About Connect-Worldwide Consulting

Connect-Worldwide Consulting has been established to serve the needs of those companies within the travel industry who are looking for an experienced team with a global presence and a practical approach. With over 20 years experience of sales and marketing within in the international travel market place, our senior executives have a record of delivering results for major global travel brands and smaller travel companies with specific targeted needs. They have also started and developed new businesses as well as having started their careers with major travel brands such as Marriott Hotels and British Airways.

Connect-Worldwide’s reach in the international market place is not just through its existing network of offices and their local knowledge in over 30 markets around the world, but also through its executive team’s personal knowledge of the markets. We also have partnerships with companies that are experts in their field, from Digital Marketing to Business Processing Outsourcing.

Derek Shanks – Executive Vice President, Connect-Worldwide Consulting

With over 20 years of experience in the international market place within the travel industry, Derek has had 12 years of executive experience as well as sales, marketing and product management positions with British Airways, Thomson Holidays, Discover the World Marketing and Connect-Worldwide. The last 11 years has been within the global travel representation field. His experience of managing and working with an international network of local experts and their sales & marketing teams, along with the varied travel segments that clients are in, provides him with an excellent international insight. He spent time based in Japan with British Airways and moved to the USA from the United Kingdom 10 years ago and has been travelling the world since. He has experience of working with over 30 different cultures and over 50 markets. Derek is from the UK and has also lived and worked in South Africa, Japan, Australia and is based in Phoenix, USA.

Russell Sharpe - Lead Consultant

With over 30 years in the travel industry Russell has an extensive local knowledge of the Middle East and India markets, having lived and worked in the region for many years. His knowledge of the hotel and travel sector comes from his years with Holiday Inns and Accor Le Meridien Hotels and Resorts. Latterly as Senior VP of Sales & Marketing, he created an extensive sales network and a Central Reservations Office. Russell is based in Dubai, UAE.

Aaron Florence – Lead Consultant

With over 15 years of senior management experience within the Cruise & Tour industry, with companies such as Norwegian Cruise Lines, Global Travel International and Delta Dream Vacations. Aaron has been in USA domestic & international sales and has detailed knowledge of product management as well as operations. Undertaking many different major projects to develop market share and accelerate profit growth in demanding environments, he has expertise in identifying and capitalizing on product opportunities and utilizing traditional and Internet marketing to lever position and develop new business. Aaron is from Scotland and is now based in Orlando, USA.

Digital Partner – Web Liquid

What happens when you combine the analytics of a consultancy with the communication expertise of an advertising agency? An intimate knowledge of business and the skills to implement and optimize successful marketing solutions. An environment of thinking returns.

Web Liquid are smart people from different parts of the world who do really smart interactive marketing by thinking about returns. Their focus is on understanding clients’ commercial requirements and business goals, then translating those into the metrics that matter and make a difference to the bottom line. For example, rather than just ratings and reach we look at revenue, channel shift and retention. Web Liquid does not chart their growth on annual billings, they look at clients’ revenue and ROI — which averaged $28: $1 in 2008.

Many marketing companies treat the Internet purely as an advertising channel. Web Liquid recognizes the Internet is a business and distribution platform that requires a strategic and objective perspective on product development, marketing, pricing, technology infrastructure and customer service. These elements determine and influence their unique approach to online marketing in a blend of consulting and advertising services. Web Liquid offers a wide range of Digital Marketing Services ranging from communications planning to campaign analytics. Some of the areas that Web Liquid offers services:

• Consulting
• Search – SEO & PPC
• Word of Mouth, Social Media Research and Marketing
• Communications Planning
• Online Media Planning, Buying & Optimization
• Creative Conception, Design & Production
• Campaign Analytics & Measurement Consulting

Web Liquid have offices in London and New York and has excellent travel related experience with a client base that includes major travel brands.

For more information see www.webliquidgroup.com