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our team

Our leadership team blends decades of travel industry expertise with bold, modern thinking. We bring together passionate specialists from across our brands to deliver exceptional holidays across the globe. From product innovation and digital transformation to customer care and commercial partnerships, our team is focused on making your dream holiday a reality.

We’ve built a culture that’s open, customer-first, and commercially sharp. We’re creating long-term value by combining deep operational know-how with a clear strategy for scalable, profitable growth. Whether you’re investing in our journey or travelling on one of your own, you can trust there’s an experienced, committed team behind every decision—and every booking.

Executive Board
Leadership Team

Andrew Botterill

Executive Chairman

Andy Freeth

Chief Executive Officer

Mark Lawton

Chief Financial Officer

Matt Appleby

Chief Product & Purchasing Officer

Tony Carty

Shareholder & Advisor

Jason Edwards

Shareholder & Advisor

Erin Johnson

Chief Marketing Officer

Ross Wehrle

Chief Commercial Officer

Stuart Hammonds

Group CTO

Andrew Shapin

Non Executive Director (BGF)

Spencer Woods

Non Executive Director (BGF)

Andrew Botterill

Executive Chairman

Andrew Botterill is Executive Chairman of Specialist Holidays Group and a seasoned leader in the travel industry, bringing over 30 years of executive and strategic experience.  With a strong background in M&A, business transformation, and board-level governance, he plays a hands-on role in shaping the company’s direction, supporting the leadership team, and driving long-term growth.

Andrew combines strategic oversight with close collaboration across the senior team to align operational priorities with Specialist Holidays Group’s growth ambitions. His pragmatic leadership and sharp commercial insight continue to shape the group’s evolution in a dynamic market.

He has led numerous acquisitions and integrations across both mainstream and specialist sectors, building scalable businesses that balance innovation with stability. Outside work, Andrew is a passionate traveller who enjoys exploring new destinations with his wife and children. He actively supports charitable initiatives including Reuben’s Retreat and local grassroots boxing clubs.

Andy Freeth

Chief Executive Officer

Andy Freeth is Chief Executive Officer of Specialist Holidays Group. With over 20 years leadership experience in the travel sector, and a proven track record of scaling high-performing businesses. He brings commercial clarity, strategic focus, and a people-first ethos to the organisation.

His career includes senior positions at Travel2, Gold Medal, JG Travel Group, If Only, and Classic Collection (under On the Beach). Known for his collaborative leadership, Andy consistently builds engaged teams that deliver long-term success.

At Specialist Holidays Group, he champions data-led decision-making and emerging technologies — including AI — to enhance customer experience and strengthen operational resilience.

Andy lives in Leeds with his wife Kelly and their two children.

Mark Lawton

Chief Financial Officer

Mark Lawton is Chief Financial Officer at Specialist Holidays Group, where he oversees financial strategy, business performance, and long-term value creation across the portfolio.

With deep commercial experience, he plays a pivotal role in strengthening the group’s financial foundation and supporting its ambitions for growth.Before joining Specialist Holidays Group, Mark led the successful growth and sale of Stella Travel Services to dnata.

His strategic approach to financial planning, M&A, and performance improvement continues to guide Specialist Holidays Group’s sustainable expansion.

Matt Appleby

Group Chief Product & Purchasing Officer

Matt Appleby is Group Chief Product & Purchasing Officer and board member, leading global product strategy and supplier partnerships across the Group’s brand portfolio.

With nearly 20 years of senior leadership experience in companies including dnata, Thomas Cook, Gold Medal, and Netflights, Matt brings a strong commercial and creative lens to product design.

He is known for curating value-led travel propositions that resonate with customers and deliver consistent returns. His expertise spans long-haul, short-haul, and specialist holiday products — ensuring Specialist Holidays Group remains agile and competitive.

Tony Carty

Shareholder & Advisor

Tony Carty is a founding shareholder of Specialist Holidays Group and a respected figure in the UK travel sector, bringing more than 40 years of experience in product strategy, destination development, and commercial leadership.

Throughout his career, Tony has shaped successful product portfolios, led commercial teams, and delivered high-performing holiday programmes across long- and short-haul markets.

As Product Strategy Advisor, he provides hands-on leadership in trading strategy, destination focus, and team development — helping drive scalable growth and continued brand innovation.

Jason Edwards

Shareholder & Advisor

Jason Edwards is a shareholder and senior advisor at Specialist Holidays Group, with over four decades of experience across the travel industry.

He has held senior commercial and operational roles spanning tour operations, sales, and customer service, and is widely regarded for his strategic judgement and people-focused approach.At Specialist Holidays Group, Jason leads the group’s ESG strategy — guiding its commitments to sustainability, social impact, and governance.

His leadership continues to influence service quality, responsible growth, and the development of future talent across the organisation.

Erin Johnson

Group CMO

Erin Johnson serves as CMO of the Specialist Holidays Group, bringing nearly 20 years of experience across global travel brands including Silversea Cruises, Carnival Corporation, and Travelopia’s Specialist Holiday Group.

Her leadership spans multi-region consumer and trade marketing, with a proven track record in developing high-impact strategies, managing complex budgets, and driving brand growth.

Recognised since 2018 on the AWTE’s Most Influential Women in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Honours List, Erin combines tenacity, creativity, and commercial acumen with a hands-on approach.

Ross Wehrle

Group CCO

Ross Wehrle is Finance Director for Sovereign, Citalia and American Holidays, as well as Group Chief Commercial Officer, overseeing financial performance and driving commercial strategy across the Group.

With over a decade of experience spanning senior finance roles including Financial Controller, Head of Financial Control, and Divisional Finance Director — Ross brings deep expertise in planning, reporting, and governance.

A qualified finance professional with a foundation in audit and corporate tax at KPMG, Ross combines analytical rigour with a commercial mindset, ensuring operational efficiency and financial resilience across the group.

Stuart Hammonds

Group CTO

Stuart Hammonds is a senior technology leader with deep experience in the travel sector, specialising in building and scaling digital platforms that support complex, multi‑brand travel businesses.

He is known for leading large‑scale technology transformation, modernising legacy environments, and delivering product‑led engineering capabilities that enhance customer experience, operational efficiency, and commercial performance. His work in the travel industry spans B2C and B2B models, with a strong understanding of distribution, booking platforms, and the operational demands of specialist travel brands.

Alongside executive leadership roles, Stuart brings a strong consultancy background, partnering with leadership teams and investors to align technology strategy with growth objectives, manage delivery risk, and unlock long‑term value. He combines strategic clarity with pragmatic execution, ensuring technology is a durable enabler of scale, resilience, and competitive advantage.

 

Andrew Shapin

Non-Executive Director (BGF)

Andrew Shapin is a Non-Executive Director at Specialist Holidays Group and an experienced leader in multi-channel consumer businesses.

As the former Founder, CEO and later Chairman of The Cotswold Company, The CEO of Long Tall Sally, and a wide range of Chair and NXD roles, Andrew has a strong track record in scaling digital-first consumer brands and supporting teams to drive operational performance across B2C and B2B environments.At Specialist Holidays Group, Andrew brings deep expertise in e-commerce, brand building, customer engagement, and digital business transformation.

He plays a key role in advising on digital growth strategies, technology investment, and leadership development — supporting the Group’s ambition to be a best-in-class specialist travel operator.
Andrew is also an active investor and board adviser across the consumer, retail, and technology sectors.

Spencer Woods

Non-Executive Director (BGF)

Spencer Woods is a Non-Executive Director at Specialist Holidays Group, representing BGF, the UK’s most active growth capital investor. He brings extensive experience in private equity and strategic investment, with a particular focus on value creation, operational excellence, and long-term growth planning.


Spencer is a Partner at BGF, where he is responsible for the firm’s North West portfolio. He works closely with management teams to shape strategy, optimise performance, and support boards through post-acquisition growth and transformation.

His board involvement includes guiding strategic decisions, aligning shareholder priorities, and helping to deliver sustainable value creation.
A Chartered Accountant by background, Spencer is committed to backing bold, customer-focused teams with clear growth ambition and a long-term mindset.

Karen Ardern

Senior Project Manager

Karen Ardern is Senior Project Manager at Specialist Holidays Group, with more than 25 years’ experience delivering high-impact programmes across the travel sector.

She has held senior leadership roles at dnata, Stella Travel Services, and MyTravel Group, and now leads strategic initiatives across operations and technology.

Known for her structured approach, strong stakeholder management, and results-driven mindset, Karen plays a vital role in aligning project outcomes with Specialist Holidays Group’s long-term ambitions.

Betty Bouchier-Hobin

Head of Sales

Betty Bouchier-Hobin entered the travel industry via the Thomas Cook apprenticeship scheme. After advancing to Assistant Manager at just nineteen, she joined On the Beach during its early growth phase and later Co-op Travel.

In 2009, Betty joined Holiday Gems, helping to shape operations, customer service, sales, and training. In 2020, she transitioned to Destination2 to deepen her long-haul expertise.

Today she supports the Specialist Holidays Group sales function based in Chester, working closely with Neil Latham to drive performance and service standards across the portfolio.

Will Collins

Group Head of Performance Marketing

Will Collins leads strategy and execution across high-performance digital campaigns for brands including all 6 of our brands; American Holiday, Citalia, Destination2, Destination2Cruise, Sovereign and Holiday Gems. 

With more than 20 years’ experience in travel marketing, Will specialises in paid media and data analytics — managing multi-million-pound budgets with a sharp focus on ROI.

Since joining in 2017, he has driven substantial online revenue growth through advanced keyword strategy, SEO, and performance-led paid search activity.

Previous roles include digital leadership at Global Travel Group and dnata, where he directed digital strategy for Netflights and Travelbag.

Michael Graham

Senior Cruise Development Manager

Michael brings deep sector expertise and a serious passion for all things cruise. At Destination2 Cruise, he leads the brand’s expansion—driven by his ability to secure supplier partnerships and build distribution strategies that support growth across the wider Group.

Before joining in March 2021, Michael was Global Head of Sales Promotions at Travel Counsellors, where he spearheaded strategic campaigns and supported a network of 1,800 home-based franchise owners. Prior to that, he served as Strategic Account Manager for Royal Caribbean Group brands, building strong commercial relationships with one of the world’s leading cruise operators.

Michael’s influence stretches beyond the industry—on TikTok he’s affectionately known as “Mr Cruise”, sharing expert insight and inspiration with thousands of travel enthusiasts.

Dionis Icherenski

Head of Customer Services

Dionis Icherenski is Head of Customer Services at Specialist Holidays Group, bringing over two decades of leadership experience in customer experience, sales, and service across global travel, leisure, and technology brands.

Since joining Specialist Holidays Group in 2022, Dionis has spearheaded the development of innovative, digital-first service strategies that deliver seamless customer journeys and lasting value.

His previous roles include senior positions at Liverpool Football Club, Concentrix, and TUI, 1where he managed large, high-performing teams across B2B and B2C environments.

His expertise in retention, inside sales, and customer journey design continues to shape Specialist Holidays Group’s customer strategy.

Sian Jones

Head of Finance

Sian Jones joined as Finance Manager, following over six years as Finance Manager at The Global Travel Group. A qualified Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA), she brings a proven track record in budgeting, forecasting, cost-control, and reporting within fast-moving travel businesses.

Sian’s strategic mindset and collaborative approach make her a key asset as we drive forward our commercial and operational ambitions.

Neil Latham

Head of Sales

Neil began his career in travel through a YTS Apprenticeship scheme and quickly progressed at Co-op Travel and AirMiles (now Avios). In 2004, he joined The Global Travel Group, where Tony Carty recognised Neil’s potential and appointed him Call Centre Manager.

When Tony launched a new venture in 2016, he brought Neil into Destination2 to help build and shape the sales team. Over the past decade, Neil has worked closely with the leadership teams at Destination2, Destination2Cruise, and Holiday Gems to develop customer-centred sales teams across all brands.

He brings invaluable first-hand travel knowledge of virtually every destination covered by the businesses, along with his distinct sales management expertise and deep commitment to the company and its staff.

Sharon Long

Head of People & Culture

Sharon Long is Head of People & Culture at Specialist Holidays Group, bringing nearly a decade of senior experience in leading inclusive, high-impact people strategies across the UK and Ireland.

Passionate about cultivating positive workplace environments, Sharon plays a central role in aligning talent development and organisational growth with TravCorp’s strategic goals.

Rebecca Parker

Head of Brand (Destination2, Destination2Cruise and Holiday Gems)

Rebecca has over 12 years of experience in the social sector. Her career has seen her build an impressive portfolio of experience across content creation, online sales, digital brand development and implementation of Influencer strategies.

She has worked for a number of big brands such as Sykes Holiday Cottages and Network Digital Marketing.

Now at SHG, Becky leads the social, PR and above the line strategy for Destination2, Destination2Cruise and Holiday Gems. 

Ray Scully

Managing Director American Holidays

Ray Scully is Managing Director of specialist brand, American Holidays.  He has significant experience in leading and growing specialist brands including, Ingham’s, Crystal, Flexi Ski, Hayes & Jarvis, and Al Fresco Ireland.

Ray brings extensive experience in cross-regional leadership, operational management, strategic clarity and commercial insight.

Andrew Smith

Head of IT | Developer

Andrew Smith has been a key member of the Specialist Holidays Group. leadership team for over two decades. Before joining Global Travel Group in 2004, he made a strong early impact at Marks & Spencer’s customer services department, swiftly solving operational challenges with custom-built code to boost efficiency.

He joined Global Travel Group in 2004, marking the beginning of a longstanding contribution to growth, digital optimization, and transformation. Andrew’ moved to join Holiday Gems in 2015 and then launched the Destination2 website in 2016. His technical depth and strategic focus remain invaluable as he continues to provide IT support across user experience, online visibility, operational efficiency, and project delivery.

An accomplished developer and coder at heart, Andrew continues to influence the success of Specialist Holidays Group., working closely with the leadership team to embed innovation and drive excellence through smart technology adoption. Away from the keyboard, he’s a committed farmer—bringing the same hands-on pragmatism and care to animal’s land as he does to the digital world.

Jacky Wiliamson

Group head of Partnerships

With over 35 years of experience in the travel industry, Jacky brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise across a broad spectrum of roles and organisations.

Her career spans positions at leading names such as Thomas Cook, Thomson Holidays (both overseas and head office), Virgin Holidays, MyTravel and the Global Travel Group.

Jacky is a highly experienced, known for her strong organisational skills, collaborative approach, and commitment to delivering results. She excels at building lasting relationships at all levels and is dedicated to seeing every project through to successful completion. She oversees the groups partnership activities with suppliers and partners. 

Zoe Holland

Group Head SEO & Head of Brand
(Citalia, Sovereign Luxury Travel, American Holidays UK)

Zoe is Group Head of SEO & Head of Brand for Specialist Holiday Group, managing the luxury portfolio and bringing over 12 years of experience leading brand and growth strategies across the travel, interiors and media sectors.

Her remit spans Brand, PR, Social Media, SEO and Design, where she leads integrated marketing initiatives that enhance brand presence, drive customer engagement and support commercial performance across the travel brands.

Known for combining creativity with commercial focus, Zoe brings a strategic and collaborative approach to building brands that resonate with customers and deliver long-term growth.

Simon Garrido

Sales Director, Sovereign, Citalia, and American Holidays.

Simon Garrido serves as Sales Director for Sovereign, Citalia, and American Holidays, drawing on over 25 years of experience across the UK and international travel trade.

With a strong track record in sales leadership, Simon has held senior roles at Airtours, MyTravel,
Avis Europe, Global Travel Group, Monarch Travel Group, Attraction World, and most
recently at Travelopia’s Tailormade division.

Helen Adamson

Managing Director, Sovereign, Citalia, and American Holidays.

Helen Adamson leads the strategic direction and commercial performance of Sovereign, Citalia, and American Holidays.

With over 30 years of experience spanning industry leaders including Disney, British Airways Holidays, Saga, Thomson and Travelopia, Helen brings a wealth of expertise to the group, an acknowledged champion of innovation in product development, trade relationships, and system transformation to deliver operational excellence..

Dom Leeson

IT Director

Dom Leeson is IT Director at Specialist Holidays Group, where he leads the company’s technology strategy with a focus on innovation, scalability, and alignment with business outcomes.

With more than two decades of IT leadership experience across sectors including travel, housing, and logistics, Dom brings a rare balance of technical depth and commercial acumen.

At Specialist Holidays Group, he has delivered enterprise-wide digital transformation across cloud platforms, BI, and infrastructure — enabling seamless service delivery and operational resilience at scale.

Kate Wadeson

Head of Marketing

Kate Wadeson brings over 20 years of strategic marketing expertise to Specialist Holidays Group, where she leads brand and customer engagement across Destination2, Destination2Cruise, and Holiday Gems.

Since joining the business, she has played a key role in shaping data-driven and creative marketing strategies that underpin commercial success.

Previously, Kate held senior roles at Sykes Holiday Cottages and The Co-operative Travel, developing deep expertise in digital marketing, CRM, and customer insight.

She holds a dual honours degree from Keele University and a postgraduate diploma from the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

Adrian Tasaniam

Head of Product (E-commerce)

Adrian Tasaniam is Head of Product (E-commerce) at Specialist Holidays Group, where he drives the development of seamless, tech-enabled service experiences across the company’s brand portfolio.

With a strong belief in personalisation, efficiency, and innovation, Adrian is committed to delivering frictionless customer journeys that foster satisfaction, loyalty, and long-term value.

Before joining TravCorp, Adrian held senior digital optimisation roles at Ocado, John Lewis, Regatta, and PrettyLittleThing, leading impactful initiatives in user experience, personalisation, and conversion strategy.

His approach blends digital insight with a people- first mindset and measurable commercial performance.

Andy Freeth is Chief Executive Officer of Specialist Holidays Group and one of the UK travel industry’s most respected leaders. With a proven track record of scaling high-performing businesses, he brings commercial clarity, strategic focus, and a people-first ethos to the organisation.

His career includes senior positions at Travel2, Gold Medal, JG Travel Group, If Only, and Classic Collection (under On the Beach). Known for his collaborative leadership, Andy consistently builds engaged teams that deliver long-term success.

At Specialist Holidays Group, he champions data-led decision-making and emerging technologies — including AI — to enhance customer experience and strengthen operational resilience. Andy lives in Cheshire with his wife Kelly and their two children.