Celebrity Cruises boss Giles Hawke elected to Abta board

Giles Hawke, Celebrity Cruises’ vice-president and managing director for the UK, Ireland and EMEA, has been elected to Abta’s board.

The association said in a statement: “Abta has announced the result of an election for a vacant position on its board, in respect of principal members with turnover not less than £50 million, which was contested by Giles Hawke of Royal Caribbean Group and Paul Ludlow of Carnival plc.

“Eligible Abta members have voted for Giles Hawke to join the board.

“He will take up his position on November 28 and we look forward to working with him in his new role.”

A spokesperson for Abta said Hawke has joined the board as a non-executive member to fill a vacant position, not as a replacement for any current or former member of the board.

“The role of all directors is to act to promote the success of Abta for the benefit of all its members,” added the spokesperson.

Travel Weekly columnist Hawke joined Celebrity Cruises in September 2023, succeeding Jo Rzymowksa who left after 18 years with parent company Royal Caribbean Group.

He was previously chief executive of Cosmos, Globus and Avalon Waterways and had been with Cosmos since April 2016.