New CEOs appointed for Aussie holiday park rivals
In what is a rather strange coincidence, two rival Australian holiday park networks have appointed their new leaders less than 24 hours apart.
Nick Baker, former CEO of travel technology company Triptech and outdoor experiences app CamperMate, will take the helm of Reflections Holiday Parks from 12 July.
With more than 20 years’ experience in the tourism industry, Baker has also held pivotal roles as CEO for gift experience provider Redballoon and as chief marketing officer for Tourism Australia.
Reflections Holiday Parks chair Wendy Machin said Baker’s passion for innovation and delivering great travel experiences made him a perfect fit for leading the company into 2021 and beyond.
“Through his previous roles, Nick has been instrumental in creating seamless travel opportunities, which aligns with our drive to create memorable holidays and entice more people to embrace the great outdoors through our parks with their fresh air and vibrant regional communities,” she said.
Commenting on his appointment, Baker said: “I’m looking forward to this hands-on role and helping shape experiences and products that keep the brand top of mind when people think of exceptional destinations for booking a holiday.”
Baker replaces Steve Edmonds, who left Reflections Holiday Parks in March after seven years as CEO.
Meanwhile, BIG4 Holiday Parks has announced the appointment of Sean Jenner as its new boss.
Jenner brings extensive marketing and commercial experience to the role, previously holding senior positions at leading brands such as Nike, Virgin, Starbucks and Myer while based in Australia and Europe.
Most recently, Jenner was head of marketing at SWEAT, a global technology start-up in the health and fitness sector.
BIG4 chairman James Atkins said the board unanimously agreed that Jenner is the right leader to steer the organisation into the future to achieve further success.
“Sean’s expertise ticked all the boxes we were seeking in our next CEO – he has extensive experience in strategy, marketing, digital and technology, and an impressive track record of delivering growth and innovation for leading brands,” he said.
“Importantly, he possesses a highly commercial and pragmatic approach to getting things done and his values closely align with ours.
“This announcement marks an exciting new chapter for BIG4, as we put the COVID-19 difficulties and challenges faced by the industry, including our park operators and employees, behind us and look forward to a strong second half of 2021.
“BIG4 as a brand, and as a network of parks, is in a very strong position from which to continue to innovate and evolve, both as a business and in our use of marketing, and through our leading online platform.”
Commenting on his new appointment, Jenner said: “BIG4 is in great shape and I’m looking forward for exploring how we can enhance the BIG4 experience for parks and guests alike.”
Jenner is expected to start at BIG4 in early July 2021.
Featured image source: Reflections Holiday Parks
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