Sandie Dawe was appointed Chief Executive of VisitBritain in May 2009. She joined VisitBritain in 1991 and became director of Strategy and Communications in 1996.

During her time here she has led marketing, business development and publicity strategies to grow the value of tourism to Britain, including cruise, culture and heritage, business and sports tourism and the UK’s celebration of the Millennium.  She established and then chaired the Tourism Industry Emergency Response Group (TIER) during a period which covered issues such as SARS the Iraq wars and the terrorist bombings in London July 05. 

Sandie sits on the Government’s Tourism Regulation Taskforce and is a member of the leadership council for Women 1st and the World Travel Market Council. As Accounting Officer for the total grant-in-aid for VisitBritain and VisitEngland she sits on the VisitEngland board.

Before joining VisitBritain she worked in media, book publishing and tourism, including the BBC World Service, Book Marketing Council, the English Tourist Board and the London Tourist Board.

An active spokesman, Sandie regularly appears on conference platforms and in the media, championing the interests of the tourism sector.

Sandie was awarded an MBE for her services to the tourist industry in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2008.

Follow her on twitter @SandieDawe and read her blog.