Intrepid debuts its first all-female leadership team

By Alexandra Coulton

Intrepid Travel has unveiled its first all-female regional leadership team, with Sarah Clark returning as ANZ managing director, and Yvette Thompson promoted to general manager of sales and partnerships.

Clark’s return to the managing director role for Australia and New Zealand comes after a successful one-year secondment leading Intrepid’s global accommodation strategy.

This includes the recently announced partnership with off-grid accommodation company CABN.

In returning to the regional managing director role, Clark will oversee the Australian and New Zealand market and continue to lead the CABN partnership.

Clark joined Intrepid in 2018 and has held a number of senior leadership roles at the business across, product development, sales and marketing and has been a member of the core management team for the past two years.

Her career prior has spanned both the retail and tour operator side in the UK, Canada and the US. Clark is also a board member of Tourism Tasmania.

“I’m thrilled to be returning my focus to the Australian and New Zealand markets. We’ve seen domestic travel return in waves and we are finally seeing the uptick and return of international travel as well,” Clark said.

“Intrepid has focused on increasing our number of female tour leaders and crew over the years and now I’m extremely proud to lead our first-ever all-female regional leadership team.

“We know that solo female travellers are among our largest customer groups and with this team, we have ambitious plans to grow rapidly with purpose and ensure even more people can again explore the world with us.”

Supporting this move, Yvette Thompson has been promoted to the role of general manager of sales and partnerships and will lead all partner relationships and commercial agreements across the ANZ region.

Thompson replaces Cameron Elliott who will head up global sales for Intrepid’s network of 25 destination management companies.

“I am looking forward to working even more closely with our partners to deliver new opportunities as we continue to grow,” Thompson said.

“I’m also excited to be recruiting for a partnership manager, who will ensure we provide our agents and partners the support they need as travel rebounds.”

Intrepid all-female ANZ leadership team includes Louise Laing, general manager of marketing ANZ; Julie Risteveski, general manager of inside sales and customer experience ANZ; and Lauren McCormick, general manager of commercial finance ANZ.

“I’m delighted to welcome Sarah back into the managing director role in Australia and New Zealand, particularly with the travel rebound well underway,” James Thornton, Intrepid CEO, said.

“This region remains a key one for Intrepid and with this leadership team in place, I have no doubt we will grow rapidly in the months ahead.”

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