Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines announces appointment of new Sales and Marketing Director

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is pleased to announce the appointment of Nathan Philpot to the role of Sales and Marketing Director. Nathan will succeed Fred. Olsen’s long-standing and popular Sales and Marketing Director, Nigel Lingard, who retires at the end of November 2011.

Nathan brings a wealth of relevant travel experience to the role. His previous positions include Managing Director of Elegant Resorts, Head of Marketing for long haul specialists, Kuoni, and, most recently, Group Sales & Marketing Director of Page & Moy. Nathan will join Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines with effect from 3rd October 2011, allowing a two-month handover period.

Mike Rodwell, Managing Director of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “We are delighted to have found such a worthy candidate to fill this crucial role, which has been held for so long, and with such expertise and panache, by Nigel Lingard. Nathan’s extensive experience in senior sales and marketing roles, within prestigious areas of the travel industry, means he is ideally qualified to take on this key position. This is a time of growth, but also of great challenges for the cruise industry, and I am confident that Nathan will make a significant contribution to the development of our company.”

Nathan Philpot said: “I am delighted to be joining the fastest growing sector of the travel industry, working with a family-managed company that has such a strong nautical heritage and an incredibly trade-friendly reputation. I hope to have as much success with this position as I have had in my previous roles and that, working closely with our agent partners, we will continue to attract thousands of new customers to Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.''

Aged 40, Nathan recently married and lives close to Fred. Olsen’s Ipswich offices at East Bergholt in Suffolk, where he also went to school. A keen cricketer and footballer who still plays every weekend, he is also a supporter of Ipswich Town FC. His career has taken him to all parts of the UK and beyond, initially with P&O and later Eurotunnel. He spent four years with Kuoni heading up its Sales & Marketing department, during which time he created many trade-friendly initiatives and oversaw the company’s two most profitable years in 2002 and 2003.

He also worked on the agency side for four years as a director of WEXAS in Knightsbridge (where he was selling FOCL) and set up a new online cruise business – White Star Cruises, recently renamed the Luxury Cruise Company. He was Managing Director of Elegant Resorts, the UK's leading luxury tour operator, where he oversaw the transition from an independently owned company to one owned by Thomas Cook.

Nathan's most recent role was as company board director at the Page & Moy Travel Group, where he successfully repositioned and relaunched the Page & Moy brand, as well as making Travelsphere available to the trade and saw trade sales increase by well over 100%.