Damon Tassone, Deputy CEO of lastminute.com will be leaving the business and returning to the US in January 2008. Tassone, a key figure in Sabre/Travelocity’s acquisition of lastminute.com in 2005, has…
Damon Tassone, Deputy CEO of lastminute.com will be leaving the business and returning to the US in January 2008. Tassone, a key figure in Sabre/Travelocity’s acquisition of lastminute.com in 2005, has decided to return home to New York with his wife as they become first-time parents next month, and to pursue a new career challenge outside of the Travelocity family.
Tassone joined Travelocity in 2002 when Travelocity acquired Site59, and held a variety of senior leadership positions in North America, including heading up Site59 and serving as Senior Vice President for Distribution. He became President of Travelocity Europe in 2005.
“Damon has been an outstanding leader for Travelocity globally, and has been a trusted advisor of mine since our early Site59 days. Every position we have put him in, he’s been able to quickly acclimate and excel professionally,” said Michelle Peluso, President and CEO of Travelocity Global
“I’m personally very appreciative of all that he has contributed over the past eight years at Site59, Travelocity, and lastminute.com, and I know he will continue to accomplish great things in his future.”
Most recently, working closely with chief executive Ian McCaig, Tassone led the team that produced the refreshed group strategy in Europe and has been responsible for leading all of lastminute.com’s activities outside of the UK.
Tassone said: “I have enjoyed my time in Europe with lastminute.com immensely, and am incredibly sad to be leaving such a thriving company. However, on both a personal and professional level, now is the right time to move on. I am excited both to be returning home to bring up my family and, after almost eight years at Travelocity, to pursue a new career challenge outside of the group. I leave the business knowing Ian and his talented team will continue to drive the business at the forefront of the travel industry.”
McCaig added: “On a personal level I am very sad Damon has decided it’s time to return home. He and I worked extremely closely together on the integration of the lastminute.com and Travelocity businesses. Through this we formed a strong professional bond that become a friendship as well. Damon will be sorely missed and I’m delighted that he’ll be staying until January to complete the projects he has been leading.”
Tassone will remain with lastminute.com until January 2008. He will migrate his existing responsibilities to the European and global Travelocity teams over the next 6 months.
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