Leading European Global Distribution System Amadeus has confirmed that UK managing director Tim Russell is to stand down to take a career break for personal reasons.
An Amadeus spokesman said he could not give any details on the reasons for his departure, but confirmed that a successor has been identified and will be announced shortly.
It was reported elsewhere that Russell had been experiencing health problems and that this had partly prompted his decision to stand down.
He had previously been managing director of Sydney-based Amadeus IT Pacific, covering Australia and New Zealand, before moving to the UK role in 2009.
Russell replaced Stephane Durand, who had been in the position for five years and who took up an online and leisure directorship with Amadeus based in Nice.