EasyJet lures Thomson Travel chief

EasyJet has poached Thomson Travel Group e-commerce director Mike Cooper to be its commercial director in the run-up to the airline’s flotation later this year.

Cooper joins the no-frills airline on May 8, and will report to managing director Ray Webster. He will take day-to-day responsibility for sales and marketing across Europe.

Cooper says: “The company aims to expand by 25 per cent a year, so we will be increasing our marketing activity and spend.” EasyJet creates its &£5m advertising in house.

As director of digital travel at the Thomson Travel Group, Cooper is responsible for creating and setting up new Internet travel brands.

Cooper will be EasyJet’s first commercial director, and the company’s first board director with day-to-day responsibility for marketing since marketing director Tony Anderson became group marketing director of parent company EasyGroup 18 months ago.

Anderson left to join Prudential’s Egg in January.