UAE, 11 July, 2016: Travelport, (NYSE:TVPT), a leading travel commerce platform providing distribution, technology, payment and other solutions for the global travel and tourism industry is pleased to announce the appointment of Douglas Jewson as Travelport’s Managing Director for Africa.

Douglas Jewson, an accomplished sales and distribution executive with 20 years’ experience in Africa’s telecommunications and electronics sector, comes to Travelport having held a variety of leadership roles for multinationals operating in the region including Sony, Research in Motion and Nokia.

Travelport continues to grow its operations in the region and also recently appointed a new East African manager earlier this year, while the continent’s French and Portuguese speaking nations continue to be managed by French and Portuguese speaking leaders respectively. Travelport has been present in South Africa for over 20 years, operating as a fully owned and managed Travelport operation since 2012, with over 60 staff in Johannesburg. The Travel Commerce Platform, has been named ‘Best GDS’ at the Business Traveller Africa awards for two years running. In 2016 to date, Travelport has accomplished a significant number of successes and wins in Africa, with the opening of a new help desk in Kenya as well as the signing of key airline deals with Mango and Jambojet to name a few.

As Managing Director, Douglas will be responsible for promoting Travelport’s leadership positions in airline merchandising, hotel content distribution, B2B payments and mobile travel commerce to customers across the region.

Douglas Jewson commented: “I am delighted to be joining an industry leader, at the heart of the travel landscape, renowned for its innovation. At a time when Travelport is strengthening its presence in Africa, and air traffic1 and tourism2 is growing in Africa, I am excited to have this opportunity to lead the them in growing Travelport’s business and customers’ businesses in the region.”

Rabih Saab, Travelport’s President & Managing Director for Europe, Middle East, Africa and South Asia commented: “Douglas is a seasoned, customer-focused leader with a track record of driving business growth and effective people management in Africa’s dynamic business environment. I wish Douglas the best in his new position, as Travelport continues to redefine travel commerce in Africa by bringing our unrivalled value proposition to the industry’s travel leaders.”

Media Contacts:
Siobhan McCarthy, Manager AFMESA, Corporate Communications
Tel: +971 (0) 43614800
Mob: +971 (0) 501070018
Email: siobhan.mccarthy@travelport.com

Kate Aldridge
VP Corporate Communications
Tel: +44 (0)1753 288720
Mob: +44 (0)755212132
Email: kate.aldridge@travelport.com