Travel Counsellors, Scenic Group, Wendy Wu Tours: this week's travel trade people moves

Fred Holidays has named former Riviera Travel head of agency sales and Scenic sales director Joseph Grimley head of sales of its Pandaw expedition cruise brand. Grimley joined Fred Holidays in February as business development manager and will remain a part of the Fred team in his new role, tasked with driving new trade business and raising awareness of the Pandaw brand and product among agents and consumers. "Pandaw is a unique company and, over the coming weeks, I will be formulating a sales strategy aimed at raising awareness of the brand and equipping agents with the knowledge and tools to sell it... as well as enhancing existing relationships and fostering new ones." Pandaw owner Paul Strachan added the UK remained the brand's largest "and most important" market, teasing plans for new ships and routes over the next two years.

Kenwood Travel head of sales Roberto Balasco is poised to join Abta as its new head of membership. He will replace Danny Waine, who will leave the role at the end of the year after four years. Balasco will take up the post on 13 January, bringing experience from stints with Celebrity Cruises, Kuoni and Thomas Cook. Besides supporting members, Balasco will also help drive the association's membership strategy. Abta director of financial protection and membership Rachel Jordan said Balasco would bring "deep expertise" of the sector and a "real understanding" of the benefits of Abta membership after nearly 30 years in travel. Balasco pledged to pursue "new strategic ideas" to help Abta engage further with its more than 1,100 members trading across more than 4,000 brands. Waine, who joined Abta from Hotelplan Group, is leaving to pursue personal ambitions. Meanwhile, Abta has appointed Sunvil managing director and Lady Minette Batters, former president of the National Farmers' Union, to its board, while ex-Kuoni chief Derek Jones has stood down. Celebrity Cruises’ EMEA boss Giles Hawke was appointed to the board earlier this year.

Dean Harvey will join Inghams and Santa's Lapland parent Hotelplan UK in the new year. Former Kuoni marketing director Harvey will take up a like role with the group in January, bringing "many years" of travel marketing experience, including an earlier spell as digital development director with advertising agency Designate. "Both brands have gone through lots of changes over the past couple of years to strengthen their brand positioning, so I’m keen to see him [Harvey] now take them to the next level," said Inghams and Santa's Lapland managing director John Mansell, adding he looked forward to Harvey's contribution to general management. Inghams underwent a significant rebrand last year. Harvey said he would help Inghams and Santa's Lapland "embrace the changing landscape of travel marketing".

Wendy Wu Tours is increasing its focus on Ireland with the appointment of a new business development manager for the region. It follows the launch of flight-inclusive packages in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, with a new brochure – priced in Euros – set to follow. Agent Kelly Hutchinson joins the operator from Barrhead Travel Belfast, which was earlier this year named TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies Top Agency in Northern Ireland. WWT said Hutchinson would "transform" the relationship between the operator and agents across Ireland. Gary King, WWT head of trade sales, said Hutchinson would bring incredible experience and passion for travel, and be "instrumental" in driving success in Ireland. Hutchinson added she was looking forward to representing the brand and meeting agents at shows, in-store visits and consumers events.

Former Hays Travel branch manager Katie Bunting has joined Sunvil as its new trade business development manager. Bunting joins the Greece specialist from G Adventures, whom she joined following a stint with the Department of Work and Pensions during the pandemic. Prior to Covid, Bunting made the jump from the agency sector to the supplier sector in 2019 when she took up a partnership growth manager role with Intrepid Travel. Prior to Hays, where she contributed to the Weymouth store being named TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies Top Agency in the South West 2019, she worked for Co-operative Travel. Sunvil said Bunting's appointment came as part of a wider new trade partner strategy designed to strengthen industry relations and up its support for agents in 2025. Rachel Jelley, Sunvil sales and marketing manager, said Bunting's passion for "authentic and immersive travel" aligned with the operator's own ethos. "Her wealth of industry experience [will be] instrumental in deepening our relationships with existing agency partners and forging new ones," Jelley added.

The Advantage Travel Partnership has promoted TTG 30 Under 30 alumnus Lee Ainsworth to a newly created director of strategy role. In his new position, Ainsworth – who was a member of the TTG 30 Under 30 Class of 2018 – will work closely with the consortium's senior leadership team to develop and execute its strategic plans while delivering on its growth agenda. Advantage chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said said Ainsworth's promotion from head of operations was testament to the leadership skills and strategic insight he has demonstrated over the past nine years. "I am confident he will add even greater value in supporting our bold and ambitious growth plans for the future," she added. Ainsworth said he was committed to delivering value for all Advantage members and stakeholders.

Kieren Hartwell, who three years ago became Travel Counsellors for Business's first managing director, has left the homeworking giant to join Reed & Mackay. Hartwell takes up a new global chief revenue officer role with the corporate travel and event specialist, reporting into group chief executive Fred Stratford. Reed & Mackay said Hartwell would "spearhead development" of data-driven strategies, engage new markets and optimise existing ones, and refine the firm's value proposition. "Kieran’s proven track record in scaling revenue and driving growth through innovative strategies will be invaluable as we continue to expand globally and redefine the corporate travel and events experience," said Stratford. Hartwell added: I look forward to working with the talented team here to unlock new opportunities, drive growth, and deliver exceptional value to our clients.”