A senior restructure at Newmarket Holidays will see Ian Dines join the operator from Emirates Holidays as it increases its focus on the customer and sustainability.
Existing directors David Sharman and Phil O’Sullivan have been promoted as part of the shake-up under chief executive Niel Alobaidi, who joined from Emirates Holidays last year.
Dines, currently account director of global operations and customer experience at Emirates Holidays, and previously at Tui, will start at Newmarket at the end of February in the new role of chief customer officer.
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From this month, commercial and new business director David Sharman becomes chief commercial officer, while marketing director Phil O’Sullivan becomes cruise, events and sustainability director.
The shake-up at the escorted tours specialist is designed to create a “people-centric culture that attracts quality staff to work for the company”.
Alobaidi said: “This is very much about understanding how we put customers at the centre of all the different functions, and how our sales and services fit with our customers.
“We want to differentiate ourselves on the service side. We need to properly understand what our customers want rather than what we think they want. We want to build a really people-centric organisation.
“We have got people who have worked here a really long time; how do we take that forward so that everyone aspires to work for Newmarket Holidays?”
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On the new role of cruise, events and sustainability director, Alobaidi said: “They are three areas we have not focused on as much as we could have. We want to put sustainability much more at the forefront and make it central to what we do.
“We have hit a tipping point. Unless we have a clear strategy [on sustainability] the future of the business would be in jeopardy.
“Sustainability will become more important to our customers.”
Dines said: “I am really excited to get started in my new role.”
More: Newmarket launches ‘Golden Ticket’ promotion for new brochure
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