US hospitality industry veteran Drew Madsen has joined Norwegian Cruise Line as president and chief operating officer.
He was most recently president and chief operating officer at Darden Restaurants, the world’s largest full-service restaurant company.
Norwegian chief executive Kevin Sheehan said: “Having delivered exceptional results during his tenure at Darden, Drew has a wealth of experience to draw upon as he joins Norwegian.”
He added: “We are at an exciting point in our company’s history. With the upcoming acquisition of Prestige Cruises International [parent of Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Oceania], it is the opportune time to add such a talented individual to our already diversified leadership team to focus on the core day-to-day business.
“I am confident in Drew as a results-oriented, highly collaborative and thoughtful leader who will continue to propel Norwegian on our positive growth trajectory.”
Madsen played an instrumental role in establishing Darden as the most successful multi-brand operator in the full-service restaurant industry, increasing sales from $4.8 billion to $8.6 billion.
He said: “I am thrilled to be starting the next chapter of my career at Norwegian Cruise Line.
“I am looking forward to ensuring that Norwegian excels in every facet of operation and that we continue to produce industry leading financial results, while also bringing new ideas and ways of doing business that improve guest satisfaction and team member involvement.”