The new Monarch Holidays boss said uniting the group’s airline and operator businesses will be crucial to the operator’s success.
Richard Singer was appointed as managing director on Monday, succeeding Richard Francis who is moving to the role of deputy chief financial officer at Monarch Group.
Singer was previously president for Europe at deals publisher Travelzoo, where he worked for five years. He will take up his new role on October 10.
Speaking exclusively to Travel Weekly, Singer said: “I’ll be looking at how the airline and holidays divisions can work in a way to benefit Monarch Group as a whole. That relationship between the two divisions is going to be important to its success.”
He said he had been given “big number targets”, one of which was to increase the number of Monarch Holidays customers on Monarch aircraft.
“I have to understand which rates are working and match the right product and look at the distribution of those seats,” Singer added. “The trade will play a big part.”
Singer said Monarch Group chief executive Andrew Swaffield was “one of the most respected CEOs”.
He added: “Over the last few days I have noticed how supportive and how much affection partners, colleagues and employees have for the Monarch brand. It makes me feel quite privileged to work here. People want Monarch to be successful. If I can play a part, I would be very proud to do that.”
Monarch has also appointed Richard Jewsbury to the new role of chief corporate development officer of Monarch Group.
The appointments came after Monarch revealed it was “reviewing the current business model” in its latest accounts.
Asked whether he thought Monarch could eventually be put up for sale, Singer said: “That might be the case for the future. Anything could happen. It’s trading in a tough environment.
“But challenging times create an entrepreneurial mindset. It’s very risky, but it creates an exciting opportunity for whatever the future might hold.”