The former managing director of online teaching training specialist i-to-i TEFL and eCommerce expert Gordon Mathie has joined The Firebird Partnership.
Gordon Mathie has been confirmed as a new director at the specialist travel growth consultancy, joining industry stalwarts Ian Finlay, Stewart Lambert, Chris Thompson, Mark Bush, Safia Bhutta, Matt Purser and Lucy Haines.
Mathie has 10 years’ experience at Accenture, one of the UK’s top six management consultancies, and more than 20 years’ experience as an MD.
His career has included both the travel and education sectors. As MD of i-to-i, he led its sale to First Choice before setting up LoveTEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language), securing private equity investment, growing the business internationally, and acquiring i-to-i from Tui Travel in 2015. The Teach and Travel Group was formed as the parent company for i-to-i and LoveTEFL.
Mathie bought TATG in 2020 in a management buyout, which he then sold for a return 16 times his investment in 2021.
The Firebird Partnership, which offers a consulting and corporate finance advisory service, said the appointment would boost its offering further in the travel, leisure and education sectors. It follows the appointment of Purser as a director last year.
Mathie’s knowledge and experience, particularly in web sales and consumer conversions as well as launching businesses in the US, Australia and South Africa and competing on global digital platforms, will be available to the consultancy’s clients through its Foundations for Growth business development programme.
The Firebird Partnership co-founder Ian Finlay said: “Gordon is an inspirational and entrepreneurial business leader who excels at creating high performance cultures within business. His understanding of how to drive eCommerce performance and sales conversion, garnered through his running of high-volume businesses, will be invaluable to Firebird clients.”
Mathie, who started his career after university working as a management consultant and knowing “nothing about business”, added: “Now here I am 35 years later, joining an elite Firebird Team who I have ultimate respect for, with just a little bit more to offer. It’s been quite a journey so far, but I am primed and ready to embark on this new chapter, working alongside leadership teams to help accelerate the growth of their businesses and ultimately achieve their strategic goals.”