Hutton leaves Dawson & Sanderson Lucy Huxley


Dawson & Sanderson managing director Annelene Hutton has left the company after 17 months in the role. Hutton initially joined the agency


as finance director in March 2022, before becoming managing director in September of the same year, initially in a joint capacity, following the departure of Chris Harrison. The company confirmed she left


the business on February 16, adding that a decision had been taken that its leadership “needed to be tweaked” and Hutton was “not the right fit for the business for the future”. Business development director David Chambers said Hutton and


her finance background had been the “perfect fit” for the business when she was appointed after the Covid pandemic, adding the company was “very grateful for all she did for us at the time”. However, he said the Dawson


family, which makes up much of the agency’s board, felt the need for “a change in strategy”. Commercial and corporate


director Judith Alderson added: “We wish Annelene every success for the future [but] we need a different approach. “For the long-term future and


goals of the business, we’ve decided we need to go in a different direction and Annelene wasn’t the right fit for the business for the future.”


Leeds Bradford chief hails fresh links with trade


Andrew McQuarrie


Leeds Bradford airport (LBA) chief executive Vincent Hodder insisted agents will play a key role in the airport’s future as he hailed the impact of a reintroduced travel trade engagement executive. Nathan Stephenson was


appointed as travel trade and community engagement executive last July, marking the first time the position had been held since


6 22 FEBRUARY 2024


it was paused during the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020. Hodder said: “We recognise the


importance of agents to the future success of the airport and that’s why we made the investment to go back to working directly with the trade. “We’re absolutely delighted with


the response we’ve received to the trade appointment and hope travel retailers can see we take on board their feedback.” Since Stephenson joined, he has typically been on the road four days


no inconsistencies or issues in performance, but we’re a long-term established company and the board of directors feel the opportunities for us lie in a different direction.” Alderson and Chambers


Annelene Hutton


Confirming the change in


management would not result in any major strategy change for the full-service retailer, which has 20 shops and just under 250 staff, Chambers said: “There were


said further plans would be “announced in time” and a structural review would decide whether a replacement managing director would be appointed. Chambers added: “We have


great heads of department, which we are going to keep in place." In an initial message to suppliers,


the company said Hutton was on gardening leave, but Chambers confirmed that was “an error” and not the case. Hutton was unavailable for comment.


Caption


Leeds Bradford airport. Inset: Vincent Hodder


a week and has visited about 100 agencies. During his visits, he asks about forward bookings, trends and customers’ views on LBA, as well as agents’ thoughts on potential new destinations. Hodder, who became chief


executive in February 2021, said the current financial year had gone “extraordinarily well” for the airport so far, with passenger volumes and profitability both up on 2019. The airport is currently undergoing a £100 million


regeneration involving the extension and refurbishment of its terminal building, with groundwork having begun on January 9. This will also see the installation


of high-tech security scanners, the first two of which went live on February 8. The new technology will allow passengers to leave laptops and liquids in their cabin bags. Hodder said a date had not been


set for the introduction of a second pair of new scanners, blaming the delay on manufacturing issues in the US.


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURE: AG Studios


PICTURE: Olivia Brabbs Photography


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