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In a move designed to further empower his already highly-entrepreneurial global staff, Gap Adventures founder Bruce Poon Tip announced last week that he is relinquishing the title of chief executive officer effective immediately.
The world leader in small-group adventure travel is not without a CEO, on the contrary, it now boasts several hundred of them. While Poon Tip’s role in the company will remain the same, the title of CEO is now held by all customer-facing adventure specialists and tour leaders around the world, now known as Chief Experience Officers.
The move was carried out to highlight Gap Adventures’ belief that the expert front line staff spend the most time with customers and these consumer-facing Gappers should have the highest titles in the company. “We truly are a company of CEOs,” Poon Tip said. “When someone calls us up and asks to speak to the CEO, our response will be ‘which one’?
Poon Tip determined that given them the new title would further empower Gappers’ to stand behind the company’s motto of leading with service and to do their best in providing life-changing adventures to travellers the world over.
All other Gap employees will also have the opportunity to drop their current titles and select their own unique moniker that best reflects the specific nature of their positions, their connection to the company’s loyal travellers and their role in the company’s continuing, rapid growth. Bruce Poon Tip added: “I am sure there will be some interesting new titles within the company, after all one of core values is embrace the bizarre”.
Poon Tip will also adopt a new title and is currently considering various options before announcing his decision on Twitter@brucepoontip.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
