NEWS GLOBE TRAVEL AWARDS 2016
ANDREW SWAFFIELD
chief executive, Monarch Group
Andrew Swaffield receives his award from Andy Freeth, dnata, and Lucy Huxley, Travel Weekly
The Globe Award for Outstanding Achievement went to Monarch chief executive Andrew Swaffield. He spoke to Ian Taylor
A
ndrew Swaffield has worked for some of travel’s biggest names. But his starting
point did not mark him out for outstanding achievement. Swaffield left school at 16.
He describes his entry to the industry as “accidental”, saying: “I grew up in a council house in Bournemouth. My parents created a happy home, but I was impatient, somewhat rebellious and desperate to get into the workplace. “I signed up to a youth training
scheme and started with Thomas Cook in Poole. I nagged my boss almost daily for a job until he relented. After two years I successfully applied for the assistant manager post.” Swaffield says: “Pretty much
straight away I loved travel. I never considered quitting, although I did spend a year out in 2005 to learn to ride horses.” Now he says: “I love running businesses. In many ways, managing a shop is like
being a chief executive.” Of the lessons he has learned,
he says: “The key one is to keep improving and developing leadership skills, have a willingness to analyse mistakes and learn from them, and listen to good advice.”
Difficult decisions
Invited to join Monarch as airline chief in April 2014, Swaffield says: “I didn’t know about the financial problems. Now I see that as a blessing.” By July he was group chief executive overseeing a restructure designed to save the group and complete a sale to new owners in 12 weeks. It required decisions to cut hundreds of jobs, reduce pensions and cut pay. Swaffield says: “The tough decisions are the ones that affect people, particularly frontline employees. They’re dependent on secure jobs and it’s heartbreaking to make decisions that jeopardise this. I don’t refer to myself as tough – I prefer competent. However, I never shirk from making a decision that is needed.” He describes life at the time as
“a bit mad, 80 to 90-hour weeks and too much convenience food. At points it became very stressful. However, I had a great team, excellent advisers and a lot of support at home.” Now life is more normal, he
says: “I would love to see Monarch 16
travelweekly.co.uk 21 January 2016
go from strength to strength as a sustainable and successful business that is a great place to work and is recommended by customers.”
Back to school
Swaffield did subsequently go back to ‘school’, completing a chief executive programme at the prestigious IESE, Wharton and CEIBS business schools. He says: “It was a great opportunity to meet top professors and a high-level group of peers from different sectors.” Now he is a trustee of People 1st, the UK skills and training organisation for travel, leisure and hospitality. Swaffield warns: “The UK faces a crunch within the next seven or eight years if it doesn’t get better at matching skills to jobs.” Swaffield is also on the board of
Abta, which he describes as “the most-effective organisation I can see in this space across Europe”. His increasingly high profile
saw him named one of the top 25 most-powerful LGBT business executives in 2015. Swaffield says: “It feels a little strange, but it’s important to send a message that all forms of discrimination are unacceptable, and show that being open about the fact I’m in a civil partnership with someone I’ve lived with for 18 years hasn’t harmed my career.”
Andrew Swaffield: life and career
l Born in Bournemouth, joined Thomas Cook at 16.
l Grew up “with a passion for horses, dogs, the countryside” and now owns six horses.
l Joined British Airways after 11 years at Cook, first as a travel shop manager in Belfast, rising to joint managing director of shops.
l Ran BA Holidays before heading BA’s UK and Ireland leisure sales.
l From 2006, ran loyalty programme Avios.
l Joined Monarch in April 2014, becoming chief executive in July. He says: “I don’t think industry experience is as important as leadership and [experience] running large, complex organisations.”
l A keen polo player, Swaffield describes it as “a lifelong endeavour”.
l Raised funds for Movember last year, saying: “One of my brothers has prostate cancer. It’s critical for men to be aware of their health.” To donate, go to:
tinyurl.com/swaffieldmo
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