Growth-hungry travel firm makes Kirsten its UK MD

AMBITIOUS independent travel company Travel Counsellors has promoted Kirsten Hughes to the role of managing director.

Hughes will take on the new position at the Trafford Park, Manchester company alongside her commercial director role which she has held for 12 years to focus on the company’s UK Travel Counsellors.

She has spent 22 years having started out working with company founder David Speakman and his then firm David Speakman Travel.

The reshuffle will also see MD Steve Byrne move to the position of chief executive as he leads the global strategy of the business.

The team also includes directors of operations (Karen Morris), technology (Rob Snelson) and finance (Simon Shaw) at board level, as well as the most recent appointment of Waseem Haq as director of digital and innovation.

The new roles will support the on-going growth of the company and provide a clear focus to each area of the business.

Hughes said: “I feel very privileged to take on this role having started out all those years ago at Lunn Poly. It goes to show you can achieve anything with hard work, determination and great mentors.”

Byrne said: “We have fantastic leaders in the business and the clarity on the structure optimises the skills in the team, ensuring each part of the business gets the support it needs to drive the company’s growth for the next three to five years.
 
“Kirsten has always played an integral role in the running of the business so it was a natural progression for her to step up into the role as UK MD, giving even more focused support and leadership to the UK Travel Counsellors, whilst continuing to drive the commercial strategy globally.

“This also enables my role to take on a more international and strategic focus as we look to take the company to another level globally.”

The company now has nearly 1,000 Travel Counsellors in the UK, with a further 600 operating in Ireland, Netherlands, Belgium, South Africa, Australia and the UAE. They are supported by a team of over 400 staff globally across all functions including marketing, administration, commercial, IT business development and training.