Former Thomson Travel Group Chairman and Chief Executive and Going Places Chairman Roger Davies has died, aged 78.
Roger’s wife Adele Biss told Travel Gossip he passed away on Sunday after a long illness.
Roger joined Thomson Travel Group as a Marketing Executive in 1969, after graduating with a BSc from the London School of Economics.
He worked his way up to become Group Chief Executive and, 15 years after joining, was also given the additional role of Chairman.
Over the period he was in charge, Thomson Travel grew to be the clear brand leader in its retailing, tour operating and airline operations.
He left Thomson in 1990 to become a member of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, a position he held for the next nine years.
He was also an adviser to a number of travel companies, in particular CIT SpA, which was Italy’s largest travel agency and tour operating group. During this time, its UK subsidiary, Citalia, returned to profitability following many years of losses.
In 1994, Roger was appointed to the Board of Airtours PLC and given the role of Chairman of its retail division, Going Places, becoming a Non-Executive Director three years later.
He met Adele when they worked together at Thomson and they had been married for nearly 50 years.
Former Thomas Cook Managing Director John McEwan said: “I remember in the 1980s that Roger was CEO of Thomson Travel Group and I was MD of Thomas Cook.
“We were both very competitive and would be very aggressive in fighting to get the upper hand.
“Despite this rivalry, we had great respect for each other and got along well socially.
“Roger made a really big impact on the travel sector in the 1980s and contributed to fundamental change in the structure of the industry. RIP Roger.”
The post Former Thomson and Going Places boss Roger Davies has died appeared first on Travel Gossip.
Continue reading...
Roger’s wife Adele Biss told Travel Gossip he passed away on Sunday after a long illness.
Roger joined Thomson Travel Group as a Marketing Executive in 1969, after graduating with a BSc from the London School of Economics.
He worked his way up to become Group Chief Executive and, 15 years after joining, was also given the additional role of Chairman.
Over the period he was in charge, Thomson Travel grew to be the clear brand leader in its retailing, tour operating and airline operations.
He left Thomson in 1990 to become a member of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, a position he held for the next nine years.
He was also an adviser to a number of travel companies, in particular CIT SpA, which was Italy’s largest travel agency and tour operating group. During this time, its UK subsidiary, Citalia, returned to profitability following many years of losses.
In 1994, Roger was appointed to the Board of Airtours PLC and given the role of Chairman of its retail division, Going Places, becoming a Non-Executive Director three years later.
He met Adele when they worked together at Thomson and they had been married for nearly 50 years.
Former Thomas Cook Managing Director John McEwan said: “I remember in the 1980s that Roger was CEO of Thomson Travel Group and I was MD of Thomas Cook.
“We were both very competitive and would be very aggressive in fighting to get the upper hand.
“Despite this rivalry, we had great respect for each other and got along well socially.
“Roger made a really big impact on the travel sector in the 1980s and contributed to fundamental change in the structure of the industry. RIP Roger.”
The post Former Thomson and Going Places boss Roger Davies has died appeared first on Travel Gossip.
Continue reading...
