Former Virgin Holidays e-commerce director Chris Roe has announced his return to travel, landing a senior job at Accor, the world’s largest hotel group.
As vice-president sales, distribution and loyalty UK and Ireland, Roe, who previously held roles at Opodo and Expedia, will oversee both inbound and outbound sectors.
Roe told Travel Weekly’s sister site Travolution that he was excited by the new opportunity taking on such a large role for a major brand.
He will have leisure and business travel under his remit, as well as MICE sales and Accor’s digital and trade distribution strategies and Customer Relationship Management.
He will lead Accor’s loyalty programme, Le Club Accor Hotels, which now has 14 million members worldwide and offers a range of benefits for regular customers of all Accor hotel brands.
Roe will be a member of both the UK and Ireland Hotel Services Executive Committee and the UK and Ireland Executive Committee. He starts on February 9.
Roe said: “I am excited to be joining Accor at this time when the company is enjoying great success in the UK and Ireland.
“I look forward to building upon the work that has already been done and strengthening the company’s distribution.
“There are a lot of new things happening at Accor and you do not realise how big there are. They have half a million rooms around the world and a collection of brands from budget to luxury to niche.”
Thomas Dubaere, managing director of Accor UK and Ireland, said: “We’re pleased to welcome Chris to the company, as the expertise he brings will help us enormously, driving improved sales and distribution, further improving the Le Club proposition and contributing to the commercial development of Accor.”
Roe left Virgin in July last year following a change of leadership at the operator, when Mark Anderson took over as managing director following the departure of Amanda Wills.