Hutchinson & Citadel Strengthen Their Team
June 15, 2009 in All News, Asia, Europe, Hutchinson & Co Trust Company Limited, News By Region by Timeshare & Fractional NewsHutchinson & Co Trust Company and Citadel Trustees are pleased to announce that Veranne Wilkinson is to take over as Managing Director of both Hutchinson and Citadel together with all other European Group companies. Veranne was born and educated in France where she graduated from the Université de Franche-Comté with a Masters Degree in Modern Languages and Business in 1995 and earlier in her career, spent some time with Clifford Chance in Paris.
Meanwhile, Paul Smythe will be reducing his activities as he moves towards semi retirement, but he will remain involved in the expansion of the Group in the Far East, in his role as Managing Director, Asia. The Board will be further strengthened by the addition of Anna Rickard, as Legal Services Director, Raquel Gonzalez, as Operations Director and Chris Allen, as Sales & Marketing Director.
The changes associated with these new positions will take account of the Group’s recent expansion and diversification and will take place progressively over the next few weeks, with the handover being completed by 1st July, 2009.
In another pleasing reinforcement of the management team, Lisa Best, has recently joined the Group as an Associate Director, having spent many years contributing impressively to the growth of the RMI Consortium and, after its take over, to Petchey Leisure, in Gibraltar, Spain and Ireland.
Peter Hutchinson, Chairman said “Veranne has been with Hutchinson for more than 10 years, having joined the Group in 1996. Her vast experience in providing our ever extending services to the timeshare industry and beyond will stand her in good stead to move the Group forward with greater emphasis on financial products, including Unregulated Collective Investment Schemes, which Citadel has recently been authorised to operate by the Financial Services Authority.
Similarly, Anna, Raquel, Chris and Lisa all bring different, but equally indispensible talents to the Board and together with Veranne, will provide for the long term prosperity of the Group’s operations.
So often, a company can stagnate as its original board matures. This new blood will ensure the professionalism and enthusiasm displayed in the past is built upon and perpetuated for many years to come.
Meanwhile, the Far East has played an increasing part in the Group’s activities over the last few years, a great deal of which has been as a result of Paul’s input and hard work. To call this step a move towards semi retirement is, happily, somewhat of an exaggeration, as Paul, at least initially, will still be devoting 4 days a week to the Group’s activities. As in the past, he will have valuable local assistance from Daniel Chou, Prakash Balachandran and Yang Chen and, with our expansion into China and in the region in general, the involvement of all of them will prove most beneficial in our continued success in this part of the world.”
Tags: Anna Rickard, Asia, Chris Allen, Citadel Trustees Ltd, European, Hutchinson & Co Trust Company Ltd, Lisa Best, Paul Smythe, Peter Hutchinson, Raquel Gonzalez, Veranne Wilkinson
