NEW OPODO chief executive Simon Vincent has revealed he
is looking at acquisitions to expand into new markets.
Opodo – owned by nine airlines including British Airways
and Air France – has websites in the UK, Germany and France
and Vincent said it planned to enter new markets, “plus some
acquisitions”, but declined to reveal where. He refuted
rumours Opodo was ripe for takeover.
“We are certainly looking to build the company and we have
a number of things in the pipeline,” he said.
In his former role as Thomas Cook tour operations managing
director, Vincent was the architect of the JMC brand, which
famously claimed to be “unpacking the package
holiday”.
He spent 15 years with Thomas Cook and was one of the top brass
to lose their jobs in September 2001 when a raft of redundancies
were made to streamline its business. From 2002 to 2003, Vincent
was chief executive of experience break brand Red Letter Days.
At Opodo, Vincent replaces Bart Tompkins, who has been acting
chief executive since July and now resumes his position at Amadeus
as director of e-commerce investment. Amadeus increased its stake
in Opodo to 55% in April.