Travel guru joins Midland-based ad agency
AN advertising agency has boosted its senior team with a leading figure from the travel industry as it strives to secure new wins in the sector.
John Donnelly has joined the board of M3, which has offices in Birmingham, Wolverhampton and London, to build on more than £1.5 million of recent contract wins.
Mr Donnelly founded Holiday Hypermarkets which was later sold to travel industry giant First Choice where he became managing director of its retail arm.
In 2013, he was awarded the travel industry’s Lifetime Achievement Award and has also served as chairman of non-league football club Chasetown in Staffordshire.
Mr Donnelly is aiming to help M3 develop a range of route-to-market collaborations and deliver UK representation for foreign destinations.
The agency has also recruited new designers and digital specialists to join the team looking after Aria Resorts, Co-op Travel, Marston’s Inns, Solmar Villas and West Midland Safari Park.
Managing director Nick Lovett said: “Travel is one of our fastest growing sectors, up from £1 million last year to £2.5 million in gross annual billings in 2018. The appointment of John will take us to the next level, putting us in front of some of the most influential people and brands. His track-record and knowl- edge of the travel industry is second to none and we will look to leverage these qualities to develop exciting new marketing offers for companies working in the sector.”
Mr Donnelly added: “I’m really excited to be appointed as non-exec- utive director for M3, a company I know a lot about and one that I have been very impressed with.
“The travel industry is continuing to evolve and I feel there’s a big opportunity around the popularity of ‘staycations’, representation mar- keting for foreign destinations and membership and reward programmes.
“I genuinely don’t think the sector has ever got to grips with the latter and that is something we will actively look to change.”