Simpson Travel eyes ‘growth and acquisition’ with two senior appointments

Villa and boutique hotel specialist Simpson Travel has appointed Dan Butler as chief financial officer and Mark Speight as operations director.

The operator said the appointments are part of Simpson Travel’s “ongoing growth strategy”, as it seeks to expand its range of European destinations, as well as source exclusive new properties to add to its current portfolio in Greece, Turkey, Corsica, France, Italy and Mallorca.

Butler (pictured right) joins in a newly created CFO role from Awaze, where he was most recently CFO of the specialist brands division. Before this, he was finance director at James Villas.

He officially starts on October 1.

Speight (left) became operations director last week, taking on a role which was previously held by Ed Pyke, before he was promoted to managing director in March.

He was previously chief operating officer at Day8 Experiences, which includes the brands of Yacht Week, Ski Week and Fort George in Croatia. Before that, he was a captain in the British Army.

Butler said: “Simpson Travel is a brand I have admired for a long time. Their unwavering attention to detail and authentic guest experience is second to none.

“From the colleagues I have met so far, it is an honest reflection of the culture and service ethos throughout the company and not simply a veneer created to try and leverage a buzzword.

“It’s businesses like Simpson Travel that have a bright future, and I am incredibly excited to be part of that growth.”

Speight added: “I am honoured and proud to be joining the team at Simpson Travel. The opportunity to be part of the business during this new and exciting phase is a real privilege.”

Pyke commented: “Dan has a long track record in the travel industry as an accomplished CFO with plenty of travel and M&A experience that will be of huge support in our new growth journey as we look to expand the business through a combination of growth and acquisition.

“[Mark] has fantastic experience gained from leading a 350-strong team to deliver holidays in Greece, Croatia and further afield.
“His calm demeanour and exacting eye will be invaluable in ensuring the smooth operation of our extensive overseas division.”