Aurora Expeditions seeks new MD

ROBERT Halfpenny (pictured) has resigned from the board of Aurora Expeditions, as well as from his role as the company’s Managing Director.

Halfpenny’s departure comes about three and a half years after joining the cruise line (CW 22 Dec 2016), having overseen its expansion from a small 56-pax operation using chartered vessels to a two-ship business, carrying almost 250 passengers.

His tenure saw the launch of sales and marketing for the new

Greg Mortimer, which has since completed its inaugural Antarctic season, as well as the Sylvia Earle, scheduled to debut in 2021/22, and a possible third newbuild (CW 21 Jan). Halfpenny’s departure initially came in early May, at which point the company’s Chairman Neville Buch told staff and suppliers the outgoing Managing Director would be taking three months of personal leave.

“Bob had been working incredibly long hours even before the COVID-19 outbreak to ensure we were in the best position possible for our maiden season of the Greg Mortimer,” Buch said.

“His incredible dedication, diplomacy and integrity are qualities that aren’t easy to find in leaders, and I’m sure you will all agree that Robert is an integral member of the Aurora Expeditions team who will be sorely missed over the next few months,” he added.

Aurora has now confirmed Halfpenny’s resignation, but says he is still discussing with the board future opportunities within the company.

In the meantime, Buch is leading the business in an Executive Chairman role, with a recruitment process for a replacement Aurora Chief Executive Officer understood to be currently under way.

Aurora Expeditions has been in the headlines recently, after a complex repatriation when the Greg Mortimer was blocked from disembarking passengers in South America (CW 08 Apr) due to onboard COVID-19 infections.