The appointment of two experienced industry professionals, Judith Crompton and Narendra Kumar, to the board of TravelManagers‘ parent company, House of Travel Australia (HOTA), comes as the company seeks to capitalise on growth opportunities in 2025 and beyond.

HOTA CEO and Executive Director Joe Araullo explained that the selection of Crompton and Kumar comes after the retirements of the board’s former Chairman Barry Mayo in 2022 and House of Travel Founder Chris Paulsen in 2024.

“It was agreed that the board would benefit from the appointment of an Australia-based, Non-Executive Director, to complement the expertise provided by its existing members, David Coombes (CEO, House of Travel Group) and Keith Sutton (Chairman, House of Travel Group), both New Zealand-based, who were appointed as Directors in 2024,” Araullo said.

“A thorough search process yielded two highly qualified candidates, Judith and Narendra, whose outstanding skills and experience align with the board’s appetite to grow exponentially and beyond the scope of what we are already achieving organically.”

Crompton brings more than 30 years of international experience with leading companies in various industries, including roles at Cover-More, Virgin Australia, Qantas Airways, Etihad Airways, and Flight Centre Travel Group. Kumar has four decades of experience in aviation, including nearly 30 years at Qantas Airways, with vast expertise in commercial operations and strategic leadership.

Araullo stressed that the new board structure would not affect the day-to-day management of HOTA, which includes TravelManagers Australia and Hoot Holidays.

Both Crompton and Kumar are expected to attend TravelManagers’ National Conference in Bali later this year, where they will meet with the company’s community of personal travel managers.

“Judith and Narendra are invaluable additions to the HOTA Board, and we are excited to welcome them both into the House of Travel Australia family,” Araullo said.