NORWEGIAN Cruise Line (NCL) Vice President & Managing Director Asia-Pacific Ben Angell (pictured) has been elected as the new local Chair of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). He takes on the role from former Chair, Royal Caribbean Cruises local Vice President & Managing Director Gavin Smith, whose two-year term has...
NORWEGIAN Cruise Line (NCL) Vice President & Managing Director Asia-Pacific Ben Angell (pictured) has been elected as the new local Chair of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).
He takes on the role from former Chair, Royal Caribbean Cruises local Vice President & Managing Director Gavin Smith, whose two-year term has concluded.
Angell was elected at CLIA’s annual general meeting which took place in Sydney yesterday, with MD Joel Katz saying Angell was an “accomplished industry leader who would offer invaluable experience at a time when the cruise sector was working to establish a new course for its future”.
“Angell has been a key leader in our industry for many years and has been highly successful in various executive roles, not only within cruising but across the wider tourism and leisure sectors,” Katz said.
“He will provide important stewardship for our industry as we work to strengthen our recovery, rebuild confidence in cruising and confront other challenges ahead of us.”
Katz also paid tribute to the outgoing Smith, hailing his leadership of CLIA through unprecedented times.
“Smith is an authoritative and longstanding leader in our industry, and his Chairmanship has spanned the most difficult period of our history”.
“He has been an invaluable part of our industry’s response to the pandemic, and has helped steer our sector through a difficult environment into revival.”
Angell said he was honoured to take on the role, saying “I look forward to working closely with CLIA and our partners in the industry as we drive towards a future that’s brighter than ever”.
He will lead an Executive Committee comprising of Smith, Stuart Allison from Princess Cruises; Sarina Bratton from Ponant; Lynne Clarke of MSC Cruises; Carnival Corporation’s Marguerite Fitzgerald; Andrew Millmore from Travel The World; and Steve Odell from NCL Holdings.
