Thomas Cook parts company with top UK marketer Mike Hoban

Thomas Cook group CMO Remo Masala is directly taking the reins of UK marketing in a restructure that see UK sales, marketing and ecommerce director Mike Hoban depart.

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Thomas Cook Christmas campaign with James Nesbitt.

Masala joined the tour operator in January from Kuoni where he was chief marketing officer.

Hoban joined the tour operator in October 2012 as part of the injection of new blood overseen by CEO Harriet Green to help with the “high tech, high touch” transformation programme.

He implemented television campaigns featuring actor James Nesbitt and drove development of digital distribution channels and new digital tools for customers. He steered the UK roll out of the new brand identity for Thomas Cook and strapline “Let’s Go.”

Hoban has worked in many different sectors as a marketer including stints at DirectGov and Barclaycard. He is not believed to have a job to go to.

Last month he was named as one of Marketing Week’s inaugural Vision 100 list, in association with Adobe.

Thomas Cook recently unveiled interim results that showed a softening in holiday bookings this year, blamed largely on civil unrest in Egypt.

UK managing director Reto Wilhelm has also been transferred to look after the group’s East/West region. The UK will now be headed up by chief operating officer Peter Fankhauser, supported by Salman Syed, who has been appointed UK managing director of commercialisation.

He joined in December and is a former employee of Green’s previous company Premier Farnell.

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