Wayfare CEO Stephen England-Hall has announced the first of several new appointments designed to bring the unique and diverse capabilities from across the group to work together to build a more sustainable business, whilst at the same time protecting and enhancing all its unique experiences.

Further cementing the group’s reputation in conservation, Real Journeys GM, Paul Norris, has been promoted to Chief Conservation Officer - believed to be a New Zealand first for a tourism business. Paul will lead conservation and sustainability initiatives across the group.

Last month (May 2021), Paul was presented with the New Zealand Order of Merit by Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy, for services to tourism and conservation.

“Our founder, Les Hutchins, famously said: ‘conservation is the real cornerstone of New Zealand’s tourism industry... and the right direction to go is to take more notice of conservation issues, not less’. This newly created role does exactly that.

After 27 years in our business, Paul is passionate about conservation and has the perfect credentials. He has spearheaded most of our successful projects to protect, restore and enhance our unique areas - like the Cooper Island Restoration Project in Dusky Sound.

This role will give Paul a dedicated team and the ability and scope to further develop our conservation programme and kaitiakitanga across the group for the benefit of current and future generations,” says England-Hall.

Cardrona/Treble Cone General Manager Bridget Legnavsky will have overall responsibility for all Wayfare experiences, with a promotion to Wayfare Chief Experience Officer. England-Hall says Legnavsky will not be lost to Cardrona/Treble Cone.

“Bridget is a visionary leader, with an incredible talent for building team culture to deliver an outstanding guest experience and we want to continue to ensure this is developed further across the group. She will lead, coach and mentor a team of GM’s responsible for Wayfare’s tourism and ski experiences across their locations. In this new role, Bridget will still have overall responsibility for the Cardrona/Treble Cone Experience, but there will be a new ski experience general manager reporting to her, one of several exciting new roles,” says England-Hall.

England-Hall says other changes include the promotion of Real Journeys/Go Orange Head of Customer Experience Russell Thomas to Fiordland and Stewart Island Experience GM and Director of Sales Julia Savill to Wayfare Chief Sales Officer.

“The changes have opened up a number of new leadership growth opportunities within the company and have not resulted in any job losses,” says England-Hall.

The new roles take effect on Monday, 2nd August.