Mark Bather is the new retail director and Richard Sofer is the new managing director of Thomson Cruises, both starting with immediate effect. 



Reporting to Tui UK and Ireland’s distribution and cruise director Helen Caron, Bather will lead the 600-strong retail estate.

Also reporting into Caron, Sofer will “drive the performance of the Thomson Cruise business” and deliver the modernisation plan, which will see three ships join the fleet in the next three years.

Sofer joins from GLH Hotels, with his most recent role being chief executive of Thistle & Every hotels.

Bather joins from Telefonica O2 where he was head of stores for the UK and Ireland, leading the retail estate and managing commercial and trade.

Caron said: “Richard and Mark are both great hires for our business, bringing with them a wealth of experience from senior roles at some of Britain’s leading businesses.

“This external influence and experience will prove invaluable as we continue with our growth and modernisation plans for our business.

“Richard will lead the cruise team during the next stage of our modernisation strategy, with a focus on continually improving the customer experience delivering tailored and contemporary end-to-end experiences for our customers.

“Mark will be focused on leading our incredible team of retail experts, to inspire them to deliver an outstanding service to our customers.

"He will also develop the future of our retail estate and the evolution of our stores.

“I’m delighted that Richard and Mark have joined at such an exciting time for the business.”