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The board of directors of Carlson Wagonlit Travel (CWT), has named Douglas Anderson president and chief executive officer, effective immediately. Mr. Anderson, who joined the company as executive vice president and chief financial officer one year ago, succeeds Hubert Joly, who became president and chief executive officer of Carlson, the majority shareholder of CWT, on March 1 of this year.
Mr. Anderson is a U.S. citizen with extensive international experience. He has worked in the Asia-Pacific region and Europe for 18 of the last 20 years. Mr. Anderson spent 25 years at UPS, based in the United States, Hong Kong, London and Brussels, and in his most recent position was senior vice president, Finance, and chief financial officer, UPS Logistics Group. He also worked in Geneva for the SITA Group, the IT and telecommunications service provider to the air transport industry, as senior vice president and chief financial officer. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska.
Mr. Anderson, age 53, will be based in Paris and report to the CWT board of directors. The board is composed of members from Carlson, owner of 55 percent of CWT, and One Equity Partners (OEP), owner of the remaining 45 percent. Mr. Joly will become the chairman of the CWT board. Carlson is a global leader in the hotel, restaurant, travel, and marketing industries, with such well-known brands as Regent Hotels & Resorts, Radisson Hotels, T.G.I. Friday’s and Carlson Marketing. OEP is a private equity affiliate of JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Commenting on Mr. Anderson’s appointment, Marilyn Carlson Nelson, chairman of Carlson and outgoing chair of the CWT board, said, “The CWT board of directors conducted an extensive, three-month search that included internal and external candidates alike. Doug surpassed all others with his proven leadership skills and first-hand knowledge of Carlson Wagonlit Travel. His ability to work across borders is another great asset that will enable CWT to build upon its global leadership.”
Mr. Joly added, “Having worked with Doug for the last year, I am convinced he is the right person to take Carlson Wagonlit Travel to the next level of excellence. His immediate grasp and concrete understanding of the opportunities for CWT played a significant role in the development of our three-year plan CWT 2010. Doug’s leadership, coupled with the talents of the CWT executive team, will be of great benefit to the clients, employees and shareholders of CWT as this company enters the next phase of its development.”
Greg O’Hara, an OEP partner and a member of the CWT board, also expressed his satisfaction over Mr. Anderson’s appointment. He said, “Carlson Wagonlit Travel has been built on a solid foundation that combines market-leading products and services with client-focused, high-performance teams around the globe. Doug Anderson has the experience and business know-how to drive CWT forward even in a challenging and complex business environment. I can’t think of a better person for this position and look forward to continuing to work with him in his new role.”
Under the leadership of Mr. Anderson, Carlson Wagonlit Travel will continue to implement CWT 2010, the company’s three-year strategic development plan, which is focused on seven key priorities:
- Continue the company’s organic growth in all client segments and regions of the world
- Accelerate the growth of its hotel business
- Further develop its Meetings & Events activities
- Increase the efficiency and global consistency of its Traveler & Transaction Services
- Continue to enrich its Program Optimization offering
- Further develop services for suppliers
- Pursue its targeted acquisitions strategy
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
