If I had a pound for everyone who asked me why Harriet Green had left Thomas Cook so suddenly, I’d be a very rich lady!
The announcement was made last Wednesday morning as we were gathering some of the most senior leaders in the industry for our Travel Weekly Business Breakfast to launch our Travel Weekly Insight Annual Report 2014.
Green’s departure was the talk of the pre-session coffee and networking – and I think I heard every single conspiracy theory on why she had gone. Everyone there was expecting her to leave next year. No one guessed it would be last week.
But gone she has, and whatever your view, you’d be hard‑pushed to argue that she didn’t do a good job in cutting costs and restoring the company’s reputation in the City.
However, what she didn’t do, according to delegates at our Breakfast last week, was improve trading sufficiently.
That job is now left to Peter Fankhauser – a leader with a reputation in turning around other parts of Thomas Cook and, before that, Kuoni. People seemed pleased – relieved even – that someone with industry experience is now at the helm (although it’s worth noting that he is still supported by a raft of people Green brought in from her electronics past).
He is at least a travel man. In two-and-a-half years, Green never got involved in the industry – attending countless awards ceremonies to collect personal accolades, but speaking at only one travel event, one of our Breakfasts.
Cook is still one of the best brands out there. Green got the company out of intensive care for sure – and the potential for it to thrive is still huge.