Thomson man moves over to RCI

Stephen Allen, commercial director of Thomson Holidays, the UK’s largest holiday company, is leaving to join timeshare operation RCI as managing director.

Allen was promoted in January to commercial director in charge of three newly-created Thomson business units – City Breaks, Ski/Mountain/Lakes and Ireland (MW January 19). He was previously sales director.

Allen says the decision to leave Thomson after 16 years was not connected with his recent promotion. “It was good fun running the business units and we turned City Breaks around after five years of decline.The ski operation was also up after four years’ decline. But RCI is a great opportunity,” he says.

RCI is the worldwide market leader in timeshare exchange. It does not buy or sell timeshares but operates an exchange programme in which timeshare owners with a property in Scotland, for example, swap with an owner in the Caribbean.

Allen says: “I will still be in the travel business but will get European and direct marketing experience.

Before his role as sales director at Thomson, Allen was sales and marketing director for Britannia Airways.

Allen joins RCI in October. His successor has not yet been appointed.