The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) has announced the appointment of two new top executives at the organisation.

Stu Lloyd will take on the role of senior director – marketing and membership services, while Reid Ridgway will take over as head of regional director – Asia.

The two new positions, based at PATA’s head office in Bangkok, will play a vital role in PATA’s mission to build the business for its members.

As senior director – marketing and membership services, Lloyd will be responsible for PATA’s regional directors and for the association’s membership development and marketing activities.

Lloyd has 15 years’ of multi-disciplinary cross-sectoral experience in the travel and tourism industry in Asia Pacific. Prior to joining PATA, he was director for Worldsmith360, a tourism marketing and travel communications consultancy based in Thailand.

He has a proven track record of award-winning integrated marketing campaigns and loyalty programmes. He previously worked for FCB Singapore, Lloyd Martin, Saatchi & Saatchi, Ogilvy & Mather and other advertising agencies in Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney and Auckland.

As regional director – Asia, Ridgway takes on the role of overseeing PATA’s membership servicing for the association’s largest and most diverse region.

Ridgway has 20 years’ experience in strategic marketing, communications and consultancy, half of that in Asia, including international development agency work.

Prior to joining PATA he was a senior communications officer for a UN FAO project, working with eight Asian Governments.

He has also worked for Luxembourg Development as a strategic consultant to the Lao National Tourism Authority and as the founder and managing director of the award winning Ecotourism Training Centre in Phuket, Thailand.

Ridgway will report to the senior director – marketing and membership services.

PATA interim chief executive, Bill Calderwood, said: “We are delighted to have recruited two candidates of such high calibre. We believe their experience and contributions will play a crucial role in the implementation of the many new strategies and programmes we are developing as part of our new strategic direction to build the business for our members.” 

Lloyd and Ridgway will commence their new positions at PATA head office in early August 2011.