Carrier MD hailed as luxury guru on Walpole list

The 2020 Walpole Power List celebrates the 50 Most Influential People in British luxury, recognising inspirational people within its member brands across nine categories, such as Custodians, Heroes, Game Changers, Gurus, Legends, Rising Stars, Storytellers, Tastemakers and Innovators.

Duguid has been included within the “Gurus” category on the list, recognised both for his expertise within travel, and his role in steering Carrier to success, despite the challenges faced throughout 2020. He sits alongside leaders from the likes of Farfetch and Estee Lauder in the category.

He joined Carrier as managing director in 2017, moving from a role as commercial director at sister company Kuoni, and proceeded to transform the company, overseeing its physical office move and instigating a ground-up analysis of how the business functions.

In the three years he has been at the helm, Duguid said Carrier has “evolved its proposition to deliver truly exceptional experiences which fulfil the needs and goals of today’s luxury traveller”. He has also helped drive Carrier’s renewed brand purpose to “look beyond”, which it imbues in all parts of the business.

“As a relative newcomer to Walpole membership, it is an incredible honour to be included alongside such esteemed brands and their leaders,” Duguid said.

“I have led Carrier for three years now and it has been an absolute pleasure to re-energise a much-loved travel brand. For that to be recognised by an association as illustrious as Walpole is undoubtedly a career highlight.”

He added on Twitter, “luxury is such an exciting (and frequently misunderstood) sector and travel is all too often reduced to a mere commodity, so it makes me incredibly proud to represent a fabulous brand like Carrier in this list”.

“Sometimes it takes a crisis to show you what you’re made of, and the 2020 Walpole Powerlist is here to shine a light on 50 individuals who exemplify the exceptional calibre of those working in British luxury,” said Helen Brocklebank, chief executive of Walpole.

“There are testing times ahead, but with such talent to drive it forward, there is no doubt at all the sector will emerge stronger and fitter than ever before.”

Carrier has also won Luxury Operator of the Year in three successive years at the TTG Luxury Travel Awards, and is consistently highlighted by agents for its service to them. Which? also listed Carrier as one of the specialist and smaller holiday firms “leading the way” during the Covid-19 crisis.

Walpole promotes, protects and develops the British luxury sector, said to be worth £48 billion to the UK economy. Founded in 1992 as a not-for-profit organisation, Walpole counts more than 270 British brands in its membership and is recognised in both Westminster and Brussels.