Travel Matters

Mark has been Chief Executive of ABTA since September 2005. He is responsible for the strategy and direction of the Association. Before joining ABTA Mark held senior strategy and corporate finance positions in a number of industry sectors, and was Group Strategy Director of Centrica plc., the parent company of British Gas and the Automobile Association.

Ailsa joined our Board of Directors in April 2022 and was appointed ABTA Chair in January 2026.

Kate Nicholls OBE is the full-time Chair of UKHospitality, the powerful voice representing the broad hospitality sector, and leads its lobbying, campaigning and media work. Kate was previously its CEO for seven years, since its inception in 2018. Kate previously worked as CEO and Strategic Affairs Director of the Association of Licenced Multiple Retailers (ALMR).

Kate sits on the Government’s Tourism, Hospitality, and Food & Drink Sector Councils, where she represents the wider hospitality and tourism sector. As a passionate advocate for inclusivity in hospitality, Kate is also the Government’s first Disability Ambassador for hospitality.

Kate is the Chair of the Institute of Licensing and ACC Liverpool, a board member of Best Bar None, and a trustee of Hospitality Action and Springboard. She has previously chaired the Tourism Alliance, London Night-time Commission, and London Tourism Recovery Board.

Kate initially worked as a researcher in the House of Commons and European Parliament on food, employment and environmental policy before joining Whitbread to work in Strategic Affairs. She has extensive experience as a political and strategic communications consultant and is a graduate of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge and Kings College London.

Uku SÄREKANNO is serving as Deputy Executive Director of Frontex, responsible for the administration
and digital transformation of the Agency. His tasks involve direct oversight of ETIAS Central Unit
Division, Security and Information Management Division, and Human Resources and Corporate Services
Division.
During 21-year-long career Mr Särekanno has worked in senior level positions in the Estonian public
administration and European Union institutions. He joined Frontex from the European Union Agency
for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems (eu-LISA) where he served as Head of
Cabinet, responsible for general coordination of the Agencies key activities.
Before joining eu-LISA in 2019, he served as Deputy Director General of the Estonian Information System
Authority, an agency responsible for the operational management of key components of the Estonian
e-governance system. Prior to that he has worked in various positions at the Estonian administration,
including Head of Law Enforcement and Criminal Policy in the Ministry of the Interior and Justice and
Home Affairs Counsellor in the Estonian Permanent Representation to the EU. He coordinated
preparations for the Estonian EU Presidency in 2017 and worked for the European Commission Task
Force 50, supporting Chief Negotiator Mr Barnier in interinstitutional relations and negotiations with
UK. In his earlier career, he worked for the Estonian Government Office, coordinating European Council
related positions and administrative preparations for the Estonian accession to the EU.
Mr Särekanno holds Master of Law from the University of Tartu (2020) and MA degree on Public
Administration from the Tallinn University (2003). The Estonian Police and Border Guard Board awarded
him with the Medal of Honour in 2014.

Tim joined Airlines UK, the trade body for UK-registered airlines, as Chief Executive in May 2016. As
CEO he is responsible for setting the strategic direction and priorities of the organisation, developing
policy positions and managing campaigns on key political and regulatory issues, whilst acting as an
ambassador for the airline sector in the media and across Government and Parliament.
Prior to his current role, Tim spent three and a half years at Airports UK, most recently as Public Affairs
& PR Director, where he was responsible for engaging with politicians, journalists and industry
stakeholders, and managing campaigns on issues ranging from airport capacity, Air Passenger Duty,
sustainable aviation and regional connectivity.
Before joining Airports UK Tim worked for two Members of Parliament and for the integrated public
affairs and PR consultancy Insight Consulting Group, where he specialised in a range of policy sectors.
As part of his current role Tim is a Director of Sustainable Aviation and an Executive Committee
member of the Industry & Parliament Trust.

Shaun Morton joined On the Beach in 2018 and was appointed Chief Executive Officer in June 2023, having previously served as Chief Financial Officer. Since becoming CEO, he has led the Group through a period of record performance and strategic expansion, including the launch of city breaks & cruise and entry into the Republic of Ireland.

On the Beach Group plc is one of the UK's largest online package holiday specialists, sending approximately 2 million people on ATOL-protected holidays every year. The Group operates a technology-first cash-generative business model and has achieved four consecutive years of passenger growth as it expands its presence in high-growth segments, more recently including the launch of city breaks and cruise.
 

Ian is executive editor at Travel Weekly Group, reporting on business, political, financial, regulatory, legal and other news affecting the travel industry and those in it. He is the author of Travel Weekly's annual Insight report produced in partnership with Deloitte and a regular moderator at Travel Weekly events.

Debapratim De (Debo) is Chief Economist at Deloitte UK. He advises clients and shapes the firm's thinking on macroeconomics and financial markets, and also comments on economic developments in the media. In addition to covering the business cycle, his work explores wider economic themes such as the impact of technological change on productivity and employment. Prior to joining Deloitte, Debo was a researcher in cryptography and applied mathematics at Microsoft. He was educated at BITS Pilani in India and at the London School of Economics.
 

Understanding how consumers make decisions in an unpredictable market is one of the greatest challenges facing travel, hospitality, and leisure brands today. James Bland is Commercial Director for Travel, Hospitality and Leisure at Ipsos, where he specialises in translating consumer insight into commercial strategy that drives growth and resilience. With deep expertise in customer behaviour, brand positioning, and
market dynamics, he helps organisations navigate shifting demand, evolving expectations, and competitive pressure in sectors where experience and emotion drive loyalty.
James brings extensive experience working with leading brands across airlines, hotels, attractions, and leisure operators, advising on everything from pricing strategy and product innovation to customer experience design and brand differentiation. At Ipsos, one of the world's most respected research and insights firms, he leads a team that combines robust data with human understanding to deliver actionable  intelligence. His work spans consumer segmentation, journey mapping, reputation management, and forecasting, equipping clients with the clarity needed to make confident decisions in fast-moving markets. James has a proven track record of helping organisations identify growth opportunities, respond to disruption, and build stronger connections with their audiences through insight that balances commercial ambition with customer truth. James works with leadership teams and marketing professionals who need to move beyond assumptions and base their strategies on evidence. His presentations offer practical frameworks for understanding what drives consumer choice, how to respond to changing traveller priorities, and
where to focus investment for maximum impact. Audiences leave with a sharper understanding of the forces shaping their industry, tools to interpret complex data, and the confidence to act on insight that matters. 
Whether speaking at conferences, strategy offsites, or industry forums, James delivers clarity, relevance, and inspiration that helps organisations turn insight into competitive advantage.