Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top London based Director operating in the Travel space. If you think a Director is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Robert Milton
Chairman of the Board of Directors of United Airlines
Robert Milton is a Member of the Board of Directors at United Continental Holdings Inc. since April 2016. Robert was Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of ACE Aviation Holdings Inc. and was Chairman of the Board of Directors, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada. Having joined Air Canada in 1992 in a consulting capacity, Robert moved from the role of Senior Director of Scheduling to Vice President of Scheduling and Product Management, Senior Vice President of Marketing and In-Flight Service and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Robert became President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada in 1999. Robert is currently the Lead Director of Air Lease Corporation, a Member of the Board of Directors of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and a Trustee of the Georgia Tech Foundation Inc. Robert was a past Member of the Board of Directors of US Airways, Inc., and was also a past Chairman of the Board of Governors of IATA (The International Air Transport Association). Robert graduated in 1983 from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Industrial Management.
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About Air Canada: United Airlines and United Express operate approximately 5,000 flights each day to more than 370 destinations throughout the world.
Toby Horry
Brand and Content Director of TUI Group
Toby Horry is the brand and content director at TUI.
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About TUI Group: TUI Group is an international tourism and hospitality organization that offers a range of tour, flights, cruises, and more.
Stuart Jeffrey
Executive Director and Co Founder of Fly Now Pay Later
Stuart Jeffrey is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Fly Now Pay Later.
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About Fly Now Pay Later, Krzana, Movebubble: Fly Now Pay Later is a fintech company that helps consumers split the cost of their travel in monthly installments.
Nigel Wray
Non-Executive Director of Domino’s Pizza
Nigel Wray is a highly successful entrepreneur, and has been a shareholder in several companies amongst others, Domino’s Pizza, Carlton Communications and Singer & Friedlander. He also has a strong commercial background built in a range of business sectors. Saracens does a lot of excellent work in its local, north London community. Nigel still calls the area home, too – having attended Mill Hill School, he now lives in Totteridge.
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About Domino’s Pizza: Domino’s is the recognized world leader in pizza delivery.
Elliott Pritchard
Online Marketing Director of Avis Budget Group
Elliott is directly responsible for Avis Budget Group International marketing strategy. Recently, Elliott has led an initiative to target continued growth in an increasingly competitive market by investing in advertising to increase brand awareness and attract a broader audience of customers across all markets. Elliott pioneered a campaign which deliberately uses clichéd stock footage and celebrates the long research process, encouraging consumers to make Travel Republic “The Last Click” for the holiday they want at the best price, guaranteed – best placing him to discuss innovation in attribution modelling.
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About Avis Budget Group: Avis Budget Group offers professionals and individuals with vehicle rental and sharing services.
Ianina Lucca
Growth Director of Skyscanner
Ianina leads Marketing Foundations Tribe for Skyscanner across both Product and Marketing. Previous to Skyscanner she was Director of Growth at Just Eat and before that she held multiple roles in Marketing and Product at Hotels.com (Expedia Inc.). Ianina holds a MBA from Wharton and a MA in International Studies from Lauder Institute. When she’s not in a plane for work or pleasure, she loves spending time with her family and teaching her young children how to bake and ski.
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About Skyscanner: Skyscanner operates as a trips meta-search engine company.
Estelle Giraudeau
Managing Director of Club Med
As Managing Director for Club Med UK & Scandinavia, She is in charge with P&L (weighing 30% of New Markets Europe Africa Business Unit), with a strong e-Commerce expertise. She is responsible for the launch of the UK Sales and Marketing strategy and She is currently generating significant growth in both sales and revenue. She currently manage a team of 50 people in London office.
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About Club Med: Club Med sells vacations and related services, operates villages and cruises, and provides tours and discovery programs.
Moris Mashali
Managing Director of Kempinski Hotels
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About Kempinski Hotels: Kempinski Hotels has long reflected the finest traditions of European hospitality.
Lord Rothermere
Chairman of the Board of Directors of DMG Media
Lord Rothermere has been Chairman of DMGT and a Non-Executive Director of Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC since 1998. Lord Rothermere worked at the International Herald Tribune in Paris and the Mirror Group before moving to Northcliffe Newspapers Group in 1995. In 1997 Lord Rothermere became Managing Director of the Evening Standard.
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About : DMG media is a consumer media company engaged in print and online newspaper publishing.
Grant Altson
Director of Technology & Operations of DMG Media
Grant Altson is Director of Technology & Operations at DMG media.
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About Daily Mail, DMG Media: DMG media is a consumer media company engaged in print and online newspaper publishing.
Jonno Elliott
Investment Director of Virgin Management
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About Virgin Management: We support the Branson family and the growth of the Virgin brand by developing and nurturing valuable Virgin businesses.
Andrius Skerla
Co-Founder & Technical Director of Splyt
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About Splyt: Splyt is a B2B mobility marketplace that connects institutional supply and demand for ground-based transport.
Daniel Spinath
Founder & Managing Director of Crepeaffaire
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About Crepeaffaire, Entertainment Ventures Group International, Frizzenti, Liberation Cocktails, Tap: Crêpeaffaire offers freshly prepared crêpes, waffles, coffees and smoothies.
David Mills
VP / Global Supply Director of Iglu Cruise
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About Iglu Cruise, Iglu Cruise: Iglu Cruise is an internet-based travel agency specializing in the sale of snowboarding and ski holidays, cruises and Christmas holidays.
Kevin Bird
Commercial Director of PayByPhone Technologies
Kevin is Commercial Director, PayByPhone UK, with the objective of driving new business development in the UK mobile parking environment. Before joining PayByPhone, Kevin ran a successful mobile interactive consultancy specializing in B2B and B2C interactive solutions, mobile marketing and mobile advertising with a broad base of blue chip media clients. Kevin has a strong passion for new media and is an expert in delivering innovative interactive solutions to businesses. Kevin was also Commercial Director of new media at UTV Radio BG from 2004 to 2009 and had his own radio talk show in South Africa in the late 1990’s. He is passionate about motorcycles having ridden extensively in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and in South America, combining both his interest for travelling and motorcycle ownership.
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About PayByPhone Technologies: Part of the urban mobility suite of products offered by Paypoint covering parking, tolling, permits, and more!
Olivier Rousseau
Operations Director & Head of Operations of Citymapper
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About Citymapper: Citymapper is a transport app for cities.
Siobhan Thomas
Global Talent Acquisition Director of Intercontinental Hotels Group
Siobhan Thomas has worked with several high-profile companies such as Credit Suisse, Sky, and Taleo optimizing, implementing programs, tools, and capability to attract the right talent. Currently, she is the Global Resourcing Director at IHG overseeing the Global Resourcing Centre of Excellence working with key stakeholders to scope future resourcing needs/priorities and deliver recruitment technologies, policies, processes, and training.
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About Intercontinental Hotels Group: IHG is one of the world’s leading hotel companies
Jared Jesner
Non Executive Director of WeSwap
After graduating in Theoretical Physics from UCL, Jared gained a strong foundation in banking at JP Morgan and Dresdner Kleinwort, where he traded currency derivatives. Following this, he was selected for a fast track management program with Royal Dutch Shell. In this role, Jared managed teams including both Shell people and external consultants on technology strategy and project delivery across the globe, with a strong focus on payments. Jared runs every night to stay fit and is a Taekwondo black belt. If you visit our office, chances are you’ll find his kids’ artwork decorating a corner of the whiteboard walls.
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About WeSwap: WeSwap is a mobile application that allows users to swap different types of currency with others.
Anthony Withers Green
Director of Global Business of Tristar Worldwide Chauffer Services
Anthony’s previous customer-focused career has left him very well prepared for Tristar. He joined us in 1997 where his responsibilities have included heading up reservations and customer services. Anthony was formerly a Senior Sales Executive and Area Manager for Carphone Warehouse plc, and he also worked at Lloyds of London.
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About Tristar Worldwide Chauffer Services: Tristar Worldwide Chauffer Services is a worldwide chauffeur company operating in over 80 countries.
Dean De Beer
Non Executive Director of Tristar Worldwide Chauffer Services
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About Tristar Worldwide Chauffer Services: Tristar Worldwide Chauffer Services is a worldwide chauffeur company operating in over 80 countries.
Howard Winn-Moon
Director of International Relations of Tristar Worldwide Chauffer Services
When Tristar wanted to expand and excel in its global offering, Howard Winn-Moon was invited to join us. Howard has been in the chauffeur service industry for over 40 years, building a business of over 100 vehicles in London, and also gaining considerable knowledge of managing an international network. He came to us with a high-level of tried-and-trusted prior knowledge, joining Tristar in May 2008 to formalize and expand the Tristar worldwide network.
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About Tristar Worldwide Chauffer Services: Tristar Worldwide Chauffer Services is a worldwide chauffeur company operating in over 80 countries.
Dominic Booth
Managing Director of Abellio
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About Abellio: Abellio delivers rail and bus services to passengers in Scotland, England, and Germany.
Matt Montagano
Managing Director, London of Plum Guide
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About Plum Guide: Plum Guide is the definitive list of the world’s best vacation rentals.
Marco Contadin
Director Business Development of Coras
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About Coras: The world’s tickets through one API.
Jason Anastasinis
Managing Director of TravelStaytion
Jason Anastasinis is a Managing Director at TravelStaytion.
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About TravelStaytion: TravelStaytion is an online holiday rental marketplace, enables its users to list their spare property or get accommodation at lower prices.
Wayne Pollard
Account Director of Sabre Corporation
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About Sabre Corporation: Sabre Corporation is a U.S.-based travel technology company providing software solutions to the travel industry.
David Adams
Non-Executive Director & Chairman of the Remuneration Committee of Elegant Hotels Group PLC
David is currently Chairman of Conviviality Retail plc, Ecovision Ltd, Park Cameras Ltd and Walk the Walk (a breast cancer charity). He is also the Senior Independent Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee at Hornby plc, a Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee at Fevertree Drinks plc and Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Remuneration Committee at Elegant Hotels Group plc. David was Finance Director and Deputy Chief Executive of House of Fraser plc until 2006, then Executive Chairman of Jessops plc, becoming Non-Executive Chairman in 2009. In addition, he has held several Executive and Non-Executive roles in 30 years in retailing, including ten years as a plc Finance Director. He brings extensive and relevant experience in financial and general management roles, including ten years as plc Finance Director, and has held 4 other plc Audit Chair roles over the last 5 years.
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About : Elegant Hotels offers a unique collection of five luxury hotels beautifully situated along stunning beaches.
Meera Depala
Finance Director and Head Of Finance of Native
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About Native: Native specializes in service apartments, corporate housing, graduate and large program housing, holiday lets, and property management.
Daniel Campbell
Managing Director of Effective Space
Daniel is the Managing Director of Effective Space Solutions Limited and leads corporate marketing and business development, bringing over 15 years of business development, marketing, project and product management leadership in several disruptive start-up companies. Prior to joining Effective Space, Daniel led autonomous driving and smart-mobility at Autotalks and Better-Place, and managed mobile product lines for modu and Zoran (now Qualcomm). Daniel is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP)® and a Master Blackblot Product Management Professional™ (Master BPMP). He holds a B.Sc. in Physics and Mathematics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and an MBA from the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) in Herzliya.
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About Effective Space, Side Mirror: Effective Space manufactures spacecrafts intended to extend the life of communication satellites.
Rafael Bejerano
Director of AB Hotels
Rafael (Rafi) Bejerano is a Director at AB Hotels, UK.
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About AB Hotels: AB Hotels is a collection of three family-owned unique hotels.
Aleix Megias Homar
Director, VP Programmes of Open Cosmos
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About Open Cosmos: Open Cosmos provides simple and affordable space missions.
Jamie Blackmore
Director Of Revenue of The Langham, London
Jamie has over 15 years’ experience in the hospitality industry working in multiple roles from operations to revenue management. This time has ranged from independent chains through to multi property roles with IHG and then Radisson Hotel Group. The last two 2 years have been spent at the iconic Langham, London hotel as Director of Revenue Management where he has overseen a transformation in pricing and segmentation strategy, resulting in 2 successive years of record rooms revenues.
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About The Langham, London: Langham Hotels and Resorts is a portfolio of luxury hotels in prime destinations.
Matt Smith
Co-Founder and Director of Black Tomato
Matt Smith set up Black Tomato Ltd with Tom Marchant and James Merrett in 2005 and to date have had a broad strategic and operational remit across all areas of Black Tomato. Central to Matt’s role is the responsibility for both driving forward the day to day business operations and Business Development / Sales processes that have underpinned the Group’s commercial success and significant growth. I also oversees a number of critical areas of the business including, Office Infrastructure, Company /Staff Culture, IT, Security, Data Protection/GDPR, HR, H&S / F&S, Insurance, Legal Contracting , Procurement, Staff / Business expenses, Staff Reward / Engagement, Staff Training and Staff Meetings and Events. Alongside this, he leads critical strategic projects including those that increase profitability and productivity across the business in line with the constant reinforcement of BT’s ‘purpose’ and company culture both internally and externally.
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About Black Tomato: Black Tomato is a bespoke luxury travel company that delivers imaginative and travel experiences around the world.
Daniel Yates
Managing Director and Founder of Pitchup.com
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About Pitchup.com: Making it a doddle to book campsites in 65 countries. Member of Financial Times FT1000 fastest-growing companies in Europe 2018/19/20.
John O’Sullivan
Managing Director of Depot Adventures
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About Depot Adventures: Depot Adventures is a walking tour operator that offers a variety of free and paid walking tours.
Anthony Lyall
Managing Director and Co-Founder of Lyall Ventures
Anthony Lyall is the managing director and co-founder at Lyall Ventures.
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About Lyall Ventures, NOTWICS: Lyall Ventures is an angel investment company that focuses on travel and travel technology start-ups.
John Aby Olival
Finance Director of Firefly Experience (Firef.ly)
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About Firefly Experience (Firef.ly): Illuminating Journeys. Firef.ly is a mobile app which distils trip planning, guiding and journalling into a beautiful experience.
John Aby Olival
Finance Director of Firefly Experience (Firef.ly)
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About Firefly Experience (Firef.ly): Illuminating Journeys. Firef.ly is a mobile app which distils trip planning, guiding and journalling into a beautiful experience.
Terry Blake
Business Development Director – EMEA of LEMON Mobile LLC
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About LEMON Mobile LLC: Location Enhanced Mobile Opt-In Network
Aris Spiliotopoulos
Director & Co-Founder of LuxOlympus Mayfair
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About LuxOlympus Mayfair: LuxOlympus Mayfair is a boutique Travel Agency authorized and regulated by the TTA (Travel Trust Association).
Aris Spiliotopoulos
Director & Co-Founder of LuxOlympus Mayfair
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About LuxOlympus Mayfair: LuxOlympus Mayfair is a boutique Travel Agency authorized and regulated by the TTA (Travel Trust Association).
Mark Scott
Director of HelpMeGo.To
Mark Scott joined HelpMeGo.To Ltd in 2001 after running a direct sales and marketing company since the age of 20. Mark has helped build websites and brands including www.gobananas.co.uk , www.whitepages.co.uk , www.scotland.org.uk and www.karmakerala.com
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About HelpMeGo.To, The New York Times: HelpMeGo.To is a travel based company dealing a group travel system for planning & booking.
Marc Harris
Managing Director of Tanzania Odyssey
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About Tanzania Odyssey: We know Tanzania. We pride ourselves in keeping up to date to ensure we’re able to provide the best tours of this magnificent land.
