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 President operating in the Leisure space. If you think a President 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.
Arnold W. Donald
President and Chief Executive Officer of Carnival Cruise Line
Arnold W. Donald has been a director of Carnival Corporation since 2001 and a director of Carnival plc since 2003. Mr. Donald has been President and Chief Executive Officer of Carnival Corporation & plc since July 2013. He is also Principal of AWDPLC LLC, a private investment company. He was President and Chief Executive Officer of The Executive Leadership Council, a professional network of African-American executives of major U.S. companies, from 2010 to June 2012. He previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International from 2006 to 2008. From 2000 to 2005, Mr. Donald was the Chairman of the Board of Merisant Company, a manufacturer and marketer of tabletop sweetener products, including the Equal® and Canderel® brands. From 2000 to 2003, he was also the Chief Executive Officer of Merisant Company. From 1998 to 2000, he was Senior Vice-President of Monsanto Company, a company which develops agricultural products and consumer goods, and President of its nutrition and consumer sector. Prior to that, he was President of Monsanto Company’s agricultural sector. He has been a member of the boards of directors of Bank of America Corporation since January 2013 and Crown Holdings, Inc. since July 1999. He was a member of the board of The Laclede Group, Inc. from January 2003 to January 2014, Oil-Dri Corporation of America from December 1997 to January 2013 and The Scotts Company from March 2000 to January 2009.
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About Carnival Corporation, Carnival Cruise Line: Carnival Cruise Line offers an online platform that enables travelers to plan and book cruise tours from a range of packages.
Michael Ungerer
President , AIDA Cruises of Carnival Cruise Line
Michael Ungerer has been Chief Executive Officer of AIDA Cruises since July 2012. From July 2004 to June 2012, he served as AIDA Cruises’ Senior Vice President Operations, responsible for marine operations, new builds, guest services, shoreside operations, entertainment and purchasing. From February 1997 to June 2004, he was Vice President of Guest Services, and played an important role in product development, as well as safeguarding and further developing AIDA Cruises’ high quality standards. Prior to joining AIDA Cruises, Ungerer held various positions in the marine tourism and hotel business sectors, having held management roles with Norwegian Cruise Line and the Sonesta and Ritz-Carlton hotel chains. He studied Business Management in Innsbruck and at the London Business School as well as Hotel & Tourism Management at Klessheim Castle near Salzburg.
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About AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line: Carnival Cruise Line offers an online platform that enables travelers to plan and book cruise tours from a range of packages.
Jan Swartz
President Princess Cruises of Carnival Cruise Line
Jan Swartz was appointed President of Princess Cruises in November 2013, after more than 15 years working with the cruise line. Prior to this, she served as executive vice president overseeing the line’s sales, marketing and customer service operations, a position she held since 2009. In this role, she directed many of the line’s key operations including domestic and international sales efforts, consumer and trade marketing and communications initiatives, market planning and yield management functions, and customer service activities for both travel agents and consumers. From 2004 to November 2013, Swartz served as senior vice president of customer service and sales for both Princess and Cunard Line. From 2001 to 2004 she served as Princess Cruises’ vice president of strategy and business development. Swartz holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and English from the University of Virginia.
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About Carnival Cruise Line: Carnival Cruise Line offers an online platform that enables travelers to plan and book cruise tours from a range of packages.
Gerald R. Cahill
President and Chief Executive Officer, Carnival Cruise Lines of Carnival Cruise Line
Gerald R. Cahill joined Carnival Cruise Lines’ parent company, Carnival Corporation, in 1994 as vice president – finance and in January 1998 was promoted to senior vice president – finance and chief financial officer. In December 2003, Cahill was named executive vice president and chief financial officer for Carnival Corporation & plc. In July 2007, he was appointed to his current position, president and CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines. Before joining Carnival, Cahill spent six years with Safecard Services, Inc., a NYSE-listed company, where he served first as chief financial officer and then as chief operating officer. From 1979 to 1988, Cahill held financial posts at Resorts International, Inc., and, prior to that spent six years with Price Waterhouse. Cahill graduated from the University of Miami, earning his B.B.A. degree in 1973.
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About Carnival Cruise Line: Carnival Cruise Line offers an online platform that enables travelers to plan and book cruise tours from a range of packages.
Rick Meadows
President , SEABOURN of Carnival Cruise Line
Richard Meadows holds dual positions with sister brands as president of Seabourn and executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs for Holland America Line, Inc.; both are units of Carnival Corporation & plc. Meadows’s position at Seabourn was added to his Holland America Line responsibilities when the award-winning luxury cruise company moved its headquarters to Seattle from Miami in spring 2011. Meadows has overall executive responsibility for Seabourn. His Holland America Line responsibilities encompass global cruise revenue and oversight of all product pricing and yield management, marketing, sales, reservations, public relations and guest relations activities of Holland America Line. With over two decades in the cruise industry, Meadows has held positions with Carnival Corporation since 1984, including Carnival Corporation’s vice president, corporate marketing, and Carnival Cruise Lines’ director of sales. From 1994 to 2000, Meadows served as vice president, sales and marketing, of Windstar Cruises, a former subsidiary of Holland America Line. Prior to joining Holland America Line in July 2004, Meadows served as senior vice president, sales and marketing, of Seabourn, where he was responsible for overall brand management and product development, global strategic marketing and sales promotion.
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About Carnival Cruise Line: Carnival Cruise Line offers an online platform that enables travelers to plan and book cruise tours from a range of packages.
Simon Vincent
Executive Vice President, Hilton and President of Europe Middle East and Africa of Hilton Worldwide
Simon Vincent Is The Executive Vice President, Hilton, and President, Europe Middle East and Africa At Hilton.
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About Hilton Worldwide: Hilton Worldwide is a hospitality company, owns luxury and full-service hotels and resorts, and focused-service hotels.
Chris Silcock
Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Hilton Worldwide
Chris Silcock Is The Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer At Hilton.
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About Hilton Worldwide: Hilton Worldwide is a hospitality company, owns luxury and full-service hotels and resorts, and focused-service hotels.
Tony Roberts
Vice President UK & Europe of Princess Cruises
Tony Roberts Vice President UK & Europe Strategic and creative thinking with a track record of delivering commercial value, implementing change and improving performance. I have a broad range of experience having operated at a senior level in Finance, Customer Services, Technology, Sales, Marketing and Commercial functions.
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About Princess Cruises: One of the best-known names in cruising, Princess Cruises is a global cruise and tour company.
