Travelport has announced the appointment of Stephen Shurrock as executive vice president and chief commercial officer, replacing Kurt Ekert who leaves the company at the end of the year, as the position relocates to the UK.

Shurrock joins Travelport from Telefonica, one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world, where he is currently chief executive of its consumer division, responsible for both the consumer business and digital divisions globally.

He will take up the role on January 4th, 2016.

As chief commercial officer, Shurrock will lead Travelport’s customer-focussed teams in air, agency, hospitality and digital media around the world, as well as having global responsibility for customer engagement, product strategy, marketing and market research.

Based in Travelport’s global headquarters in Langley, UK, Stephen will report directly into president and chief executive, Gordon Wilson.

Wilson said: “Stephen is a highly talented and customer-centric leader with an impressive global track record of delivering commercial results. 

“In particular, he has successfully led the businesses he has been involved in through considerable positive commercial change as the telecommunications industry has pivoted a number of times in terms of its value and service proposition. 

“As Travelport continues in its mission to redefine travel commerce, which includes further evolving our value proposition, moving into new digital services, and offering a more holistic set of IT driven solutions to our customers, Stephen will bring a new and accretive dimension to our future business growth.

“I am delighted that we have been able to attract an executive of his calibre to our senior team.

“I would also like to thank Kurt for his tremendous service and significant contribution to Travelport over a number of years.

“His tenure as chief commercial officer has seen the company through a critical initial period of transformation. 

“He has been a tireless champion of our business to our client base, and he leaves us in a good position from which to build further our commercial operations. 

“He has also been a great colleague and goes with all our best wishes and support for his future endeavours.”