Kuoni announces changes to its senior team

Kuoni has announced two changes to its senior leadership team.

Marco Rocha is to join the company as product and commercial director while product director Claire Ross will take the role of director of sustainability for parent company Der Touristik UK.

The restructure follows the recent appointment of Mark Duguid as UK managing director in November 2022, succeeding Derek Jones.

Rocha, who has a track record in senior product and commercial roles for brands including Scott Dunn, dnata, GTA and Virgin Holidays, joins on March 20. He will report into Duguid and form part of the Kuoni board of directors in the new, broader role, covering product and commercial.

At the same time Ross, currently product director and previously head of specialist products, has been appointed to the new role of director of sustainability by Der Touristik UK, starting on April 3.

She will lead action on sustainability across Der Touristik UK’s brands, reporting into Francis Torrilla, chief executive of Der Touristik UK.

Ross recently led Kuoni’s carbon reduction programme and in March last year joined the board of Travelife. She is also a member of Abta’s sustainability board and an ambassador for Der Touristik Foundation.

Commenting on the changes, Duguid said: “These are important strategic appointments for us as we look to the future.”

He added: “I’m looking forward to working with Marco and I think he’ll bring a new dynamic to our senior team. This is about making Kuoni’s product range competitive, innovative and compelling for a new era.

“The sustainability role which Claire moves to is an important one for our group and will allow us to have focused expertise, promoting our business development in a way which benefits destinations, environments and communities and steps up our work to reduce emissions throughout our UK and overseas operations.”

Rocha, who most recently worked at operator Scott Dunn as head of sales, product and commercial, said it was “a real honour” to join Kuoni’s “well-regarded team and brand”.

He said: “I have worked in the industry for a considerable time and have always admired the benchmark Kuoni has set in both its customer proposition and its internal culture.

“I am truly excited by the prospect of working with Mark and the team as Kuoni embarks on a new phase of its evolution after coming through what has been a challenging time for the industry as a whole. We’re looking to a bright future where I am sure we can achieve some great results together whilst having fun along the way.”

Ross said her new role would aim to help improve the business, its staff and customers.

She said: “My whole career has been in travel and my interest in sustainability developed over the years from a belief that creating better business which benefits the planet and people can only create a more positive travel experience for everyone.

“My aim will be to lead on sustainability topics with clear actions which will be good for our business, our customers and our employees.”