FORMER Thomson managing director Charles Newbold has become chairman of fledgling Internet company iglu.com.
The company is a ski holiday booking service selling the products of tour operators and chalet owners via the Internet.
Newbold said it was already offering 5,000 chalets across Europe and the US.
He said he had invested a “substantial amount” in the project.
“There are a group of us who have invested in the company and I’ve come in to give some travel expertise,” said Newbold.
“I have other projects but at the moment this is taking up a fair bit of my time.”
Last year iglu.com notched over 1,000 bookings and is planning to expand rapidly over the next 12 months.
“We’re scaling up for next year and we’re hoping to take several thousand bookings,” said Newbold.
The service is not connected with the Internet-based travel agency being set up by one of Newbold’s ex-colleagues, former Thomson director William Burton (Travel Weekly June 7). Burton will announce his plans within four months.