PATA CEO Greg Duffell quits PATA

MACAU (eTN)- Rumors circulated all around the day, and it was finally confirmed at the closing session of the PATA Travel Mart in Macau – CEO Greg Duffell will leave the organization as its CEO after only 18 months in the position. PATA Chairman Hiran Cooray red an official statement in which he aknowledged Duffell’s achievements: “We gave Greg a mandate for change, and I must say that we have seen changes for the better in our operations and governance, which give me and the board confidence,” he indicated.

During Greg Duffell’s 18-month tenure, structural changes were implemented within the executive board and the executive committee, as well as PATA administration. Members will certainly remember that financial transparency has been introduced and that PATA chapters were revived according to Duffell’s strong belief for grassroot work at the organization. A Strategic and Intelligence unit was also strengthened with a new instrument, such as TIGA, launched.

According to Cooray, PATA is now moving into Phase 2: “Which will involve finalization of the vision and strategy development, again, in line with future rather than past needs, which guarantee the programs and services delivered by the association are relevant and of value to all members. Greg will be working with a sub-committee of the executive board to achieve this within the coming six months.”

The final phase will focus on implementation of those redefined programs and services and will be strongly operational, in line with strategic assistance from the executive board. Said Corray: “Greg recognizes that his forte lies in business development and feels that he has achieved this purpose with PATA and that the next phase now requires a different skill focus. Greg now wishes to hone his skill sets further back in the commercial sector.”

Therefore, Greg Duffell and the executive board have agreed to a transition plan over the next six months. PATA’s current CEO will still stay during this time to implement this transition, helped by three executive board members. A global recruitment process will commence shortly with the task to have a new CEO hopefully elected within three months. The new name should be known before the next PATA board meeting in February in Hawaii.

As Mr. Duffell is going back to the commercial sector, some sources external to the PATA executive board say that the pressure has been intense on him during these 18 months, and changes have not been so easily accepted by some of PATA’s old boys. The same anonymous source even explained that Greg Duffell was far too gentle for the CEO position, and it has probably been the cause for his departure.