People: Diverse School Travel; VWV; Catalyst Marketing Agency

Educational travel brand, Diverse School Travel, is set to welcome two new senior leaders to the organisation.

Former chief commercial officer of Not Just Travel & Dawson & Sanderson CEO, Chris Harrison, will join Diverse School Travel as chief executive officer.

Also joining the board, as a non-executive director, is the former UK CEO of Der Touristik and MD of Kuoni Group UK, Derek Jones.

Harrison arrives at the brand during a period of sustained growth and will lead the board, oversee daily business operations and drive the company through its next phase of growth.

With over 25 years of industry experience, Harrison brings with him a strong track record of strategic planning and operational delivery.

His new appointment is in tandem with the founders’ move to a part-time position on the board.

Started over 11 years ago, by Jamie and Aygun Gardiner, Diverse School Travel will see Jamie Gardiner move to chairperson alongside continuing his duties as an ABTA board member.

Co-founder, Jamie Gardiner said: “This is an exciting time for Diverse School Travel and we’re thrilled that we’re able to welcome Chris onto the team. As a brand, we’re committed to the growth and development of our product.

“It’s a time of change at the brand. Not only are we moving to our next growth phase with Chris, but we are changing at the board level too. As Aygun and I prepare to take a less active role, we’re looking forward to welcoming Derek Jones. Derek is an extremely experienced travel professional and we’re ready to hit the ground running, putting his insight and intelligence into action moving forward.”

Derek Jones joins Diverse School Travel as part of a career in travel, having played a major role in some of the biggest mergers in recent years and has a collection of iconic brands under his belt.

Gardiner said: “Derek brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience within the sector that is unrivalled. With extensive operational and strategic experience across some of the world’s premier travel brands, we’re keen to see what a difference that will make to Diverse School Travel. With Derek and Chris both onboard, we’re ready to accelerate operations and growth over the coming years.

VWV, a law firm, has announced the promotion of 47  individuals across various roles, marking the largest round of promotions in the firm’s history.

The firm has offices across London, Watford, Bristol & Birmingham.

Gemma Pouncy and Sarah Outram have both been promoted as partners within the commercial property team.

Outram has been at the firm for over 17 years, while Pouncy joined almost 10 years ago.

Sarah Outram, Steve McGuigan and Gemma Pouncy

Pouncy said: “Ever since I first joined VWV, I have been given fantastic opportunities to work with great clients, on interesting transactions and it soon became clear that I could grow my career here. I am excited for the chance to play a greater role in the firm’s future.”

Outram said: “I joined VWV as a paralegal in 2006 and I am very proud to now be a Partner. I am passionate about inspiring the next generation of lawyers and using my expertise to best serve our clients.”

A further ten lawyers have been promoted to the role of legal director, including five in the commercial property team, two in the employment team and one in each of the corporate, estates tax planning and trusts, and property litigation teams.

VWV has also recognised the contributions of several individuals with nine further promotions to senior associates.

Steve McGuigan, Managing Partner, said: “This round of promotions is a testament to the incredible dedication and talent we have at VWV. Each of these individuals has gone above and beyond in their commitment to our clients and VWV’s values. I couldn’t be prouder of their achievements and I’m excited to see the continued positive impact they will have on our team.”

Birmingham-based Catalyst Marketing Agency has appointed industry director, Dean Enon, to drive its growth.

Newly formed Catalyst PR will continue to embody the same principles and ethos of the wider business – to aid and influence client awareness and reputation through deliverable metrics.

Sarah Groves, co-founder and director of Catalyst, said: “This past 12 months we have grown considerably, with the addition of nine new team colleagues to help us serve our clients better, and a further appointment imminent. But we’ve always felt we needed PR to help close that 360 marketing loop.

Paul Houston, Dean Enon and Sarah Groves

“Similarly, we wanted to do things the right way. We have not only launched Catalyst PR to operate as a standalone entity by leveraging our reputation and established resources but also brought in Dean and his vast experience and network to ensure its success

“This is a truly exciting time at Catalyst, and we confidently look forward to the counsel Dean brings, and the additional benefits this will add to our growing portfolio as he leads a new team forward.”

Enon has a career spanning more than 20 years across agency and in-house, in sectors such as FM, healthcare, automotive, IoT and the built environment among others.

He said: “There is a real hunger at Catalyst to deliver; the results speak for themselves. Adopting a growth mindset into everything the team does attracted me, and I relish the challenge to instil this ethos into our public relations offering.

“After speaking to Sarah about the plans for the company it was an easy decision for me to make, and I’m delighted to be part of the Catalyst team.”

Groves added: “While we see this move as taking us to the next level, it’s certainly not the end of our expansion plans. We are always looking at how a restructuring of our services will benefit us as a company, our colleagues, and of course our clients. We anticipate more growth, and diversity, in 2025.”