Baldwins Travel’s parent company has appointed Dan Shaw as the group’s chief commercial officer with the task of opening five retail stores in the next 18 months as well as a homeworking division.

Inc & Co Group, which acquired Baldwins in 2021, said Shaw had been appointed to the newly created role after his “instrumental” part in the business’s biggest retail acquisitions.

Shaw, formerly managing director of Inc Retail Group, will be responsible for opening stores in new areas for Baldwins and will also oversee the creation of a homeworking and franchise division.

Shaw said: “We’re all excited by this next chapter, and I’m looking forward to launching our new recruitment drive.”

Baldwins expanded its network to nine branches in September with the opening of a shop in Haywards Heath, Sussex. The agency was founded in neighbouring Kent.

The homeworking division is being planned as a way of growing Baldwins’ reach, Inc & Co Group said, with the aim of “offering appealing roles to the next generation of travel experts”.

Inc & Co Group chief executive Jack Mason said: “Dan has been instrumental in all our biggest retail acquisitions since the group’s founding, and his experience and determination are unmatched for this new position within the group.

“Throughout 2024 and beyond, we have enormous plans for the group, specifically Baldwins. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with Dan on projects that will propel the Baldwins Travel brand across the UK.”

Shaw’s previous experience in retail includes heading up retail innovation at Intu.