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 United Kingdom based COO’ operating in the Travel space. If you think a COO’ 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.
Alex Macdonald
Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer of Velocity Black
Alex MacDonald is Co-Founder of Velocity Mobile Limited and serves as its Co-Chief Executive Officer. Alex MacDonald was a Turnaround Chief Executive Officer in his previous career at a privately owned industrial group. He managed the acquisition, optimisation and growth of multinational manufacturing companies, ranging in size from $50 – $150m in sales. He also has front-line experience managing restaurants and bars in France and is passionate about creating the perfect dining experience.
Follow Alex Macdonald:
About Velocity Black: Pioneering the future of luxury lifestyle.
Parveen Nandha
COO of Luxtripper
Follow Parveen Nandha:
About Luxtripper: Luxtripper is a luxury travel company that operates an online travel booking site which matches users with suitable holiday destinations.
Matt Ephgrave
COO of Festicket
Matt Ephgrave is COO at Festicket.
Follow Matt Ephgrave:
About Festicket: Festicket is a marketplace to discover and book music festival tickets, accommodation, transfers and extras.
Will Phillipson
Co-Founder and COO of SilverRail Technologies
Will is the co-founder of SilverRail Technologies and driver behind SilverRail’s product. Will brings 15 years of travel technology and product experience in a number of successful companies. Prior to co-founding SilverRail, Will was the VP Product Strategy and technical lead for distribution platforms at ITA Software, which involved building a next-generation GDS platform for airline distribution, and advising on aspects of ITA’s forthcoming Airline Reservation, Inventory and re-accommodation Systems. Prior to the travel industry, Will started several companies focusing on document management, documents on demand and eventually digital rights management. Will has a computer engineering degree from McGill University and has served on various boards, including the Board of Governors of McGill University. Claim to fame: First solo airline trip to South Africa — at age 5. Since then he has circumnavigated this planet several times.
Follow Will Phillipson:
About SilverRail Technologies: SilverRail offers best-in-class technical solutions that help railways and travel distributors easily connect with each other.
Lukas Neckermann
COO of Splyt
Follow Lukas Neckermann:
About Neckermann Strategic Advisors, Splyt: Splyt is a B2B mobility marketplace that connects institutional supply and demand for ground-based transport.
Enver Cebi
COO of HalalBooking
Follow Enver Cebi:
About HalalBooking: World’s No1 search website for halal-conscious travelers
Graham Foulds
Chief Operating Officer of Plum Guide
A former Planner at Sony Music’s creative agency, Iona worked for labels including Simon Cowell’s SYCO, Columbia and RCA Records, developing brand positioning and marketing strategies for priority international artists like Daft Punk, One Direction and Beyoncé. She’s also worked in consultancy, led business development at a luxury travel company and founded her own cold brew tea business. Unsurprisingly, she loves tea and all things Japanese.
Follow Graham Foulds:
About Plum Guide: Plum Guide is the definitive list of the world’s best vacation rentals.
Urchana Moudgil
Group Chief Operating Officer of Upgrade Pack
Follow Urchana Moudgil:
About Upgrade Pack: Upgrade Pack is your key to a better hotel room or airplane seat.
Mark Wood
Chief Operating Officer of Reaction Engines
Follow Mark Wood:
About Reaction Engines: Reaction Engines is next-generation aerospace propulsion developers, home of SABRE air-breathing rocket engine.
Rob Larmour
COO & Co-Founder of Hiyacar
Follow Rob Larmour:
About Hiyacar: Hiyacar is a UK peer to peer car sharing platform.
Nir Dupler
CRO & COO of Fornova
Nir Dupler is Chief Revenue Officer at Fornova.
Follow Nir Dupler:
About Fornova, Pavilion: Fornova empowers hotels to optimise revenue and distribution while reducing costs and improving forecasting.
Kevin A. Ruffles
Chief Operating Officer of Hogg Robinson Group plc
Kevin A. Ruffles served as the Chief Operating Officer of Hogg Robinson Group.
Follow Kevin A. Ruffles:
About Hogg Robinson Group plc: Hogg Robinson Group is a global corporate services provider, travel management company and technology company.
Afiola Etomi
COO of Pally
Follow Afiola Etomi:
About Pally: Pally is a global community of like-minded millennials who build friendships and discover, share and access authentic experiences together
Shahreen Noor Ahmed
Founder & COO of Ghuri
Follow Shahreen Noor Ahmed:
About Ghuri: Ghuri is a smart travel marketplace for travelers and various travel businesses.
Tobi Simmel
COO/CFO of Jetsetter Jobs
Follow Tobi Simmel:
About Jetsetter Jobs: Jetsetter Jobs helps young travellers and professionals find their dream job abroad.
Diego Jenzer
Co-founder & COO of Fromigo
Follow Diego Jenzer:
About Fromigo: Fromigo is a marketplace of authentic experiences by local people.
Stoyan Dobrev
COO and Founder of SpeediFly
Follow Stoyan Dobrev:
About SpeediFly: SpeediFly is for spontaneous travelers who want to get away last minute, but don’t know where they can go on a budget.
Nebojsa Joncic
COO & CTO of FLOOFL
Follow Nebojsa Joncic:
About FLOOFL: FLOOFL is a Oxford based Social Enterprise committed to provide free on-line learning for travel and tourism professionals and students
Nebojsa Joncic
COO & CTO of FLOOFL
Follow Nebojsa Joncic:
About FLOOFL: FLOOFL is a Oxford based Social Enterprise committed to provide free on-line learning for travel and tourism professionals and students
Joaquin Cababie
Co-founder and COO of SmartOtels
Joaquin Cababie was brought up in Seville, Spain but moved to the UK to study at the University of Gloucester, staying on in the UK where he first worked in sales and marketing representation with LJR Consultancy, representing resorts such as The Pimalai and Rasananda in Thailand. After moving to London, Joaquin developed his relationship building skills, adding significantly to the portfolios of Loving Apartments and then The Apartment Service. Joaquin created SmartOtels Limited with Matthew Brooks in June 2013 and undertakes the amjority of the sales role for client hotels and resorts.
Follow Joaquin Cababie:
About SmartOtels: SmartOtels is the creation of 2 well-known figures in the U.K. leisure and corporate travel and hospitality industries.
