Nick Hughes has been appointed Managing Director of Kuoni UK. In his new duties, which he assumes on August 15, Hughes will develop Kuoni UK’s market position together with Reto Wilhelm, Head of Division Style.

He will try utilise draw on his wide experience in marketing and customer focus.

” Kuoni intends to align itself even more strongly to market needs, strengthen its brands and further refine its various customer segments,” says Group CEO Armin Meier, commenting on the appointment.

“With his extensive experience in marketing and branding, the analytical skills that he honed in his time with McKinsey and the broad professional background that he has acquired in various cultures, Nick Hughes has all the tools and credentials to further develop Kuoni UK and its market position.”

Born in Zimbabwe, Nick Hughes studied chemical engineering at the University of Cape Town before obtaining a master’s in business administration from Oxford University in 1991.

He had embarked on his professional career four years earlier when he joined platinum producer Impala Platinum, serving initially as a chemical engineer and later as a business analyst. From 1991 to 1993 he held various functions (including project manager for Latin America) at South African Breweries, one of the world’s biggest brewing corporations.

In 1994 he moved to London and joined McKinsey, where he remained as an engagement manager until 1997.

He then moved to American Express, as head of business services, then as head of new business development and later as head of regional marketing for the card services Group, Europe. In 2005 he joined the RAC, a leading provider of car products and services, where, as director of services, he led over 2 000 people and developed the company’s new service organisation.

With customer behaviour becoming ever more short-term and difficult to predict, customer focus and service alignment are coming to play an increasingly prominent role at any tour operator.

Developing and utilising the tools and facilities required and harmonising these effectively with the Kuoni business model makes sizeable demands on the heads of all the business units within the Kuoni Group.

The Group Executive Board is convinced that, with his outstanding skills and his extensive experience, Nick Hughes is excellently equipped to add sustainable strength to Kuoni UK in this rapidly-changing environment.
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