Ben Bouldin to take on new role with Royal Caribbean

Ben Bouldin, the UK boss of Royal Caribbean, is to become the company’s vice president of EMEA as part of a restructure that is affecting the company’s markets outside of Miami.

Bouldin is currently the associate vice president & managing director UK & Ireland for Royal. His position won’t be filled by another executive, either in the UK or Miami.

As part of the restructure Royal Caribbean has made 55 people redundant in the UK and Ireland, in departments including revenue management, PR and marketing. Those departments will now be operated out of Miami, partly because of enhancements in technology, which means the US can handle local currencies more intuitively. Other departments in Europe will see their functions moved to Weybridge, Royal’s UK headoffice.

The changes will not affect Royal’s sales team and are partly designed to give “a more focused trade sales approach,” according to Bouldin.

Stuart Byron has been promoted to senior director for managed business in EMEA while Gianni Rotondo takes control of non-managed markets. Stuart Leven moves to oversee business transformation projects.

Martin McKinnon stays as director of sales, with Torey Kings-Hodkin, the former head of commercial partnerships at Thomas Cook, joining as head of key accounts.

Another key part of the restructure will see other markets outside of the UK become single branded. The UK changed in 2014.

Bouldin explained: “It will be no different for the trade. If anything, Martin’s team will get more focused.

“We didn’t have any new hardware last year apart from Spectrum, which went to China. This year we will be doing more. We’ll have an event on Allure between 7-9 May for the trade sailing from Malaga to Barcelona. We’ll also be taking agents to Perfect Day and to see Odyssey in Florida.”

Royal Caribbean also revealed that Sean Treacy will become senior vice president of International. Treacy will be responsible for the cruise line’s business across Asia Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, and EMEA.

Reporting to Treacy will be Bouldin, Gavin Smith, vice president & managing director, Australia & New Zealand; Angela Stephen, associate vice president & managing director, Singapore & SE Asia; and Alberto Muñoz Quiros, associate vice president, Latin America & Caribbean.