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Thomas Cook axes head of trade partnerships role

Thomas Cook head of trade partnerships Audrey Brooks-Wiggins has left the business and will not be replaced.

Brooks-Wiggins oversaw Cook’s relationships with independent agents. Cook’s trade partnership managers will now report to Phil Gardner, head of commercial sales and relations.

The company said the changes will allow more “autonomy” and speed up decision-making.

Brooks-Wiggins joined Cook in 2014 as senior key account manager. She went on to be head of the commercial and  merchandising sales team, before being made head of trade partnerships in January 2016.

Gardner said: “As part of the ongoing transformation of the Thomas Cook commercial sales and relations team, the role of head of trade partnerships has been removed and Audrey Brooks-Wiggins has left the business to pursue other opportunities. I would like to thank Audrey for 
her contribution to the team and wish her well for the future.”

Speaking at the ITT Conference in Sorrento last week, Gardner said Cook had done a “huge amount of work” to re-engage with the trade, which he said the company takes “a lot more seriously”. “It’s in our interest to work together,” he added.

Gardner also said there was “still work to be done” on the third-party suppliers it sells to guarantee quality.

Cook axed 100 hotel partners this summer because they did not meet its standards.

Gardner said: “We want our agents to be 100% proud to sell any product we have on offer.”

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