Saunderson’s appointment follows a number of recent strategic staffing changes for Virtuoso regionally, including the promotion of Evan Pierce and Cristina Magni to Regional Director roles for Asia and Australia/NZ respectively, along with the appointment of Adrian Clarke as the new head of marketing.
SYDNEY – Global luxury travel network Virtuoso announced the latest appointment to its growing Asia-Pacific operations with former Virtuoso agency owner Michele Saunderson joining the team from mid-May.
Saunderson, who recently sold Virtuoso agency Peninsula Travel, will take on the new role of Business Development Manager, working with members across Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and Queensland.
“This role has been really good timing for me. I have always had absolute admiration for the Virtuoso organization – I’ve respected the way it was run, and the feeling of belonging to a warm and friendly family.
“My 15 years of experience as an agency owner will allow me to understand the unique challenges of running a business in this industry and I look forward to helping Virtuoso’s agencies drive more sales and get the most from their membership ” Saunderson said.
“I built my businesses up from the ground and have achieved some great recognition but joining the Virtuoso network back in 2016 really was a breath of fresh air to me and I am thrilled to be joining the team during this exciting time of regional growth and expansion.”
Saunderson’s appointment follows a number of recent strategic staffing changes for Virtuoso regionally, including the promotion of Evan Pierce and Cristina Magni to Regional Director roles for Asia and Australia/NZ respectively, along with the appointment of Adrian Clarke as the new head of marketing.
“At the core of our business is ensuring that our Virtuoso members grow their businesses through their engagement with our Virtuoso programs,” Virtuoso Asia-Pacific Managing Director Michael Londregan said of the appointment.
“Virtuoso is not a plug-and-play concept – it requires investment and commitment from agencies and making sure we have the right team in the region is critical to deliver business outcomes and investment returns.
“Michele is a high-caliber addition to the Virtuoso APAC team and her agency experience with the Virtuoso brand, along with her existing relationships with members and partners, will see her hit the ground running.
“On behalf of the team, and Virtuoso globally, I am excited to welcome her to the role.”
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
