Tui UK and Ireland has appointed Nick Longman as its new UK and Ireland managing director.
Currently mainstream distribution and online director, Longman takes up the role after Dave Burling was promoted to the executive board with effect from June 1.
Burling will get overall responsibility for the UK and Ireland, the Nordics, Canada and Russia, as well as the Group Divisions for product and purchasing and aviation platforms.
Burling said: “I am really proud of what we’ve achieved here in the UK over the last four years, the business has gone from strength to strength as we focus on the successful implementation of our strategy.
“There have been many highlights from becoming the first UK airline to take delivery of the 787 Dreamliner, to the opening of our ninth exclusive Sensatori Resort and I’d like to thank my team for everything we’ve achieved together. I’m confident Nick will do a great job in his new role and I wish him every success. I’m very much looking forward to my new, expanded position working with the other markets to deliver on-going growth in the Northern Region.
Longman said: “It’s a really exciting time for the UK and Ireland business as we focus on growing our exclusive hotel concepts, innovating our customer service proposition and increasing our long haul offer on the 787 Dreamliner. I’m delighted to have the opportunity to take this successful business to the next level and I’d like to thank my current team for their hard work and commitment establishing a strong mainstream distribution and online function over the last few years.”
Tui has also announced the departure of its deputy chief executive Johan Lundgren.
A statement said that following the merger between Tui AG and the former Tui Travel, Lundgren has taken the decision to step down from the executive board and leave the group.
The company said the two businesses had integrated “faster than originally envisaged” and to capitalise the executive board would have a simplified structure in the future.
Lundgren, who was also managing director of mainstream markets, will leave the business on May 31.
Lundgren said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with TUI and I am very proud of what we have achieved.I have relished the roles I have taken, playing a part in growing the business and delivering value to all stakeholders.
“This has been a very difficult decision for me to make but I am firmly of the opinion that now is the right time to leave the company and pursue my next opportunity outside the world of TUI. I’d like to thank our chairman Professor Mangold, the members of the supervisory board and my colleagues on the Group Executive Committee for respecting my decision. I wish them all the best.”
Peter Long, joint chief executive of the Tui Group and former chief executive of TUI Travel, said: “I am very sad that Johan has decided that he now wishes to leave the business to pursue new challenges outside the group and I wish him every success for the future.
“He has been a key executive both within TUI Travel and more recently the TUI Group.
“With a keen focus on delivering operational effectiveness and consistent profit improvement as a managing director for the mainstream sector and deputy chief executive of TUI Travel he successfully established a clear strategic framework for the Sector.
“As a result, between 2011 and 2014, profitability increased by some 48% from £ 370 million to £ 546 million. Johan is one of the most capable tour operators that I have had the pleasure of working with during my long career in leisure travel.
“He has accumulated close to 30 years of experience in the dynamic industry in which we operate and is truly an international businessman. His understanding of the importance of continuously evolving our product, giving our customers something they can only get from us, putting them at the heart of what we do, embracing technology to help deliver a superior customer experience, very effectively leading his team and delivering increased profitability are all things of which he can be justifiably proud. It is testament to our business that we have the strength and depth in our management team that we can so effectively promote from within to ensure that what we have achieved to date will continue after Johan’s departure.”