Chapman Freeborn, part of Avia Solutions Group, has appointed Nigel Parkinson, a travel expert with 25 years' experience in the travel industry, as its new chief commercial officer of passenger charter solutions.

Parkinson joins the business following 13 years at ALTOUR, one of the largest travel management companies globally. He held the position of senior VP of global sales and account management, covering sectors including corporate travel, finance, media and entertainment, MICE, private jet and music and film. He also undertook a number of acquisitions in this time as well sourcing independent contractors and global consolidations.

Starting his career at KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Parkinson quickly realised that the travel industry was where he wanted to be, progressing to more senior roles in global corporates. This included several years living in Hong Kong, working in the Far East, Asia and Australian markets, and more recently a heavy focus on the US market.

This wealth of experience prepares him well for his new role at Chapman Freeborn, based at its London Gatwick headquarters.

He says: “I am in a privileged position coming into this role, as Chapman Freeborn is already a successful solid business. It has great people and a good solid foundation. I am looking forward to working with these great people so we can develop and further grow the business. COVID has had a massive impact on passenger charters and travel across the entire industry; there is no denying that. Despite this, the Chapman Freeborn passenger business is working and fixtures are still being made, but there is a lot of room for growth. In some respects, when there is a quieter period it gives us the opportunity to reflect and plan for the recovery, so we will be ahead of the game, in a good place with a polished and defined value proposition to launch, when the time is right.”

Within his first few weeks in the role, Parkinson has been spending time listening and learning about the business. “I am keen to make sure the voice of the Chapman Freeborn passenger team is heard across the group, far and wide. Working closely with the strong, open-minded broker team we already have in place and the newly established marketing team, I intend to develop the business and increase revenues as the recovery from COVID begins. I also have my ear to ground for future acquisitions, so watch this space.”

CEO Eric Erbacher concludes: “Nigel is an experienced travel expert with a successful career history to date. We are delighted to welcome him to Chapman Freeborn. His knowledge and expertise will no doubt drive passenger charter solutions to the next level. I wish him every success in this new role.”