Cunard president and managing director Carol Marlow has been appointed managing director of P&O Cruises.
She replaces Nigel Esdale, who has taken up the new position of commercial director for Carnival UK, responsible for the commercial management of P&O Cruises, Cunard, Ocean Village and Princess Cruises UK.
Marlow’s position as president and managing director of Cunard has been filled by Peter Shanks, previously chief commercial officer for Carnival UK. Shanks also keeps his position as UK director for Princess Cruises.
The changes, which take immediate effect, are part of a major board-level reshuffle at Carnival UK.
Ocean Village managing director Nick Lighton will also take on the new role of fleet product and services director Carnival UK. He will be responsible for the Carnival UK product services group and the product groups of P&O Cruises, Cunard and Ocean Village.
Carnival UK chief executive officer David Dingle said the shift from having three to two UK-based brands, with the gradual phasing out of Ocean Village, would allow a more centralised management, which would produce cost-savings and increase efficiency.
He added: “It is important to get in good shape for next year’s major increase in capacity, when both P&O Cruises and Cunard take delivery of new ships.”
P&O Cruises is launching the 3,100-passenger Azura in April 2010, while Cunard’s new 2,092-passenger Queen Elizabeth starts sailing in October.
Dingle said Esdale’s new role was one of the “single most important drivers in the reshuffle” as it means one person is responsible for the all the brand’s commercial activities.
Sales and customer service director Giles Hawke reports into Esdale, “giving the link from commercial to sales”. Dingle said: “Driving revenues in this economic climate is critical.”
Dingle said moving Marlow and Shanks into separate roles within P&O Cruises and Cunard, instead of being heavily focused on Cunard, will maximise their talents across the business.
He added: “Carol was the public face of Cunard, but she was sales and marketing director for P&O Cruises for three or four years previously, so it made more sense for her to become managing director of the brand.”
As part of the reshuffle, fleet services director John Marden takes up the new position of director of corporate and international affairs, with responsibilities including port and infrastructure development, shore programmes and fleet management development for Carnival Australia.
Head of technical services David Strawford joins the board as marine and technical director responsible for marine, technical, programming, security, environmental and safety matters.
Marden and Strawford report to Dingle. They will take up their new positions on August 3.
Dingle said the reshuffle was timed to coincide with the group’s move to new headquarters in Southampton, when all parts of the business will be under one roof for the first time.
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