Legacy of Change, Including My Own

My life has been changed by travel. Now I will be changing to understand travel in a new way.

I spent much of my childhood and a great deal of my adult life living and traveling throughout the world. From early life experiences of primary school in England and middle school in Australia to finding my way as a young adult in Japan and Russia, these journeys have shaped me, as they have shaped many of us who love travel. Even in business, learning how to present ideas in foreign cultures, with unique nuances, guide me in ways I have come to truly appreciate. Travel is a constant companion in my life and has time and time again connected me to the very best people in my life.

During my career at MMGY Global, now over 30 years working with the smartest people in travel, I have been privileged to collaborate with founders of our companies who possess a similar ethos and who are foundational to what we've built around the world. From our "OG" founders Don Montague and Peter Yesawich to the leaders of acquired businesses across North America and Europe, the most valuable lesson I have learned in their presence is about the power of "legacy."

I believe that our collective commitment to advancement of the travel industry is a testament to their vision and passion. A porridge of smart innovation, network development, self-belief and most importantly the investment in people who have come to join the cause. Across our team - soon to number 500 - are executives who have been with the company 10, 20 and 30 years. Leaders who have carried on the legacy of our founders while building and improving upon the success of our company through amazing contributions of their own.

Legacy is a tricky prospect. It should not be about ego, but how can it not be, in part? All of us want to define ourselves in our accomplishments or the tangibles we leave behind, be that our children or our friendships or our good works. When I think about the legacy of MMGY Global and the originators of our business, there is no doubt in my mind that we have done right by the many who have contributed to our mission, To Inspire People To Go Places . From stewardship in places as varied as the Northern Territory of Australia, Fort Myers Florida and Namibia in Africa, to driving economic success for organizations including Choice Hotels, Costa Rica Tourism, Enterprise Holdings, Princess Cruises, Pure Michigan, Singapore Airlines and Uber, to the career successes of thousands who've worked at MMGY over four decades. Travel creates jobs, exposes empathies and brings joy to the human endeavor. Our founders, current and former staffers, and leadership team can absolutely recognize this success as "legacy."

Over the last 40 years, our founders have passed on their life's work to key confidantes who continue to drive the business. In addition to Don and Peter, Nancy Friedman , Claire Maiden (née Griffin) , Amanda HillsBalfour , Robert Jolliffe , Rob Llewellyn , Alan Elliott Merschen , Dominique Moseley , Paul Ouimet and Douglas Shifflet have tapped the next generation of innovators to take their legacy forward. And as we grow our MMGY Global family with two soon-to-be-announced acquisitions, another group of legacy founders will pursue this same path. Together we are pushing for returns to our shareholders, economic success for our clients and phenomenal experiences for our community of travel colleagues and partners.

Which brings me to the next phase in my company story.

After building family and friendships that were only possible because of my years growing our company, it's time to slow this incredible ride and enjoy both more.

Earlier this year I came to the not-so-difficult decision to hand over the company reins to our next generation of leaders. To create space for incredible, loyal and impassioned colleagues to take the next steps in defining our collective "legacy."

So in January 2023 I will take on the role Executive Chairman of MMGY Global and will appoint Katie Briscoe as the next CEO of our company.

I am at a loss to communicate properly how excited we all are for this transition. If I'm being honest, I think some of our leaders are a little too excited to see me leave the day-to-day steering of the ship :). Of course this is more about the universal respect we all have for Katie, and hopefully less about how I have passed my expiration date.

During my career, I've had the chance to mentor a number of people in my life. Just as Don Montague , Tom S. , Chris Jarnot and Jacki Kelley have served as mentors to me, I have tried to pass this same caring on to others. Nobody in my professional life has been a more inspiring apprentice than Katie Briscoe. In fact she has - in her own right - become an incredible mentor for others and teaches me everyday, as much or more than I ever impart to her.

Katie is amongst the smartest, hardest working, caring and most intellectually curious people I have ever known. She has connected her knowledge of travel and marketing to the needs of our company in ways that escape my own abilities. As President of MMGY Global she grew revenue to record levels, recruited difference-making talent and led our improvements to become a more diverse and empathetic employer. Katie will be the first female CEO in our 40-year history. It is not lost on any of us that her approach to building the business is informed by her strength as a woman, which has been transformational.

As Executive Chairman I will continue to invest in our success through leadership on the MMGY Global board. Because I can't help myself, I plan to maintain strong views on travel as well as participate in industry events as both speaker and facilitator. I look forward to working with Katie as a sounding board and guide when/if she needs my involvement.

I've been fortunate to have role models in my life including Bernard Muir , Geoff Ballotti , Warren Fields , Helen McCabe-Young , Sourav Ghosh , Sri Srinivasan , Elliott Ferguson , Will Shields and Kathy Nelson who show me the way on leadership. I plan to do my best in emulating their approach as I take on a new role and new responsibilities.

In all the years of our amazing experiences, exciting successes and milestones achieved, I believe this next advancement at MMGY Global will not only be a defining moment but a continued expansion of our role in the world of travel. As a compliment and complement to our founders' vision for making a difference in travel, Katie, supported by our Global Leadership Team, is exactly the right person to carry forward our "legacy." You can see more about all of these reflections here and here .

Cheers Katie and here's to Craig Compagnone , Hugh McConnell and Mia Wise as they take us all through our next journey!