The managing directors of P&O Cruises and Cunard are to leave Carnival UK in September as part of a commercial restructure, Travel Weekly has learned.
Carol Marlow and Peter Shanks are the latest high-profile figures to depart from the company, following the recent announcement that sales and customer services director Giles Hawke would be leaving in November to move to another cruise line.
The new structure will see the creation of a marketing director role for each of the brands, with a new insight director covering both.
The new directors will report into Gerard Tempest, who joined Carnival UK as chief commercial officer six months ago. Carnival UK chief executive David Dingle will formally assume the titles of chief executive of P&O Cruises and Cunard following the changes.
Tempest said: “This is an exciting time for our brands and this new structure has been designed to deliver the many opportunities ahead of us.
“As a consequence, and after very careful consideration, the roles of P&O Cruises managing director and Cunard president & managing director will cease to exist and as a result Carol Marlow and Peter Shanks will both be leaving the business at the end of September.”
He added: “On behalf of everyone at P&O Cruises and Cunard, I would like to thank both Carol and Peter for their very significant contributions to the success of the business over many years and wish them every success in their future endeavours.”
Marlow joined P&O Princess Cruises in 1997 as managing director of Swan Hellenic. She held various roles with P&O Cruises and Princess Cruises before eventually becoming president and managing director of Cunard. In 2009, she returned to P&O Cruises as managing director.
She said: “I have enjoyed leading each of Carnival UK’s high profile, prestigious brands during my time with the company – Swan Hellenic, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line and P&O Cruises. I am proud of the teams I have worked with, and what we have achieved together. I wish them well for the future, and am looking forward to taking on new challenges after I leave at the end of September.”
Shanks became president and managing director of Cunard on Marlow’s departure, having previously served as chief commercial officer for Carnival UK. He originally joined Cunard in 2002 as senior vice-president for Europe, and prior to that held a number of roles within the UK industry including commercial director of Thomas Cook.
He said: “I am immensely proud of what we have achieved in growing Cunard Line over the last 10 years into the success it is today. I will leave the business at the end of September and I am excited about pursuing future challenges.”