We have been undergoing a reshaping of our organisation to ensure we remain a high performing agency, focused on our delivery priorities including support to industry and driving economic growth.This reshaping strengthens our role as a partnership‑led organisation, with enhanced commercial capability and a sharper focus on digital and data‑driven leadership.
Our current funding envelope has also meant that we needed to make cuts of about 10% to our salary budget.
The core principles underpinning our reshaping have been:
- Delivering economic impact - prioritising activity that drives growth and adds value and where we need to step in.
- Strengthening our commercial and digital and data capabilities.
- Removing duplication - so we do not duplicate activity that can or should be done by the regions in England or the Strategic Partners in Britain.
- Greater integration - across our teams and focusing on skill sets.
- Empowering our international network, one of our core assets – so our international teams lead in‑market activity and delivery and strengthening our global reach.
To support this, I am pleased to confirm our Executive Leadership Team, as illustrated below:
Key changes:
Deputy CEO appointment: Robin Johnson has been appointed Deputy CEO, strengthening organisational resilience and succession planning. Robin brings extensive experience from our international network and global marketing operations, including leadership of our award‑winning Starring GREAT Britain campaign.
Commercial & Partnerships Division: We have established a new division led by Louise Bryce, with Suzy Faulkner as Deputy Director. This is to build stronger commercial skills and partnerships that generate income, support our government funding objectives and our long-term financial sustainability.
Digital Data and Technology (DDaT) will continue to be a fundamental enabler of our work, and we are enhancing senior technical leadership in this area. This will ensure that; we keep pace with a rapidly evolving landscape; our platforms support marketing, partnerships and customer engagement; and our data research and evaluation are treated as strategic assets and support the industry. The process for recruiting a DDaT Director is underway.
Business Events has moved to be an England activity led by VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes. This follows confirmation that there is no ringfenced funding for Business Events or for the Business Events Growth Programme. England will work alongside Visit Wales and VisitScotland to promote English destinations. The priority for the slimmed down team is to enable English destinations to participate in major international business event shows, access global buyers and attract international business events, and to continue the Ambassador Programme to showcase and support regions and their respective key sectors.
We recognise that these changes have also meant saying farewell to a number of valued colleagues across our organisation and we thank them for their contributions.
Looking ahead, as we embed our new structures and ways of working, I am confident our reshaping will position VisitBritain/VisitEngland to work even more effectively with you. Thank you for your continued partnership, support and engagement.
Patricia Yates, CEO VisitBritain/VisitEngland