ABTA chief executive Ian Reynolds has announced his
retirement after 11 years in the job.
He resigned at Wednesday’s board meeting following a
difficult 2004 during which former legal chief Richardo Nardi was
charged with defrauding more than £1 million from Association
coffers. Nardi is due in the crown court to enter a plea next
Friday (February 11).
Former Spear Business Travel owner Jitty Trehan is also hounding
the association after a former member of staff brokered the sale of
his agency to suspected con men.
Just last week Trehan dressed up as Batman and chained himself
to ABTA’s Newman Street head office in a bid to secure a meeting
with Reynolds.
The 2004 ABTA convention in Florida was also criticised for poor
content and not attracting enough agents.
Reynolds will step down in September when ABTA and the
Federation of Tour Operators’ study to evaluate closer links
is complete.
The study is aimed at reducing duplication of effort, finding a
common approach to bonding and making government lobbying more
effective.
The board thanked Reynolds for his leadership and achievements
as chief executive.