The latest industry appointments

Sue Jarvis and David Shirra have joined Barrhead Travel as commercial finance director and marketing and ecommerce director respectively. Jarvis joins Barrhead after 11 years at Hays Travel where roles included group financial controller and director of subsidiaries. She will be based in Sunderland with some days in Glasgow. Shirra joins with experience in hotel, leisure and the advertising industries including three years at Life Technologies.

Andy Grant and Jason Hilton have now taken over the reins at Red Sea Holidays. The two will run the business after Peter Kearns announced he will leave the tour operator to join Jet2holidays. Bookings for the operator in 2014 are said to be strong, with demand back for Luxor and Nile cruises.

Katie Panagou has been named UK manager at Captain’s Choice. Panagou has joined the luxury tour operator from DMG Media, parent of the Mail newspapers and where she oversaw the launch of Mail Travel. She has more than 13 years of experience within the luxury and escorted touring markets and replaces Gary Bartelings, who has moved to Captain’s Choice’s head office in Australia.

Nikki Hellyer has joined Rocky Mountaineer as director, global market. Hellyer will develop and execute a strategic marketing plan to support the company’s targets in North America and internationally. Hellyer’s experience includes 15 years in the manufacturing, retail and advertising industries.

Paul Boyle has been promoted to chief executive officer at Capita Travel and Events. Boyle used to be chief operating officer at the company and will assume his new role on 1 January 2014. He replaces James Parkhouse, who has been promoted to executive director of Capita’s workplace services division.

James Taylor has been appointed sports and executive leisure travel manager at Hillgate Travel. Taylor will report to Jonathon Hutton to manage and develop an executive leisure travel department for Hillgate’s corporate clients.

Alison Palin has been named as the new general manager at The Waldorf Hilton, London. Palin joins the hotel from Hilton Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and has nearly 30 years of service in the hospitality industry. She has previously worked in Hilton properties in Kensington, Montreal and Wembley.

Will Platt has joined The Meetings Show as part of its sales team. Platt will be working alongside Katy Phelps and Adam Garside, to sign up new exhibitors to the show. Before joining The Meetings Show, Will studied Law at the University of Northampton and was previously a sales executive on the Engineer magazine.

Betty Blok has joined Chambers Travel Management as a business development manager. Blok has taken on the role after going through Chamber’s graduate sales programme.  She has a BA honours degree in English & Drama at Loughborough University.