where he was UK managing director of Mainstream Tour Operations.
He joined private equity backed holiday group DestinationWeddings.com in the US in 2012, which became Celebration Travel Group in 2015.
He will join the business in spring 2017, with Gary Speakman, chief finance officer and deputy chief executive, continuing to lead the business on an interim basis until then.
Calvert said: “I’ve long admired Shearings as a true specialist operator with unrivalled expertise, an impressive heritage and outstanding customer loyalty. The current team has continued to build a strong business with an excellent and constantly-evolving product offering.
“I’m looking forward to bringing my expertise to the group and working with such a highly capable team as we look to build on our performance in this exciting part of the travel and leisure market.”
Grant Hearn, chairman of Shearings Leisure Group, said: “With an impressive international career at some of the biggest brands in travel and leisure, we’re delighted to be welcoming Richard to the group.
“His experience, including his knowledge of building customer focused and digital-led brands, makes him an ideal fit given our forward ambitions for continued growth and expansion. He joins at a time of growing momentum and opportunity across our businesses. He will be supported by an outstanding senior management team and a highly experienced board of directors.”
The group – which is backed by Lone Star – made a pre-tax profit of £5m in 2015, compared to a loss of £900,000 the year earlier and carried 1.1m passengers, up 2% on the previous year. It also increased revenues to £201m (2014: £200m) – a record in the group’s 100-year history.
