p4 news June12 10/6/09 22:04 Page 4
news
12.06.2009
Abta’s new chief
Debt ‘no issue’
sets out priorities
– Freudmann
ITT chairman Steven Freudmann has insisted his
bid to retain his place on the institute’s board is
TTG reporters.
support, adding: “I am not the not undermined by his former agency Majestic
NEW Abta chairman John winner, but I feel like a winner.” Travel’s debts.
McEwan has pledged to keep his McEwan’s victory was Freudmann sold Majestic to one of his brother
door open to all members after welcomed by leading delegates Tony’s firms, The Travel Club of Upminster, last
narrowly beating rival Daniele at the ITT conference. year and resigned as a director in December.
Broccoli in the association’s first Marc Bennett, commercial He described attempts by creditors of Unpack-
election for the post. director of Thomas Cook, said: aged Holidays, of which he is a former director, to
Advantage chief executive “John has always displayed a cast doubt on his validity to stand for the ITT
McEwan (pictured) heard the fantastic understanding of the board as “driven by personal vendetta”.
news at the ITT conference in travel agency business. He will Latest documents filed at Companies House on
Dubai, where he told TTG he need to balance his role with May 27 have revealed Majestic owes the admin-
would start work immediately Advantage, but we are pleased.” istrators of Unpackaged £38,000, but that is not
and “ensure I will be accessible
C
O
Giles Hawke, sales and cus- expected to be repaid.
to all members of the association”.
STO
VER
tomer service director at Carnival The collapse of Unpackaged and sale to
He said his priorities would be to
R
Y
UK, said: “He has big-company expe- The Travel Club in a pre-pack deal precipitated
form alliances with non-Abta bodies, rience but also represents small to Freudmann’s resignation from the Abta board,
ensure Abta was seen as a unified force, large-sized independent agencies.” although he denied any wrongdoing.
structure lobbying campaigns and make Mike Greenacre, managing director of The Freudmann (pictured) is standing for
progress on financial and consumer protection. Co-operative Travel, who nominated McEwan, re-election in the travel agent category, but
McEwan won 54% of the votes, on a 40% said the election had been an “excellent process” unlike Abta, ITT board members do not need to
turnout, giving him a 50-vote lead over Britaly and Abta would benefit from Broccoli’s contribu- state which company they represent.
Travel boss Daniele Broccoli, who had stood on a tion as a board director. Freudmann told TTG he was standing as an
ticket of standing up for rank-and-file members. Sunvil managing director Noel Josephides, individual and travel agent of 40 years’ standing.
Both men pledged to work closely together, who nominated Broccoli, said: “We have made He described himself as only an adviser to
with McEwan praising Broccoli’s “immense con- the point that the interests of the little man have Majestic, which was not a paid position.
tribution”. to be considered. The vote was close and what that “I stand as Steven Freudmann. I will be a travel
Broccoli, who is on the board as representative means is that John McEwan will take notice of agent for the rest of my life,” he said.
for small agents, admitted he had faced an uphill the support that Daniele had and make sure the He is standing for chairman against Affordable
battle and said he was pleased with his level of membership as a whole is heard on the board.” Travel Group’s Michael Stevens, who himself
was asked to prove his travel agency credentials
having formerly worked for a hotel chain.
Rewe circles to purchase Cook stake
Stevens has raised concerns about Freudmann’s
dual role as chairman and chief executive.
A GERMAN operator is emerging as the most dor’s move would have no impact on the UK
probable buyer of the majority stake in Thomas operator as it was financially independent of its
Cook that is likely to come up for grabs after largest shareholder. He also insisted there had
its biggest shareholder this week filed for been no discussions about a sale of the shares.
bankruptcy protection. However, Cologne-based operator Rewe has
Retail group Arcandor, which owns 52.8% of said it would be interested in Arcandor’s stake if
Cook, made the move after the German govern- it came on to the market.
ment turned down its request for state aid. Some of Arcandor’s shares have been pledged
Cook chief executive Manny Fontenla-Novoa as security for loans made by Royal Bank of Scot-
reassured investors and customers that Arcan- land, Commerzbank and Bayerische Landesbank.
04 12.06.2009
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60