Susan Bonner to lead Celebrity’s local operations as part of cruise line’s global leadership reshuffle

Susan Bonner to lead Celebrity’s local operations as part of cruise line’s global leadership reshuffle

Celebrity Cruises has announced a number of senior leadership appointments aligned under three newly defined regions.

Susan Bonner will re-join Celebrity’s local team as vice president and managing director for Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific.

Bonner is working to build the new team in the region with the support of Apple Woo, who has been promoted to director of Asia, based in Singapore.

Previously, Bonner served as vice president and managing director of Australia and New Zealand for Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Azamara – a role she held for over a year before being replaced by Gavin Smith in October last year.

At the time, it was announced that Bonner was moving to Miami to lead a new strategic project for Celebrity.

However, the decision by Royal Caribbean Cruises to move to a single-branded structure for each of its cruise lines in November saw Bonner chosen to oversee the search for a managing director for Celebrity Cruises in Australia and New Zealand, while Smith continued to lead Royal Caribbean.

Bonner’s new role at Celebrity is part of the brand’s global leadership reshuffle, which also sees Jo Rzymowska, current VP and managing director in the UK, Ireland and Asia, being trusted with the launch of the brand’s new Edge Class ship, Celebrity Apex, in March.

With EMEA becoming single-branded, the European markets will now be added to the UK and Ireland market to become one region led by Rzymowska.

The Americas (comprising the US, Canada, Mexico, and South America) will be led by Celebrity’s SVP of sales, Dondra Ritzenthaler, and its VP of field sales, Keith Lane. Mexico and South America will have a dedicated director reporting into Lane.

The appointments are effective immediately and will report to Celebrity president and CEO Lisa Lutoff-Perlo as part of the new single-branded global structure.

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